[BUG] SteamVR can't start on a fresh install: Error 109 - Not initialized

[anxest]

After formatting my computer (to fix other issues) and reinstalling SteamVR, I can't start SteamVR anymore. A window displays "Not initialized (109)".

Describe the bug The error message is displayed once or twice and then, the steamVR app in steam automatically closes, on most attempts. Once in a while, it will stay opened. The steamVR dock will then display on screen with extra messages:

• Some add-ons blocked: Due to a recent crash, some SteamVR add-ons have been Blocked
• SteamVR Fail: A key component of SteamVR isn't working properly. Please quit SteamVR, then visit Task Manager and End any remaining SteamVR tasks before restarting the app (307)

Various windows will also display:

• SteamVR Settings will remain empty
• No title window empty as well
• No title window showing the settings allowing to manage the add-ons

The headset will remain turned off and never display anything.

To Reproduce

1. Go to SteamVR app on steam
2. Click on Start
3. See error 109

Expected behavior SteamVR displaying on HMD, without errors, allowing to process the room setup

System Information (please complete the following information):

• Steam client version (build number or date): steam-runtime_0.20240415.84615 (latest beta)
• SteamVR version: beta 2.5.4 (latest beta)
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Archlinux with GnomeShell (X.org and AMD GPU)
• Steam runtime diagnostics: Steam runtime diagnostics.txt
• Steam and SteamVR logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
• Minidumps: steam-minidumps.tar.gz

Screenshots

Additional context Same behavior with steam client in latest beta or latest non-beta, and with various versions of steamVR (non-beta, latest beta, previous version), steam-runtime and unofficial steam-native-runtime Following the instructions to "end any remaining steamVR tasks before restarting" won't do any visible change. All other non-vr games I tried started correctly and allowed me to play without trouble. I didn't manage to perform the room setup so far.

[kisak-valve]

Hello @anxest, your system is configured to run 64 bit Vulkan applications with AMDVLK. Can you test how SteamVR behaves with mesa/RADV?

[anxest]

Thank you, I was able to perform a room setup and starting some games by launching steam with mesa (VK_DRIVER_FILES=/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.i686.json:/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.x86_64.json steam) and then again after uninstalling amdlvk and lib32-amdvlk.

The error 109 is gone too, but I still have the weird untitled windows displaying, and the "Some add-ons blocked" messages displaying at each start. Plus, when I try to turn off steamVR from the headset, it doesn't and a new gnome window displays that there is no available app to open "vrmonitor://quit". I guess I missed to install a pkg for that. It closes correctly when I exit from the steamvr dock on screen though, but without turning the bases off.

Not sure if I should register other tickets or just leave this one open for those minor issues.

Edit: I simply had to activate the powercontrol option to turn off the bases, so that's not an issue anymore.