Steam unable to open a connection to X

[Shished]

After PC restart Steam cannot be launched. Instead it opens warning window with this text:

Unable to open a connection to X.  Check your DISPLAY environment variable and make sure that you have enabled X.  If you are running remotely, make sure that you have a remote connection which will allow an X connection.

For more information visit https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=4050-WOJB-0608.

I have Xorg running and do not using remote connection. Launching "xhost +" before Steam fixes the issue but its temporary, after restarting error appears again.

PC Specs: http://pastebin.com/FWqgTyYA

$ Xorg -version

X.Org X Server 1.17.1
Release Date: 2015-02-10
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux linux-dceb.site 4.0.5-4.g56152db-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Jun 18 15:11:06 UTC 2015 (56152db) x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.0.5-4.g56152db-desktop root=UUID=1372ca67-1d8b-466c-9ddc-e64c60712912  rw nomodeset splash=verbose quiet showopts vga=795
Build Date: 10 June 2015  07:42:15AM

Current version of pixman: 0.32.6

[Mailaender]

Confirmed. Still there.

X.Org X Server 1.18.0
Release Date: 2015-11-09
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux mPad-X230.site 4.4.0-3-default #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Jan 28 08:15:06 UTC 2016 (9f68b90) x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-3-default root=UUID=e467ebb5-3a6c-4cdb-bcf9-22b15d70e499 resume=/dev/disk/by-uuid/75ee8482-1c03-44d6-a4d7-d247934db0e8 splash=silent quiet showopts
Build Date: 23 January 2016  04:18:34AM

Current version of pixman: 0.33.6

The KB article isn't really helpful:

echo $DISPLAY
:0

Is there something I can do when packaging the Steam bootstrap? https://software.opensuse.org/package/steam

[pinkfloydsito]

Has anyone solved this, I am havin the same issue.

[Mailaender]

No. It renders Steam completely unusable for me. https://www.gog.com/ is a good alternative.

[kisak-valve]

Hello @Shished, @Mailaender, are either of you still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?

[Mailaender]

This is resolved for me on openSUSE Tumbleweed.

[kisak-valve]

Thanks for retesting @Mailaender, closing.

[fixgoats]

I'm also having a similar problem with launching steam as obtained from apt on Ubuntu

steam.sh[11617]: Running Steam on ubuntu 22.10 64-bit
steam.sh[11617]: STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
setup.sh[11685]: Updating Steam runtime environment...
/usr/bin/zenity: symbol lookup error: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libWPEBackend-fdo-1.0.so.1: undefined symbol: wl_proxy_marshal_flags
steam.sh[11617]: Steam client's requirements are satisfied
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Startup - updater built Feb 10 2023 02:37:25
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Startup - Steam Client launched with: '/home/fixgoats/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam' '-nominidumps' '-nobreakpad'
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Loading cached metrics from disk (/home/fixgoats/.steam/debian-installation/package/steam_client_metrics.bin)
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Failed to load cached hosts file (File 'update_hosts_cached.vdf' not found), using defaults
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Using the following download hosts for Public, Realm steamglobal
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] 1. http://media.steampowered.com, /client/, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'baked in'
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Verifying installation...
[2023-02-12 02:32:11] Verification complete
Loaded SDL version 3.0.0-765-gc4db0725e
Gtk-Message: 02:32:11.325: Failed to load module "gail"
Gtk-Message: 02:32:11.325: Failed to load module "atk-bridge"
XRRGetOutputInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf38649c0
XRRGetCrtcInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf38631f0

(steam:11753): Gtk-WARNING **: 02:32:11.338: Unable to locate theme engine in module_path: "adwaita",
/usr/share/themes/Yaru-dark/gtk-2.0/main.rc:775: error: unexpected identifier 'direction', expected character '}'

(steam:11753): Gtk-WARNING **: 02:32:11.339: Unable to locate theme engine in module_path: "adwaita",
/usr/share/themes/Yaru-dark/gtk-2.0/hacks.rc:28: error: invalid string constant "normal_entry", expected valid string constant
GetWin32Stats: display was not open yet, good
steamwebhelper.sh[11759]: Runtime for steamwebhelper: defaulting to /home/fixgoats/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-heavy
steamwebhelper.sh[11759]: glibc >= 2.34, partially disabling sandbox until CEF supports clone3()
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
CAppInfoCacheReadFromDiskThread took 0 milliseconds to initialize
Warning: failed to set thread priority: set failed for 8: -1: setpriority() failed
Warning: failed to set thread priority: set failed for priority 8
Warning: support for elevated priorities is most likely unavailable, suppressing future warnings
Warning: failed to set thread priority: set failed for 8: -1: setpriority() failed
/home/fixgoats/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/../ubuntu12_64/gldriverquery: symbol lookup error: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdecor-0.so.0: undefined symbol: wl_proxy_marshal_flags
Warning: failed to set thread priority: set failed for 8: -1: setpriority() failed
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Failed to init SteamVR because it isn't installed
steamwebhelper.sh[11841]: Runtime for steamwebhelper: defaulting to /home/fixgoats/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-heavy
steamwebhelper.sh[11841]: glibc >= 2.34, partially disabling sandbox until CEF supports clone3()

[kisak-valve]

Hello @fixgoats, your issue is unrelated to this issue report, and is most likely related to undefined symbol: wl_proxy_marshal_flags

Please open a new issue report so that your issue can be tracked properly.

[diegoortizmatajira]

Hello, Yesterday everything was working properly, but today (Sunday, Jul 9th) Steam client fails to start.

My computer specs:

OS: Arch Linux x86_64 
Kernel: 6.4.2-arch1-1 
Shell: zsh 5.9 
Resolution: 1920x1200, 1920x1080 
DE: GNOME 44.3 
WM: Mutter 
CPU: 13th Gen Intel i7-13700K (24) @ 5.300GHz 
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Lite Hash Rate 
Memory: 5448MiB / 31869MiB 

The logs are displayed as follows:

steam.sh[15654]: Running Steam on arch rolling 64-bit
steam.sh[15654]: STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
setup.sh[15728]: Steam runtime environment up-to-date!
steam.sh[15654]: Steam client's requirements are satisfied
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Startup - updater built Jul  8 2023 01:14:26
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Startup - Steam Client launched with: '/home/myuser/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam'
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Opted in to client beta 'publicbeta' via beta file
You are in the 'publicbeta' client beta.
07/09 14:35:54 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1688792985)/tid(15785)
Looks like steam didn't shutdown cleanly, scheduling immediate update check
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Loading cached metrics from disk (/home/myuser/.local/share/Steam/package/steam_client_metrics.bin)
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Using the following download hosts for Public, Realm steamglobal
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] 1. https://client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com, /, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1000, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] 2. https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com, /client/, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] 3. http://media.steampowered.com, /client/, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'baked in'
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Checking for update on startup
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Checking for available updates...
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Downloading manifest: https://client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam_client_publicbeta_ubuntu12
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Manifest download: send request
[2023-07-09 14:35:54] Manifest download: waiting for download to finish
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Manifest download: finished
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Download skipped: /steam_client_publicbeta_ubuntu12 version 1688792985, installed version 1688792985, existing pending version 0
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Nothing to do
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Verifying installation...
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Performing checksum verification of executable files
[2023-07-09 14:35:55] Verification complete
Loaded SDL version 3.0.0-1782-g214d5daa3
XRRGetOutputInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf0c08db0
XRRGetCrtcInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf0c07500
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/main.rc:994: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "assets/button-active-hover.png"
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/main.rc:997: Background image options specified without filename
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/main.rc:1002: Unable to locate image file in pixmap_path: "assets/button-active.png"
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/main.rc:1005: Background image options specified without filename
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/main.rc:1192: error: unexpected identifier 'direction', expected character '}'
/home/myuser/.themes/WhiteSur-Light/gtk-2.0/apps.rc:91: error: unexpected identifier 'direction', expected character '}'
GetWin32Stats: display was not open yet, good
ComputeStartupMode: found registry default startup mode: 0
Switching to desktopui, since -vgui was not specified
GetWin32Stats: display was not open yet, good
steamwebhelper.sh[15795]: Runtime for steamwebhelper: defaulting to /home/myuser/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/steam-runtime-heavy
steamwebhelper.sh[15795]: glibc >= 2.34, partially disabling sandbox until CEF supports clone3()
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
CAppInfoCacheReadFromDiskThread took 23 milliseconds to initialize
Failed to init SteamVR because it isn't installed
Assertion 'device' failed at src/libsystemd/sd-device/device-private.c:103, function device_get_tags_generation(). Aborting.
crash_20230709143556_26.dmp[15945]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/crash_20230709143556_26.dmp
/home/myuser/.local/share/Steam/steam.sh: line 798: 15785 Aborted                 (core dumped) "$STEAMROOT/$STEAMEXEPATH" "$@"
crash_20230709143556_26.dmp[15945]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
crash_20230709143556_26.dmp[15945]: response: CrashID=bp-5261ca3a-bf39-47fc-9498-44d242230709
crash_20230709143556_26.dmp[15945]: file ''/tmp/dumps/crash_20230709143556_26.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-5261ca3a-bf39-47fc-9498-44d242230709''

Even removing the beta file (at /home/myuser/.local/share/Steam/package folder) and updating the client it shows basically the same log result.

[kisak-valve]

Hello @diegoortizmatajira, commenting on a closed issue report initially reported in 2015 is the wrong choice.

Having written that Assertion 'device' failed at src/libsystemd/sd-device/device-private.c:103, function device_get_tags_generation(). Aborting. points to #9805.