VLC crashes on Win32 if no audio devices found

The VLC 2.1 and 2.0 nightlies (git) crash on Windows if no audio device is present. This is breaking VLC usage as a streaming server since it can't open anything without a mutex crash.

Steps to reproduce

1. Close VLC if open
2. Open "Device Manager".
3. Disable, remove or unplug any audio devices.
4. Open VLC
5. Play any media

Expected result: VLC plays the video portion with silence Result: Big crash

$ gdb ./vlc
GNU gdb (GDB) 7.3.1
Copyright (C) 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.  Type "show copying"
and "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "mingw32".
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/>...
Reading symbols from z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\vlc.exe...done.
(gdb) run -I qt4 -vvv
Starting program: z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\vlc.exe -I qt4 -vvv
[New Thread 316.0x5d8]
[New Thread 316.0x414]
warning: VLC media player - 2.1.0-git Rincewind

warning: Copyright ┬® 1996-2012 the VideoLAN team

warning: revision f7a9338

warning: configured with ../extras/package/win32/../../../configure  '--disable-update-check' '--enable-lua' '--enable-faad' '--enable-flac' '--enable-theora' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-quicktime' '--enable-avcodec' '--enable-merge-ffmpeg' '--enable-dca' '--enable-mpc' '--enable-libass' '--enable-x264' '--enable-schroedinger' '--enable-realrtsp' '--enable-live555' '--enable-dvdread' '--enable-shout' '--enable-goom' '--enable-caca' '--disable-portaudio' '--disable-sdl' '--enable-qt4' '--enable-skins2' '--enable-sse' '--enable-mmx' '--enable-libcddb' '--enable-zvbi' '--disable-telx' '--enable-sqlite' '--disable-dirac' '--host=i586-mingw32msvc' '--enable-debug' 'host_alias=i586-mingw32msvc'

warning: searching plug-in modules

warning: loading plugins cache file z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\plugins\plugins.dat

warning: recursively browsing `z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\plugins'

warning: saving plugins cache z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\plugins\plugins.dat

warning: plug-ins loaded: 388 modules

warning: opening config file (z:\vlc\vlcrc)

warning: translation test: code is "C"

warning: CPU has capabilities MMX 3DNow! MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 FPU

warning: looking for memcpy module: 4 candidates

warning: using memcpy module "memcpymmxext"

warning: Creating an input for 'Media Library'

warning: Input is a meta file: disabling unneeded options

warning: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB, in path 'C:\WINDOWS\Temp'

warning: `file/xspf-open:///Z:/vlc/ml.xspf' gives access `file' demux `xspf-open' path `/Z:/vlc/ml.xspf'

warning: creating demux: access='file' demux='xspf-open' location='/Z:/vlc/ml.xspf' file='z:\vlc\ml.xspf'

warning: looking for access_demux module: 3 candidates

warning: no access_demux module matching "file" could be loaded

warning: creating access 'file' location='/Z:/vlc/ml.xspf', path='z:\vlc\ml.xspf'

warning: looking for access module: 3 candidates

warning: opening file `z:\vlc\ml.xspf'

warning: using access module "filesystem"

warning: Using stream method for AStream*

warning: starting pre-buffering

warning: received first data after 0 ms

warning: pre-buffering done 304 bytes in 0s - 475 KiB/s

warning: looking for stream_filter module: 4 candidates

warning: no stream_filter module matching "any" could be loaded

warning: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate

warning: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"

warning: creating demux: access='file' demux='xspf-open' location='/Z:/vlc/ml.xspf' file='z:\vlc\ml.xspf'

warning: looking for demux module: 1 candidate

warning: using XSPF playlist reader

warning: using demux module "playlist"

warning: looking for meta reader module: 2 candidates

warning: Trying Lua scripts in z:\vlc\lua\meta\reader

warning: Trying Lua scripts in z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\meta\reader

warning: Trying Lua playlist script z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\meta\reader\filename.luac

warning: no meta reader module matching "any" could be loaded

warning: `file/xspf-open:///Z:/vlc/ml.xspf' successfully opened

warning: looking for xml reader module: 1 candidate

warning: using xml reader module "xml"

warning: parsed 0 tracks successfully

warning: EOF reached

warning: removing module "playlist"

warning: removing module "stream_filter_record"

warning: removing module "filesystem"

warning: Destroying the input for 'Media Library'

warning: one instance mode ENABLED

[New Thread 316.0x1c8]
warning: looking for interface module: 1 candidate

warning: using interface module "hotkeys"

warning: looking for interface module: 1 candidate

[New Thread 316.0x510]
warning: using interface module "globalhotkeys"

warning: looking for interface module: 1 candidate

[New Thread 316.0x110]
warning: playlist threads correctly activated

warning: looking for extension module: 1 candidate

warning: Opening Lua Extension module

warning: Trying Lua scripts in z:\vlc\lua\extensions

warning: Trying Lua scripts in z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\extensions

warning: Trying Lua playlist script z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\extensions\allocine-fr.luac

warning: Scanning Lua script z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\extensions\allocine-fr.luac

warning: Script z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\lua\extensions\allocine-fr.luac has the following capability flags: 0xc

warning: using extension module "lua"

[New Thread 316.0x3ec]
warning: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist

warning: rebuild done - 0 items, index -1

[New Thread 316.0x604]
[New Thread 316.0x590]
warning: using interface module "qt4"

[New Thread 316.0x4f4]
warning: adding item `10 - Stardust Road.flac' ( file:///Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac )

warning: Adding a new MRL to recent ones: file:///Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac

warning: rebuilding array of current - root Playlist

warning: rebuild done - 1 items, index -1

warning: processing request item: 10 - Stardust Road.flac, node: null, skip: 0

warning: resyncing on 10 - Stardust Road.flac

warning: 10 - Stardust Road.flac is at 0

warning: starting playback of the new playlist item

warning: creating new input thread

warning: Creating an input for '10 - Stardust Road.flac'

[New Thread 316.0x74c]
warning: Creating an input for '10 - Stardust Road.flac'

[New Thread 316.0x6a0]
warning: using timeshift granularity of 50 MiB, in path 'C:\WINDOWS\Temp'

warning: `file:///Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac' gives access `file'
demux `' path `/Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac'

warning: creating demux: access='file' demux='' location='/Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac' file='Z:\tempdir\10 - Stardust Road.flac'

warning: looking for access_demux module: 3 candidates

warning: no access_demux module matching "file" could be loaded

warning: creating access 'file' location='/Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac', path='Z:\tempdir\10 - Stardust Road.flac'

warning: looking for access module: 3 candidates

warning: opening file `Z:\tempdir\10 - Stardust Road.flac'

warning: using access module "filesystem"

warning: Using stream method for AStream*

warning: starting pre-buffering

warning: received first data after 0 ms

warning: pre-buffering done 1024 bytes in 0s - 3322 KiB/s

warning: looking for stream_filter module: 4 candidates

warning: no stream_filter module matching "any" could be loaded

warning: looking for stream_filter module: 1 candidate

warning: using stream_filter module "stream_filter_record"

warning: creating demux: access='file' demux='' location='/Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac' file='Z:\tempdir\10 - Stardust Road.flac'

warning: looking for demux module: 55 candidates

warning: looking for packetizer module: 21 candidates

warning: using packetizer module "packetizer_flac"

warning: using demux module "flacsys"

warning: IM: Setting an input

warning: looking for a subtitle file in Z:\tempdir

warning: looking for meta reader module: 2 candidates

warning: no fetch required for [#10](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/10) - Stardust Road (art currently (null))

warning: using meta reader module "taglib"

warning: removing module "taglib"

warning: `file:///Z:/tempdir/10%20-%20Stardust%20Road.flac' successfully opened

warning: selecting program id=0

warning: looking for decoder module: 31 candidates

warning: using decoder module "flac"

[New Thread 316.0x4ec]
warning: Buffering 0%

warning: decode STREAMINFO

warning: channels:2 samplerate:44100 bitspersamples:16

warning: STREAMINFO decoded

warning: creating audio output

warning: looking for audio output module: 2 candidates

warning: Opening DirectSound Audio Output

warning: Buffering 9%

warning: Buffering 18%

warning: Buffering 27%

warning: Buffering 37%

warning: Buffering 46%

warning: Buffering 55%

warning: Buffering 65%

warning: Buffering 74%

warning: Buffering 83%

warning: Buffering 92%

warning: Stream buffering done (1021 ms in 134 ms)

warning: found device: Primary Sound Driver

warning: cannot create a direct sound device

warning: cannot initialize DirectSound

warning: closing audio device


Program received signal SIGTRAP, Trace/breakpoint trap.
[Switching to Thread 316.0x4ec]
0x77c35b62 in msvcrt!_assert () from C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
(gdb) bt
[#0](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/0)  0x77c35b62 in msvcrt!_assert () from C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
[#1](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/1)  0x6a5d336a in vlc_mutex_destroy (p_mutex=0x4)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/win32/thread.c:175
[#2](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/2)  0x6b24175b in CloseAudioCommon (p_this=<optimized out>)
    at ../../../extras/package/win32/../../../modules/audio_output/directx.c:622
[#3](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/3)  0x6b242a77 in OpenAudio (p_this=0x3acd448)
    at ../../../extras/package/win32/../../../modules/audio_output/directx.c:326
[#4](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/4)  0x6a5b8d1c in vlc_module_load (p_this=0x3acd448,
    psz_capability=0x6a626df2 "audio output", psz_name=0x3a8bf58 "",
    b_strict=false, probe=0x6a5b8340 <generic_start>)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/modules/modules.c:342
[#5](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/5)  0x6a5b9044 in module_need (obj=0x3acd448, cap=0x6a626df2 "audio output",
    name=0x6a626dec "$aout", strict=<optimized out>)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/modules/modules.c:428
[#6](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/6)  0x6a5a5a7e in aout_OutputNew (p_aout=0x3acd448, p_format=0x4e6fbe4)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/audio_output/output.c:59
[#7](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/7)  0x6a5a2c33 in aout_DecNew (p_aout=0x3acd448, p_format=0x4e6fbe4,
    p_replay_gain=0x3aabd34, p_request_vout=0x4e6fc10)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/audio_output/dec.c:112
[#8](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/8)  0x6a5691b0 in aout_new_buffer (p_dec=0x3aabb90, i_samples=4096)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/input/decoder.c:2250
[#9](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/9)  0x62782587 in DecoderWriteCallback (decoder=0x3aad770, frame=0x3aaa110,
    buffer=0x3aa9cdc, client_data=0x3aabb90)
    at ../../../extras/package/win32/../../../modules/codec/flac.c:212
[#10](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/10) 0x6279124e in read_frame_ ()
   from z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\plugins\codec\libflac_plugin.dll
[#11](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/11) 0x6279167e in FLAC__stream_decoder_process_single ()
   from z:\vlc-2.1.0-git\plugins\codec\libflac_plugin.dll
[#12](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/12) 0x62781f5b in DecodeBlock (p_dec=0x3aabb90, pp_block=0x4e6fe74)
    at ../../../extras/package/win32/../../../modules/codec/flac.c:551
[#13](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/13) 0x6a56a039 in DecoderDecodeAudio (p_dec=0x3aabb90, p_block=0x0)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/input/decoder.c:1270
[#14](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/14) 0x6a56af29 in DecoderProcessAudio (b_flush=<optimized out>,
    p_block=0x3ac6d38, p_dec=<optimized out>)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/input/decoder.c:1902
[#15](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/15) DecoderProcess (p_dec=0x3aabb90, p_block=0x250608)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/input/decoder.c:2023
[#16](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/16) 0x6a56b049 in DecoderThread (p_data=0x3aabb90)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/input/decoder.c:938
[#17](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/17) 0x6a5d2de9 in vlc_entry (p=0x3a90258)
    at ../../extras/package/win32/../../../src/win32/thread.c:567
[#18](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/18) 0x77c3a3b0 in msvcrt!_endthreadex () from C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
[#19](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/19) 0x7c80b713 in KERNEL32!GetModuleFileNameA ()
   from C:\WINDOWS\system32\kernel32.dll
[#20](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/20) 0x00000000 in ?? ()
(gdb)

Added attachment:

• screengrab.png

It crashes in aout_PacketDestroy( p_aout ); if the creation was not done correctly. The issue is that I don't know yet how to check if I can call aout_PacketDestroy

changed title from VLC 2.1 nightly crashes on Win32 if no audio devices found to VLC crashes on Win32 if no audio devices found

added Difficulty::hard label

added Component::Audio: Windows plugins Difficulty::easy labels and removed Difficulty::hard label

changed milestone to %2.0.0 bugs

commit 9eb9a10e Author: Rémi Denis-Courmont remi@remlab.net Date: Wed Feb 1 20:33:07 2012 +0200

DirectSound: fix double free on error (close [#5966](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues/5966))

Regression from 6d90bf20c01db2b284a81b26ce3356536257c1fc

Original author: remi@remlab.net

added Status::fixed label

closed

mentioned in issue #25434