#1075987 Regression: VLC crashes when seeking in a video after a Debian update

Package:
vlc
Source:
vlc
Description:
multimedia player and streamer
Submitter:
nurupo
Date:
2025-09-29 10:31:01 UTC
Severity:
normal
#1075987#5
Date:
2024-07-09 01:13:43 UTC
From:
To:
Dear Maintainer,

I have recently updated packages on my Debian Bullseye system, which
also updated VLC from 3.0.20 to 3.0.21. After the update, I noticed that
whenever I try to seek in a video, VLC crashes. The error message
(attached below) says something about a hardware acceleration related
failure, and sure enough, disabling the hardware acceleration makes VLC
no longer crash. However, the hardware acceleration worked just fine
before the update (with Simple Preferences -> Input/Codecs ->
Hardware-accelerated decoding: Automatic) and I hate not being able to
use it as the software decoding adds unnecessary strain on the CPU with
the iGPU sitting idle.

Attached you can find the colored VLC output, along with the gdb
backtrace. The output is of the following command, as per the VLC bug
report and HowToGetABacktrace wiki suggestions:

$ script -q -c "gdb -batch -n -ex 'set pagination off' -ex run -ex bt -ex
'bt full' -ex 'thread apply all bt full' --args vlc -vvv
/tmp/BigBuckBunny_320x180.mp4" vlc-crash.log

With the colors being preserved, VLC errors are easier to spot as VLC
prints them in red. You can read the file with `less -R` or just `cat`
it into the terminal.

BigBuckBunny_320x180.mp4 is a video sample taken from
https://download.blender.org/peach/bigbuckbunny_movies/ in case you
would want to try to reproduce the issue.

A quick search reveals that I'm not the only one experiencing this bug:
-
https://old.reddit.com/r/debian/comments/1dw0b51/regression_in_bullseye_vlcffmpegvdpau/
- https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&p=545256
- A user in #debian on OFTC IRC was complaining about the same issue
  just two days ago: VLC just closing when fast-forwarding in VLC 3.0.21
  on Debian Bullseye 11.10

The bug severity is "important" instead of "grave" as this might be
driver/hardware or hardware-acceleration subsystem (vaapi) dependent,
and because audio files play just fine for me, so the VLC functionality
might not be broken for everyone / for all use cases. Please adjust as
appropriate.

#1075987#10
Date:
2024-07-12 00:02:16 UTC
From:
To:
Seeing how there is no reply, I decided to clarify things a bit.
Hopefully you find it useful.

As you can see from the attached vlc-crash.log.gz, my iGPU is Intel
Sandybridge Mobile, and I'm using "Intel i965 driver for Intel(R)
Sandybridge Mobile - 2.4.1 for hardware decoding". It might be an old
iGPU, but it does support H.264 decoding and it worked before my Debian
11.9 system updated to 11.10. This system does not have any other GPU or
a video decode accelerator of any kind.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to reproduce this bug.

1. Make sure you are on Debian 11.10 with VLC 3.0.21-0+deb11u1
   installed.
2. Open VLC.
3. Go to Tools -> Preferences. 3. Make sure that Input/Codecs ->
   Hardware-accelerated decoding is set to Automatic. It should be
   already set to that on a clean install as that's the default setting.
4. Play BigBuckBunny_320x180.mp4 in VLC, e.g. by drag&dropping the video
   onto it.
5. Observe that the video plays just fine.
6. Observe using the `intel_gpu_top` utility (intel-gpu-tools package)
   that the video decoding is actually happening, as signified by the
   Video/0 line showing non-zero percent usage.
7. Attempt to seek the video, e.g. by clicking on 05:00 timestamp the
   video progress bar or just pressing the left arrow key on the
   keyboard once.
8. Observe that VLC has crashed - the VLC window disappeared and the vlc
   process no longer exists.

To work around this, you can set Tools -> Preferences -> Input/Codecs ->
Hardware-accelerated to Disabled, but then you can see in the
`intel_gpu_top` utility that no hardware decoding is taking place, the
Video/0 is 0%.

mpv, another video player, does not suffer from this issue. I have
verified that the video plays in the mpv with both hardware accelerated
decoding enabled and disabled, verifying via `intel_gpu_top` that that
actually what is happening.

I'm not too sure if the VLC crash is caused by the VLC package update.
It could be the cause, or it could be something else above in the video
decoding stack breaking after updating Debian from 11.9 to 11.10.
Hopefully people more knowledgeable with the video stack are able to
interpret the VLC log messages and the backtrace to track down which
updated package introduced the fault.

#1075987#15
Date:
2024-07-12 15:47:51 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

Le perjantaina 12. heinäkuuta 2024, 3.02.16 EEST nurupo a écrit :

The fault is most likely with libvdpau-va-gl1. Uninstall it.

Bluntly, I don't understand why Debian insists on shipping that package at
all. It serves no useful purpose. Literally the only thing it achieves, other
than occupying disk space is crashing VDPAU-based applications.

AFAICT, that package has *never* worked properly in its entire history.

#1075987#20
Date:
2024-07-12 20:27:24 UTC
From:
To:
Hi,

I have removed the libvdpau-va-gl1 package, which also removed
vdpau-driver-all, and rebooted for good measure, however the bug still
persists. So removing libvdpau-va-gl1 did not help.

While doing all this, I checked /var/log/apt/history.log and realized
that the update I ran on July 8th, the one that broke VLC for me, does
not actually list the VLC package as being updated. VLC was updated from
3.0.20 to 3.0.21 earlier, on June 25th, and it worked fine until July
8th. So the bug is not caused by the VLC package update but by some
other package update done on July 8th. Here is the full list of packages
updated on July 8th:

base-files:amd64 (11.1+deb11u9, 11.1+deb11u10)
curl:amd64 (7.74.0-1.3+deb11u11, 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u12)
distro-info-data:amd64 (0.51+deb11u5, 0.51+deb11u6)
dns-root-data:amd64 (2021011101, 2024041801~deb11u1)
ffmpeg:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0:amd64 (2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u2)
intel-microcode:amd64 (3.20231114.1~deb11u1, 3.20240514.1~deb11u1)
krb5-locales:amd64 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libavcodec58:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavcodec58:i386 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavdevice58:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavfilter7:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavformat58:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavresample4:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavresample4:i386 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavutil56:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libavutil56:i386 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libcolorcorrect5:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libcurl3-gnutls:amd64 (7.74.0-1.3+deb11u11, 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u12)
libcurl3-gnutls:i386 (7.74.0-1.3+deb11u11, 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u12)
libcurl4:amd64 (7.74.0-1.3+deb11u11, 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u12)
libcurl4:i386 (7.74.0-1.3+deb11u11, 7.74.0-1.3+deb11u12)
libgdk-pixbuf-2.0-0:amd64 (2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u2)
libgdk-pixbuf-2.0-0:i386 (2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u2)
libgdk-pixbuf2.0-bin:amd64 (2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u2)
libgdk-pixbuf2.0-common:amd64 (2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u1, 2.42.2+dfsg-1+deb11u2)
libglib2.0-0:amd64 (2.66.8-1+deb11u3, 2.66.8-1+deb11u4)
libglib2.0-0:i386 (2.66.8-1+deb11u3, 2.66.8-1+deb11u4)
libglib2.0-bin:amd64 (2.66.8-1+deb11u3, 2.66.8-1+deb11u4)
libglib2.0-data:amd64 (2.66.8-1+deb11u3, 2.66.8-1+deb11u4)
libgnutls30:amd64 (3.7.1-5+deb11u4, 3.7.1-5+deb11u5)
libgnutls30:i386 (3.7.1-5+deb11u4, 3.7.1-5+deb11u5)
libgssapi-krb5-2:amd64 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libgssapi-krb5-2:i386 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libk5crypto3:amd64 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libk5crypto3:i386 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libkfontinst5:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libkfontinstui5:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libkrb5-3:amd64 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libkrb5-3:i386 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libkrb5support0:amd64 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libkrb5support0:i386 (1.18.3-6+deb11u4, 1.18.3-6+deb11u5)
libkworkspace5-5:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libnotificationmanager1:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libnss-systemd:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libpam-systemd:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libplasma-geolocation-interface5:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libpostproc55:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libpq5:amd64 (13.14-0+deb11u1, 13.15-0+deb11u1)
libqt5concurrent5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5core5a:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5dbus5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5gui5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5network5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5opengl5-dev:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5opengl5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5printsupport5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5sql5-mysql:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5sql5-sqlite:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5sql5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5test5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5widgets5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libqt5xml5:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
libssh2-1:amd64 (1.9.0-2, 1.9.0-2+deb11u1)
libssh2-1:i386 (1.9.0-2, 1.9.0-2+deb11u1)
libswresample3:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libswresample3:i386 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libswscale5:amd64 (7:4.3.6-0+deb11u1, 7:4.3.7-0+deb11u1)
libsystemd0:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libsystemd0:i386 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libtaskmanager6abi1:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libudev1:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libudev1:i386 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
libvpx-dev:amd64 (1.9.0-1+deb11u2, 1.9.0-1+deb11u3)
libvpx6:amd64 (1.9.0-1+deb11u2, 1.9.0-1+deb11u3)
libvpx6:i386 (1.9.0-1+deb11u2, 1.9.0-1+deb11u3)
libweather-ion7:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
libxnvctrl0:amd64 (470.141.03-1~deb11u1, 470.239.06-1)
nano:amd64 (5.4-2+deb11u2, 5.4-2+deb11u3)
plasma-workspace-data:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
plasma-workspace:amd64 (4:5.20.5-6, 4:5.20.5-6+deb11u1)
python3-idna:amd64 (2.10-1, 2.10-1+deb11u1)
python3-reportbug:amd64 (7.10.3+deb11u1, 7.10.3+deb11u2)
qt5-gtk-platformtheme:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
qt5-qmake-bin:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
qt5-qmake:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
qtbase5-dev-tools:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
qtbase5-dev:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
qtbase5-doc:amd64 (5.15.2+dfsg-9, 5.15.2+dfsg-9+deb11u1)
reportbug:amd64 (7.10.3+deb11u1, 7.10.3+deb11u2)
systemd-sysv:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
systemd:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
udev:amd64 (247.3-7+deb11u4, 247.3-7+deb11u5)
wpasupplicant:amd64 (2:2.9.0-21, 2:2.9.0-21+deb11u1)

Looking at this list, the likely culprits seem to be libav*. Not sure
what to do with that information though, as I don't think I can
downgrade these packages to test that. I tried to downgrade VLC via
Debian Snapshots a few days ago and apt wanted to uninstall the entire
KDE for me, and I assume similar would happen if I try to downgrade
libav*.

#1075987#25
Date:
2024-07-13 10:25:47 UTC
From:
To:
That log is from my initial message, when I still had libvdpau-va-gl1
installed. Since then, I have uninstalled it and VLC no longer uses
vdpau. I'm attaching the updated crash log for you to see.

Note that VLC successfully uses vaapi_vld for hardware accelerated
decoding when the video first plays. But after seeking in the
video, vaapi_vld fails for some reason - you can see these errors
printed in red, so VLC tries different hardware decoding methods, which
then leads to a crash. This happens in both logs.

I noticed that the log line you quoted has the color control codes
present. I suggest you interpret the color control codes so that you see
the log in color. As mentioned, you can do so with `less -R
vlc-crash2.log` or just `cat vlc-crash2.log` would do it (or `zcat
vlc-crash2.log.gz` if you didn't decompress the file first).

Thank you for trying to help resolve this issue!

#1075987#30
Date:
2024-07-13 08:34:51 UTC
From:
To:
Le perjantaina 12. heinäkuuta 2024, 23.27.24 EEST nurupo a écrit :

Your crash logs says this right before the segmentation fault:

[00007fff94c190e0] avcodec decoder: Using OpenGL/VAAPI backend
for VDPAU for hardware decoding

AFAICT, that's the "name" of the "driver" within libvdpau-va-gl1. If it's
coming from another package then remove that one too. But that would mean you
have non-Debian stuff causing the crash.

#1075987#35
Date:
2024-07-14 00:44:56 UTC
From:
To:
To clear up some confusion for anyone following this via the Debian Bugs
website (I also got confused by this myself) - the last two messages:
#25 and #30, are displayed out of order.

My #25:

was a reply on Rémi's #30:

The Debian Bugs website shows them out of order because, while it
received Rémi's email first and then mine, the Debian Bugs mail server
accepted my email first, and only then has it accepted Rémi's, as Debian
Bugs mail server's spam filter decided to greylist Rémi's email for 130
minutes before accepting it:

so my email got processed first and then Rémi's.

Thank you for attending this email greylisting information session :P

#1075987#40
Date:
2024-09-14 06:01:45 UTC
From:
To:
probably of interest here :

https://fftrac-bg.ffmpeg.org/ticket/11075

#1075987#45
Date:
2024-11-22 23:01:17 UTC
From:
To:
after the recent update, it's resolved on my machine.

https://packages.debian.org/bullseye/ffmpeg
ffmpeg bumped version to (7:4.3.8-0+deb11u1)

#1075987#50
Date:
2025-09-28 09:02:21 UTC
From:
To:
Control: reassign -1 libvdpau-va-gl 0.4.2-2
Control: severity -1 serious
Control: merge 1112130 -1

Reassigning accordingly.

Cheers

#1075987#63
Date:
2025-09-29 10:28:16 UTC
From:
To:
I think that you meant libvdpau-va-gl1.

However, in https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1075987#25
the user says that the crash still occurs after libvdpau-va-gl1 has been
uninstalled (and the user has provided a new log). So I think that this
bug should be reassigned back to vlc.