PulseAudio service is in failed state

Support Sound
1

Hi team,

let me start with the system settings of the audio

Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
    driver: snd_hda_intel
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.13.19-2-MANJARO running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.52 running: yes

systemctl --user pulseaudio 
systemctl --user status pulseaudio
× pulseaudio.service - Sound Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pulseaudio.service; disabled; vendor>
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2022-08-03 00:34:30 AEST; 4s >
TriggeredBy: × pulseaudio.socket
    Process: 6714 ExecStart=/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=jou>
   Main PID: 6714 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 428ms

Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Stopped Sound Service.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.

the sound on my laptop does play however I can’t use any application to control the volume, the ALSA Or pulseaudio applications do not show any options.

i also ran

maxb@max-laptop ~]$ journalctl --user -xe
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
lines 2247-2268/2269 100%
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
~
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
~
~
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
~
~
~
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
~
~
~
~
lines 2247-2269/2269 (END)
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is done.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Start request rep>
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with resul>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: Failed to start Sound Service.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit UNIT has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit UNIT has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 940 and the job result is failed.
Aug 03 00:34:30 max-laptop systemd[1001]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result>
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit UNIT has entered the 'failed' state with result 'service-start-limi>
~
~

sudo alsa-info.sh --upload is below
Your ALSA information is located at http://alsa-project.org/db/?f=6412cd84e8dd5e3c7590393efff11a5f8c362678

i found that on my (extremely old) laptop only 1 speaker has sound coming out of it and all the audio controls on this aren’t functioning.

any help would be great.

2

Can you enable Pulse Audio service ?

3

Can you try and start the pulseaudio.service in the terminal? The command is
sudo systemctl start pulseaudio.service

4

No, this is the output

sudo systemctl start pulseaudio.service
Failed to start pulseaudio.service: Unit pulseaudio.service not found.

5

[maxb@max-laptop ~]$ systemctl enable pulseaudio
Failed to enable unit: Unit file pulseaudio.service does not exist.

so no.

6

pulseaudio.service is part of the pulseaudio package, are you sure its installed?

7

it’s listed here.

[maxb@max-laptop ~]$ pacman -Qe |grep pulse
manjaro-pulse 20220217-2
pulseaudio-bluetooth 16.1-1
pulseaudio-ctl 1.70-1
pulseaudio-zeroconf 16.1-1
xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin 0.4.3-1.1
8

I installed it again using the snapd

sudo snap install pulseaudio

but I’m still unable start the service.

9

Try to install it with sudo pacman -S pulseaudio

10

I have installed it but I still can’t use the audio mixer in the system tray, the pulseaudio application is blank and the system settings > audio is also blank.

11

Try to uninstall and then to install Pulseaudio.

12

how?

sudo pacman -R pulseaudio
sudo pacman -Syu pulsaudio

?

13

just switch to pipewire:
sudo pacman -S manjaro-pipewire
it will probably give you pulse dependency issues, so remove them first, then run the command again, and select wireplumber during installing pipewire, when done reboot…
and your logs/outputs are incomplete, they are cut off, so we can see what is the actual issue

14

That’s not the correct command. Pulseaudio is a user service:

systemctl --user start pulseaudio

However, I would suggest switching to pipewire as the post above suggested.

1 Like
15

inxi data in post#1 is showing kernel version that is no longer supported - k5.13.19-2-MANJARO

I suggest you install kernel v5.15 and remove kernel v5.13
use either Manjaro Settings Manager > Kernel GUI, Or these commands:

sudo mhwd-kernel -i linux515

sudo mhwd-kernel -r linux513

PipeWire v: 0.3.52 is out of date. v0.3.56 was released recently
So I suggest catching up on recent updates too

Restart system after updating and check pulseaudio.socket and pulseaudio.service

systemctl --user --full --no-pager status pipewire.socket pipewire.service
1 Like
16

Why would you install your audio server via snap? Revert that.

4 Likes
17

pipewire is updated

[maxb@max-laptop ~]$ systemctl --user --full --no-pager status pipewire.socket pipewire.service
● pipewire.socket - PipeWire Multimedia System Socket
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Wed 2022-08-03 21:44:06 AEST; 4min 39s ago
      Until: Wed 2022-08-03 21:44:06 AEST; 4min 39s ago
   Triggers: ● pipewire.service
     Listen: /run/user/1000/pipewire-0 (Stream)
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/app.slice/pipewire.socket

Aug 03 21:44:06 max-laptop systemd[1019]: Listening on PipeWire Multimedia System Socket.

● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Wed 2022-08-03 21:46:22 AEST; 2min 24s ago
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 2050 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 2 (limit: 9423)
     Memory: 2.0M
        CPU: 76ms
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─2050 /usr/bin/pipewire

however the pulseaudio plugin in the system tray isn’t working.

[maxb@max-laptop ~]$ systemctl --user --full --no-pager status pulseaudio.socket pulseaudio.service
× pulseaudio.socket - Sound System
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pulseaudio.socket; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: failed (Result: service-start-limit-hit) since Wed 2022-08-03 21:44:55 AEST; 18min ago
   Duration: 49.485s
   Triggers: ● pulseaudio.service
     Listen: /run/user/1000/pulse/native (Stream)

Aug 03 21:44:06 max-laptop systemd[1019]: Listening on Sound System.
Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: pulseaudio.socket: Failed with result 'service-start-limit-hit'.

× pulseaudio.service - Sound Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pulseaudio.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2022-08-03 21:44:55 AEST; 18min ago
TriggeredBy: × pulseaudio.socket
    Process: 1508 ExecStart=/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no --log-target=journal (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Main PID: 1508 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 438ms

Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: pulseaudio.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 6.
Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: Stopped Sound Service.
Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: pulseaudio.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: pulseaudio.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Aug 03 21:44:55 max-laptop systemd[1019]: Failed to start Sound Service.

that’s how the forum recommended to install pulseaudio.

can you provide alternate steps?

18

Can you post inxi -Fza ?

19 
[maxb@max-laptop ~]$ inxi -Fza
System:
  Kernel: 5.15.57-2-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.1.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
    root=UUID=8140cdc7-a2ae-4580-826a-d2a7fb26c1ef rw quiet apparmor=1
    security=apparmor udev.log_priority=3
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.16.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.29 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm
    v: 4.16.1 vt: 1 dm: 1: LightDM v: 1.30.0 note: stopped 2: SDDM
    Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Latitude E6510 v: 0001
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 9 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 02K3Y4 v: A00 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Dell
    v: A04 date: 07/08/2010
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5 M 540 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Westmere
    gen: core 1 built: 2010-11 process: Intel 32nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x25 (37) stepping: 5 microcode: 0x7
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 128 KiB desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB
    L3: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1346 high: 1463 min/max: 1199/2534 boost: enabled
    scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: schedutil cores: 1: 1463 2: 1243
    3: 1216 4: 1463 bogomips: 20221
  Flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT
    vulnerable
  Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode;
    SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via
    prctl and seccomp
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer
    sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines, IBPB: conditional, IBRS_FW,
    STIBP: conditional, RSB filling
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-5.75 process: Intel 45nm built: 2010
    ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2,
    HDMI-A-3, VGA-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0046 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Ricoh HD Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.4:3
    chip-ID: 05ca:1814 class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.4 compositor: xfwm v: 4.16.1 driver:
    X: loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1600x900 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 423x238mm (16.65x9.37")
    s-diag: 485mm (19.11")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: LG Display 0x029e built: 2009 res: 1600x900
    hz: 60 dpi: 118 gamma: 1.2 size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64")
    diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1600x900
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics (ILK) v: 2.1 Mesa 22.1.4
    direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
    Latitude E6510 driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
    chip-ID: 8086:3b56 class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.15.57-2-MANJARO running: yes
  Sound Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.21 running: no
  Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
  Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.56 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Intel 82577LM Gigabit Network vendor: Dell Latitude E6510
    driver: e1000e v: kernel port: 7040 bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:10ea
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:422c
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Dell DW375 Bluetooth Module type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 2-1.7:3 chip-ID: 413c:8187 class-ID: fe01 serial: <filter>
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: up address: see --recommends
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 232.89 GiB used: 101.01 GiB (43.4%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital
    model: WD2500BEKT-75A25T0 size: 232.89 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter>
    rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 232.88 GiB size: 228.17 GiB (97.98%) used: 101.01 GiB
    (44.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 48.0 C mobo: N/A sodimm: SODIMM C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0
Info:
  Processes: 255 Uptime: 46m wakeups: 1 Memory: 7.69 GiB used: 3.63 GiB
  (47.2%) Init: systemd v: 251 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Compilers: gcc: 12.1.0 clang: 14.0.6 Packages: 1680 pacman: 1670 lib: 381
  flatpak: 0 snap: 10 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: xfce4-terminal
  inxi: 3.3.20
[maxb@max-laptop ~]$
20

Where?

You can either use pulseaudio or pipewire, not both.

So, you either install manjaro-pulse or manjaro-pipewire.

(After that reboot and check if sound is working.)