"$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined"

[Letus252]

I installed chroot arch, and I wanted to start XFCE4 using TigerVNC, but it kept crashing, with dbus error. I tried searching for the error, but most forum posts were about fixing issues with systemd itself (which doesn't work under chroot). I then attempted to launch it using Termux:X11 (via chroot-xfce.sh script), but it also crashed.

I have no idea how to fix this issue. Any help would be appreciated.

Termux:X11 crash:

  ____ _                     _     ____  _     _
 / ___| |__  _ __ ___   ___ | |_  |  _ \(_)___| |_ _ __ ___
| |   | '_ \| '__/ _ \ / _ \| __| | | | | / __| __| '__/ _ \
| |___| | | | | (_) | (_) | |_  | |_| | \__ \ |_| | | (_) |
 \____|_| |_|_|  \___/ \___/ \__| |____/|_|___/\__|_|  \___/
                                     v1.2 the.puer@discord

Login to Distro
Installed = [ arch ]

[Info] Use Up/Down to navigate.
[Info] Run Audio Server once before login as CLI.

-- Select Distro --                                                                                                                                       > arch

(Use Up/Down arrows, Enter to select, Escape or q to exit)

Logging in as GUI to arch...
Enter username: f0x
Terminated                 sudo pkill -f com.termux.x11 2> /dev/null
Starting: Intent { cmp=com.termux.x11/.MainActivity }
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/tmp/dbus-OKlUJhRsfG,guid=2122f6a360b422e94e0d21e36887e12d
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_PID=17657
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
xrdb: Connection refused
xrdb: Can't open display ':0'
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
Failed to connect to user scope bus via local transport: $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined (consider using --machine=<user>@.host --user to connect to bus of other user)
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
xfce4-session: Cannot open display: .
Type 'xfce4-session --help' for usage.


[u0_a339@localhost ~]$

TigerVNC crash:

[u0_a339@localhost ~]$ su
:/data/data/com.termux/files/home # chroot-distro login arch
[root@localhost ~]# su f0x
[f0x@localhost /root]$ cd
[f0x@localhost ~]$ vncserver :1
Using desktop session xfce

New 'localhost:1 (f0x)' desktop is localhost:1

Starting desktop session xfce


Xvnc TigerVNC 1.15.0 - built Feb 14 2025 20:54:35
Copyright (C) 1999-2025 TigerVNC team and many others (see README.rst)
See https://www.tigervnc.org for information on TigerVNC.
Underlying X server release 12101015

_XSERVTransmkdir: ERROR: euid != 0,directory /tmp/.X11-unix will not be created.
Could not find any render nodes
Failed to initialize DRI3 extension

Mon Jul 28 23:07:00 2025
 vncext:      VNC extension running!
 vncext:      Listening for VNC connections on all interface(s), port 5901
 vncext:      Created VNC server for screen 0
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86RefreshRateToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86Accessibility
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86DoNotDisturb
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server
[mi] mieq: warning: overriding existing handler (nil) with 0x64c6cda3c8 for event 2
[mi] mieq: warning: overriding existing handler (nil) with 0x64c6cda3c8 for event 3
xinit: XFree86_VT property unexpectedly has 0 items instead of 1
Running X session wrapper
Loading profile from /etc/profile
Loading profile from /home/f0x/.profile
Loading profile from /home/f0x/.xprofile
Loading xinit script /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/40-libcanberra-gtk-module.sh
Loading xinit script /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/50-systemd-user.sh
Failed to connect to user scope bus via local transport: $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined (consider using --machine=<user>@.host --user to connect to bus of other user)
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
X session wrapper complete, running session startxfce4
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :1
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
Failed to connect to user scope bus via local transport: $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined (consider using --machine=<user>@.host --user to connect to bus of other user)
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead

(xfce4-session:13944): libxfce4util-WARNING **: 23:07:01.642: Failed to get a ConsoleKit proxy: Could not connect: No such file or directory
** Message: 23:07:01.683: Failed to fetch _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS; assuming 1
** Message: 23:07:01.684: Failed to get _NET_WORKAREA; using full screen dimensions
** Message: 23:07:01.684: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
** Message: 23:07:01.684: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
_IceTransmkdir: ERROR: euid != 0,directory /tmp/.ICE-unix will not be created.
** Message: 23:07:02.345: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0

(xfwm4:14001): xfwm4-WARNING **: 23:07:02.481: Unsupported GL renderer (llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.8, 128 bits)).

Mon Jul 28 23:07:02 2025
 ComparingUpdateTracker: 0 pixels in / 0 pixels out
 ComparingUpdateTracker: (1:nan ratio)
Xlib:  extension "DPMS" missing on display ":1.0".

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 23:07:03.949: Display is not DPMS capable

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 23:07:03.950: g_dbus_connection_signal_subscribe: assertion 'G_IS_DBUS_CONNECTION (connection)' failed

(polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:14051): polkit-gnome-1-WARNING **: 23:07:03.965: Error getting authority: Error initializing authority: Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): libupower-glib-WARNING **: 23:07:04.112: Couldn't connect to proxy: Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): libxfce4util-WARNING **: 23:07:04.142: Failed to get a ConsoleKit proxy: Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): xfce4-power-manager-CRITICAL **: 23:07:04.143: Error getting system bus connection : Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): xfce4-power-manager-CRITICAL **: 23:07:04.143: Unable to connect to the system bus : Could not connect: No such file or directory

** (xfce4-power-manager:14050): WARNING **: 23:07:04.146: Unable to get the interface, net.hadess.PowerProfiles : Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): xfce4-power-manager-CRITICAL **: 23:07:04.158: Unable to get system bus connection : Could not connect: No such file or directory

(xfce4-power-manager:14050): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 23:07:04.159: Unable connect to system bus: Could not connect: No such file or directory
Fontconfig warning: using without calling FcInit()

** (xfdesktop:14044): WARNING **: 23:07:04.453: Failed to get system bus: Could not connect: No such file or directory
Xlib:  extension "DPMS" missing on display ":1".
Fontconfig warning: using without calling FcInit()

(xfce4-session:13944): xfce4-session-WARNING **: 23:07:04.827: failed to run script: Failed to execute child process ?/usr/bin/pm-is-supported? (No such file or directory)

(xfce4-session:13944): xfce4-session-WARNING **: 23:07:04.839: failed to run script: Failed to execute child process ?/usr/bin/pm-is-supported? (No such file or directory)

(xfce4-session:13944): xfce4-session-WARNING **: 23:07:04.851: failed to run script: Failed to execute child process ?/usr/bin/pm-is-supported? (No such file or directory)
Fontconfig warning: using without calling FcInit()

[YasserNull]

Try now x11, I fixed the bug.

[Letus252]

Try now x11, I fixed the bug.

Thanks for your help! Unfortunally, it still doesn't work, still the same error:

  ____ _                     _     ____  _     _
 / ___| |__  _ __ ___   ___ | |_  |  _ \(_)___| |_ _ __ ___
| |   | '_ \| '__/ _ \ / _ \| __| | | | | / __| __| '__/ _ \
| |___| | | | | (_) | (_) | |_  | |_| | \__ \ |_| | | (_) |
 \____|_| |_|_|  \___/ \___/ \__| |____/|_|___/\__|_|  \___/
                                     v1.2 the.puer@discord

Login to Distro
Installed = [ arch ]

[Info] Use Up/Down to navigate.
[Info] Run Audio Server once before login as CLI.

-- Select Distro --
 > arch

(Use Up/Down arrows, Enter to select, Escape or q to exit)

Logging in as GUI to arch...
 Enter username: f0x
Terminated                 sudo pkill -f com.termux.x11 2> /dev/null
Starting: Intent { cmp=com.termux.x11/.MainActivity }
/system/bin/sh: dbus-launch: inaccessible or not found
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
xrdb: Connection refused
xrdb: Can't open display ':0'
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
Failed to connect to user scope bus via local transport: $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined (consider using --machine=<user>@.host --user to connect to bus of other user)
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
xfce4-session: Cannot open display: .
Type 'xfce4-session --help' for usage.


[u0_a339@localhost ~]$ sed -n "207p" chroot-xfce.sh
    su -c "chroot-distro command $selected_distro \"export DISPLAY=:0 PULSE_SERVER=tcp:127.0.0.1:4713 && eval \$(dbus-launch | sed 's/^/export /') && sudo -u $username startxfce4\""
[u0_a339@localhost ~]$

If you need any information to debug this issue, just ask. My device is Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 4G (MTK soc), Android 15, termux, rooted via Magisk.

[YasserNull]

My pleasure, don’t worry. The issue was with executing the dbus-launch command.
/system/bin/sh: dbus-launch: inaccessible or not found

I’ve fixed it again and it should work correctly now.

[Letus252]

It no longer complains about dbus-launch inaccessible or not found, but otherwise, the same errors keeps happening.

  ____ _                     _     ____  _     _
 / ___| |__  _ __ ___   ___ | |_  |  _ \(_)___| |_ _ __ ___
| |   | '_ \| '__/ _ \ / _ \| __| | | | | / __| __| '__/ _ \
| |___| | | | | (_) | (_) | |_  | |_| | \__ \ |_| | | (_) |
 \____|_| |_|_|  \___/ \___/ \__| |____/|_|___/\__|_|  \___/
                                     v1.2 the.puer@discord

Login to Distro
Installed = [ arch ]

[Info] Use Up/Down to navigate.
[Info] Run Audio Server once before login as CLI.

-- Select Distro --
 > arch

(Use Up/Down arrows, Enter to select, Escape or q to exit)

Logging in as GUI to arch...
Enter username: f0x
Terminated                 sudo pkill -f com.termux.x11 2> /dev/null
Starting: Intent { cmp=com.termux.x11/.MainActivity }
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
xrdb: Connection refused
xrdb: Can't open display ':0'
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
Failed to connect to user scope bus via local transport: $DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not defined (consider using --machine=<user>@.host --user to connect to bus of other user)
dbus-update-activation-environment: error: unable to connect to D-Bus: Using X11 for dbus-daemon autolaunch was disabled at compile time, set your DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS instead
xfce4-session: Cannot open display: .
Type 'xfce4-session --help' for usage.
[u0_a339@localhost ~]$ sed -n "207p" chroot-xfce.sh
    su -c "chroot-distro command $selected_distro 'export DISPLAY=:0 PULSE_SERVER=tcp:127.0.0.1:4713 && eval \$(dbus-launch | sed \"s/^/export /\") && sudo -u $username startxfce4'"

I'm using busybox 1.37.0 from termux, but you're recommending v1.36.1, maybe this is an issue? (I also have magisk module busybox https://github.com/zgfg/BuiltIn-BusyBox for adb shell usage).

[u0_a339@localhost ~]$ busybox --help
BusyBox v1.37.0 (2025-06-30 01:40:19 UTC) multi-call binary.
BusyBox is copyrighted by many authors between 1998-2015.
Licensed under GPLv2. See source distribution for detailed
copyright notices.
Usage: busybox [function [arguments]...]
   or: busybox --list[-full]
   or: busybox --install [-s] [DIR]
   or: function [arguments]...

        BusyBox is a multi-call binary that combines many common Unix
        utilities into a single executable.  Most people will create a
        link to busybox for each function they wish to use and BusyBox
        will act like whatever it was invoked as.

Currently defined functions:
        [, [[, ar, arch, arp, arping, ascii, ash, awk, base32, base64, basename, bbconfig, bc, blkdiscard,
        blkid, blockdev, brctl, bunzip2, bzcat, bzip2, cal, cat, chattr, chgrp, chmod, chown, chpst, chroot,
        chrt, cksum, clear, cmp, comm, cp, cpio, crc32, crond, crontab, cut, date, dc, dd, df, diff, dirname,
        dmesg, dnsdomainname, dos2unix, du, echo, ed, egrep, env, envdir, expand, expr, factor, fallocate,
        false, fdisk, fgrep, find, findfs, flock, fold, free, fsck, fstrim, fsync, ftpd, ftpget, ftpput, fuser,
        getopt, grep, groups, gunzip, gzip, hd, head, hexdump, hexedit, hostname, httpd, hwclock, id, ifconfig,
        ifdown, ifup, inotifyd, install, ionice, iostat, ip, ipaddr, ipcalc, iplink, ipneigh, iproute, iprule,
        iptunnel, kill, killall, killall5, less, link, linux32, linux64, ln, losetup, ls, lsattr, lsof, lspci,
        lsscsi, lsusb, lzcat, lzma, lzop, lzopcat, makemime, md5sum, mkdir, mkdosfs, mke2fs, mkfifo, mkfs.ext2,
        mkfs.vfat, mknod, mkswap, mktemp, more, mount, mountpoint, mpstat, mv, nc, netcat, netstat, nice, nl,
        nmeter, nohup, nproc, nsenter, ntpd, od, paste, patch, pgrep, pidof, ping, ping6, pipe_progress,
        pivot_root, pkill, pmap, popmaildir, printenv, printf, ps, pscan, pstree, pwd, pwdx, rdate, readlink,
        realpath, reformime, renice, reset, resize, rev, rfkill, rm, rmdir, route, run-parts, runsv, runsvdir,
        rx, script, scriptreplay, sed, sendmail, seq, setarch, setsid, setuidgid, sh, sha1sum, sha256sum,
        sha3sum, sha512sum, shred, shuf, sleep, smemcap, softlimit, sort, split, start-stop-daemon, stat,
        strings, stty, sum, sv, svlogd, switch_root, sync, sysctl, tac, tail, tar, tc, tcpsvd, tee, telnet,
        telnetd, test, tftp, tftpd, time, timeout, top, touch, tr, traceroute, traceroute6, tree, true,
        truncate, tsort, tty, ttysize, tunctl, tune2fs, udhcpc, udhcpc6, udhcpd, udpsvd, umount, uname,
        uncompress, unexpand, uniq, unix2dos, unlink, unlzma, unlzop, unshare, unxz, unzip, uptime, usleep,
        uudecode, uuencode, vconfig, vi, watch, wc, wget, which, whoami, whois, xargs, xxd, xz, xzcat, yes,
        zcat
[u0_a339@localhost ~]$