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Tor Browser not starting

I am unable to start tor-browser. I have used tor in the past with no issues, so I don't think there's a network configuration blocking this.

I found a reddit post that said to install zenity. I tried that and it didn't work.

Thanks in advance!

DE: KDE
Init: Runit

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #1 –
Could you start it from the terminal and post the output, if any, please

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #2 –
Quote from: gripped – on
Could you start it from the terminal and post the output, if any, please
Running tor browser provides no output.

Running sudo tor browser produces:
Code: [Select]
/usr/bin/notify-send
Error calling StartServiceByName for org.freedesktop.Notifications: Timeout was reached

Running tor produces the following:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Tor 0.4.7.8 running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 1.1.1o, Zlib 1.2.12, Liblzma 5.2.5, Libzstd 1.5.2 and Glibc 2.35 as libc.
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Tor can't help you if you use it wrong! Learn how to be safe at https://support.torproject.org/faq/staying-anonymous/
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Opened Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] Error setting groups to gid 43: "Operation not permitted".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] If you set the "User" option, you must start Tor as root.
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Closing partially-constructed Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] Failed to parse/validate config: Problem with User value. See logs for details.
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [err] Reading config failed--see warnings above.

Running sudo tor produces the following:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Tor 0.4.7.8 running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 1.1.1o, Zlib 1.2.12, Liblzma 5.2.5, Libzstd 1.5.2 and Glibc 2.35 as libc.
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Tor can't help you if you use it wrong! Learn how to be safe at https://support.torproject.org/faq/staying-anonymous/
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:25:10.043 [notice] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:25:10.043 [notice] Opened Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #3 –
Quote from: forged24 – on
Running tor browser provides no output.

Running sudo tor browser produces:
Code: [Select]
/usr/bin/notify-send
Error calling StartServiceByName for org.freedesktop.Notifications: Timeout was reached

Running tor produces the following:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Tor 0.4.7.8 running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 1.1.1o, Zlib 1.2.12, Liblzma 5.2.5, Libzstd 1.5.2 and Glibc 2.35 as libc.
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Tor can't help you if you use it wrong! Learn how to be safe at https://support.torproject.org/faq/staying-anonymous/
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Opened Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] Error setting groups to gid 43: "Operation not permitted".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] If you set the "User" option, you must start Tor as root.
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [notice] Closing partially-constructed Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [warn] Failed to parse/validate config: Problem with User value. See logs for details.
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [err] Reading config failed--see warnings above.

Running sudo tor produces the following:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Tor 0.4.7.8 running on Linux with Libevent 2.1.12-stable, OpenSSL 1.1.1o, Zlib 1.2.12, Liblzma 5.2.5, Libzstd 1.5.2 and Glibc 2.35 as libc.
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Tor can't help you if you use it wrong! Learn how to be safe at https://support.torproject.org/faq/staying-anonymous/
Jun 21 10:25:10.042 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:25:10.043 [notice] Opening Socks listener on 127.0.0.1:9050
Jun 21 10:25:10.043 [notice] Opened Socks listener connection (ready) on 127.0.0.1:9050

Your running the Tor daemon, not the browser.

Are you sure you downloaded the browser?

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #4 –
Yes, check the first two commands I entered, which are tor-browser. I also launched Tor Browser from the Applications Launcher to no avail.

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #5 –
Quote from: forged24 – on
Yes, check the first two commands I entered, which are tor-browser. I also launched Tor Browser from the Applications Launcher to no avail.
Did you download and install the tor browser from the repos or got it from Tor's own website?

If you have got from the Tor website , go into ./tor-browser_en-US/Browser and run this command to get output:

./start-tor-browser --verbose

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Lancia – on
Did you download and install the tor browser from the repos or got it from Tor's own website?

If you have got from the Tor website , go into ./tor-browser_en-US/Browser and run this command to get output:

./start-tor-browser --verbose
I downloaded it from the repos so that command won't work.

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #7 –
Perhaps this then? No problem with it starting here, incidentally
Code: [Select]
$ /usr/bin/tor-browser --verbose
According to your output above:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [err] Reading config failed--see warnings above.
- there could be a problem with your /etc/tor/torrc file, I don't have one myself, worth a look perhaps.

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #8 –
Quote from: ####### – on
Perhaps this then? No problem with it starting here, incidentally
Code: [Select]
$ /usr/bin/tor-browser --verbose
OK thanks, now we're making progress. I ran /usr/bin/tor-browser --verbose and received the following response:
Code: [Select]
/home/myusername/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser: line 362: 21223 Bus error               TOR_CONTROL_PASSWD=${TOR_CONTROL_PASSWD} ./firefox --class "Tor Browser" -profile TorBrowser/Data/Browser/profile.default "${@}" < /dev/null

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #9 –
Quote
According to your output above:
Code: [Select]
Jun 21 10:24:14.568 [notice] Read configuration file "/etc/tor/torrc".
Jun 21 10:24:14.569 [err] Reading config failed--see warnings above.
- there could be a problem with your /etc/tor/torrc file, I don't have one myself, worth a look perhaps.

I checked my torrc and it looks ok to my untrained eye. Most of it is flagged. The only line that stood out is DataDirectory /var/lib/tor

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #10 –
Quote from: forged24 – on
I downloaded it from the repos so that command won't work.
Which ? I just looked and it's in the universe repo as well as in the aur.
I installed it, ran in the terminal, and it worked.

The only output was
Code: [Select]
❯ /usr/bin/tor-browser
/usr/bin/notify-send
but the notify send only appeared the first time I ran it

As installed by the version in the universe repo you end up, after first run, with the following folder containing the actual tor browser that runs.
Code: [Select]
~/.local/opt/tor-browser
The command htop shows that is starting the browser is
Code: [Select]
bash /home/lee/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser
The following shows the options available
Code: [Select]
❯ bash /home/lee/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser --help
Usage: ./firefox.real [ options ... ] [URL]
       where options include:

X11 options
  --display=DISPLAY  X display to use
  --sync             Make X calls synchronous
  --g-fatal-warnings Make all warnings fatal

Firefox options
  -h or --help       Print this message.
  -v or --version    Print Firefox version.
  --full-version     Print Firefox version, build and platform build ids.
  -P <profile>       Start with <profile>.
  --profile <path>   Start with profile at <path>.
  --migration        Start with migration wizard.
  --ProfileManager   Start with ProfileManager.
  --no-remote        (default) Do not accept or send remote commands; implies
                     --new-instance.
  --allow-remote     Accept and send remote commands.
  --new-instance     Open new instance, not a new window in running instance.
  --safe-mode        Disables extensions and themes for this session.
  --MOZ_LOG=<modules> Treated as MOZ_LOG=<modules> environment variable,
                     overrides it.
  --MOZ_LOG_FILE=<file> Treated as MOZ_LOG_FILE=<file> environment variable,
                     overrides it. If MOZ_LOG_FILE is not specified as an
                     argument or as an environment variable, logging will be
                     written to stdout.
  --headless         Run without a GUI.
  --browser          Open a browser window.
  --new-window <url> Open <url> in a new window.
  --new-tab <url>    Open <url> in a new tab.
  --private-window <url> Open <url> in a new private window.
  --preferences      Open Preferences dialog.
  --screenshot [<path>] Save screenshot to <path> or in working directory.
  --window-size width[,height] Width and optionally height of screenshot.
  --search <term>    Search <term> with your default search engine.
  --setDefaultBrowser Set this app as the default browser.
  --first-startup    Run post-install actions before opening a new window.
  --kiosk Start the browser in kiosk mode.
  --jsconsole        Open the Browser Console.
  --jsdebugger [<path>] Open the Browser Toolbox. Defaults to the local build
                     but can be overridden by a firefox path.
  --wait-for-jsdebugger Spin event loop until JS debugger connects.
                     Enables debugging (some) application startup code paths.
                     Only has an effect when `--jsdebugger` is also supplied.
  --devtools         Open DevTools on initial load.
  --start-debugger-server [ws:][ <port> | <path> ] Start the devtools server on
                     a TCP port or Unix domain socket path. Defaults to TCP port
                     6000. Use WebSocket protocol if ws: prefix is specified.
  --recording <file> Record drawing for a given URL.
  --recording-output <file> Specify destination file for a drawing recording.
  --remote-debugging-port [<port>] Start the Firefox remote agent,
                     which is a low-level debugging interface based on the CDP protocol.
                     Defaults to listen on localhost:9222.

Tor Browser Script Options
  --verbose         Display Tor and Firefox output in the terminal
  --log [file]      Record Tor and Firefox output in file (default: tor-browser.log)
  --detach          Detach from terminal and run Tor Browser in the background.
  --register-app    Register Tor Browser as a desktop app for this user
  --unregister-app  Unregister Tor Browser as a desktop app for this user
So you can add --verbose.

See if the ~/.local/opt/tor-browser has been created ?
try running
Code: [Select]
bash /home/lee/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser --verbose
if it has.
Try using the one in universe if it's the one in the AUR you have installed


Edit: Ninja'd again :)
I was going to delete my post but I'll just leave it there.


 

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #11 –
@gripped

I'm using the version from the universe repo. I checked ~/.local/opt/tor-browser and I do have the correct files present. I ran start-tor-browser --verbose from /opt/ and received the same error posted in my last response:
Code: [Select]
/home/myusername/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser: line 362:  4103 Bus error               TOR_CONTROL_PASSWD=${TOR_CONTROL_PASSWD} ./firefox --class "Tor Browser" -profile TorBrowser/Data/Browser/profile.default "${@}" < /dev/null

Thank you both for your help so far, sorry this is such a dead end issue...

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #12 –
according to pamac, tor browser is located in

/usr/bin/tor-browser
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #13 –
My total guess after looking at the code of ~/.local/opt/tor-browser/app/Browser/start-tor-browser.

tor-browser can use it's own built in version of tor or a system installed version.

I do not have tor installed, only tor-browser. I do not have a file /etc/tor/torrc on my system.
tor-browser works.

What I suspect is you do have tor installed and it's not setup correctly.
tor-browser is detecting your system tor automatically and using it. System tor is not set up right and tor-browser does not work.

Possible solution. Remove tor and all tor config files. If that doesn't fix it also
Code: [Select]
rm ~/.local/opt/tor-browser
and then the next run of
Code: [Select]
/usr/bin/tor-browser
will recreate it.

Just a hunch :)

Re: Tor Browser not starting

Reply #14 –
@gripped this worked! Thank you so much.

I'm not sure what was wrong with my torrc. I had previously used it for Bisq, and didn't modify the config myself.

I'll try to re-install the tor daemon later and see if this breaks everything again, but this'll work in the meantime  ;D .