WLR errors when trying to run sway. How to fix it?

[iamnoteug]

I've been trying to install Gentoo for a few days now. I managed to install the system itself, but I can't get sway to run. I tried both on real hardware and on virtualbox. The result is the same. I've read the whole internet and chatgpt but still can't figure out how to solve this problem.

I have installed the system. Installed elogind. Started the service.
Manually had to export the XDG_RUNTIME_DIR variable and then when I try to start sway there are wlr errors like this:

Code: Select all

00:00:00.002 [wlr] [libseat] [libseat/libseat.c:79] No Backend was able to open a seat
00:00:00.002 [wlr] [backend/session/session.c:83] Unable to create seat: Function not implemented
00:00:00.002 [wlr] [backend/session/session.c:248] Failed to load session backend
00:00:00.002 [wlr] [backend/backend.c:79] Failed to start a session
00:00:00.002 [wlr] [backend/backend.c:352] Failed to start a DRM session
00:00:00.002 [wlr] [sway/server.c:228] Unable to create backend

Can you tell me what to do in such a case? I want to find out what the problem is and start this sway already. My head is already messed up from trying to solve this problem.

[GDH-gentoo]

Code: Select all

00:00:00.002 [wlr] [libseat] [libseat/libseat.c:79] No Backend was able to open a seat

The problem seems to be not in sway or wlroots, but in seatd. Post the output of

Code: Select all

# emerge --pretend --verbose sys-auth/seatd

[iamnoteug]

Code: Select all

00:00:00.002 [wlr] [libseat] [libseat/libseat.c:79] No Backend was able to open a seat

The problem seems to be not in sway or wlroots, but in seatd. Post the output of

Code: Select all

# emerge --pretend --verbose sys-auth/seatd

Code: Select all

Local copy of remote index is up-to-date and will be used.

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
Dependency resolution took 0.76 s (backtrack: 0/20).

[ebuild  R    ] sys-auth/seatd-0.9.1::gentoo  USE="server -builtin -elogind -systemd" 0 KiB
Total: 1 package (1 reinstall), Size of downloads: 0 KiB

!!! The following binary packages have been ignored due to non matching USE:
    =sys-auth/seatd-0.9.1 -server
    =sys-auth/seatd-0.9.1 -server systemd

NOTE: The --binpkg-respect-use=n option will prevent emerge
      from ignoring these binary packages if possible.

!!! The --binpkg-respect-use=y will silence this warning.

[GDH-gentoo]

Code: Select all

[ebuild  R    ] sys-auth/seatd-0.9.1::gentoo  USE="server -builtin -elogind -systemd" 0 KiB

This means that you need the seatd daemon running to have a libseat backend. Let's see what kind of Gentoo installation you made:

Code: Select all

$ emege --info

[iamnoteug]

Code: Select all

[ebuild  R    ] sys-auth/seatd-0.9.1::gentoo  USE="server -builtin -elogind -systemd" 0 KiB

This means that you need the seatd daemon running to have a libseat backend. Let's see what kind of Gentoo installation you made:

Code: Select all

$ emege --info

Code: Select all

Portage 3.0.68 (python 3.13.5-final-0, default/linux/amd64/23.0, gcc-14, glibc-2.41-r4, 6.12.38-gentoo-dist-x86_64)
=================================================================
System uname: Linux-6.12.38-gentoo-dist-x86_64-Intel-R-_Core-TM-_i9-9900KF_CPU_@_3.60GHz-with-glibc2.41
KiB Mem:     8095804 total,   7230704 free
KiB Swap:    4194300 total,   4194300 free
Timestamp of repository gentoo: Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:55:09 +0000
Head commit of repository gentoo: a0367b814a5d20ce8e0522bdeaad6376a5e9391

sh bash 5.2_p37-r3
ld GNU ld (Gentoo 2.44 p4) 2.44.0
app-misc/pax-utils:        1.3.8::gentoo
app-shells/bash:           5.2_p37-r3::gentoo
dev-build/autoconf:        2.72-r1::gentoo
dev-build/automake:        1.17-r2::gentoo
dev-build/cmake:           3.31.7-r1::gentoo
dev-build/libtool:         2.5.4::gentoo
dev-build/make:            4.4.1-r100::gentoo
dev-build/meson:           1.7.2::gentoo
dev-lang/perl:             5.40.2::gentoo
dev-lang/python:           3.13.5::gentoo
dev-lang/rust:             1.81.0::gentoo
dev-libs/libxml2:          2.12.7::gentoo
dev-util/ccache:           4.9.1::gentoo
dev-util/cmake:            3.31.7::gentoo
dev-util/conf:             1.7::gentoo
dev-util/gperf:            3.1::gentoo
dev-util/gtk-doc-am:       1.33.2::gentoo
dev-util/pkgconf:          2.2::gentoo
sys-apps/baselayout:       2.17::gentoo
sys-apps/sandbox:          2.46::gentoo
sys-apps/systemd:          256.4-r3::gentoo
sys-devel/binutils-config: 5.5.2::gentoo
sys-devel/gcc-config:      2.12.1::gentoo
sys-devel/libtool:         2.5.4::gentoo
sys-kernel/linux-headers:  6.12::gentoo (virtual/os-headers)
sys-libs/glibc:            2.41-r4::gentoo

Repositories:

gentoo
    location: /var/db/repos/gentoo
    sync-type: rsync
    sync-uri: rsync://rsync.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage
    priority: -1000
    volatile: False
    sync-rsync-verify-metamanifest: yes
    sync-rsync-verify-max-age: 3
    sync-rsync-verify-jobs: 1
    sync-rsync-extra-opts:

Binary Repositories:

gentoo-binhost
    priority: 9999
    sync-uri: https://distfiles.gentoo.org/releases/amd64/binpackages/23.0/x86-64

ACCEPT_KEYU0RDS=”amd64”
ACCEPT_LICENSE2”*”
CBUILD=”x86_64-pc-1inux-gnu"
CFLAGS2"-march=natiue -02 -pipe”
CH0ST=”x86_64-pc-linux-gnu”
C0NFIG_PR0TECT="/etc /usr/share/gnupg/qua1ified.txt”
CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/ca-certificates.conf /etc/enu.d /etc/fonts/fonts.conf /etc/gconf /etc/gentoo-release /etc/sandbox.d”
CXXFLAGS2"-march=natiue -02 -pipe”
DISTDIR="/uar/cache/d istf iles”
ENU_UNSET2”CARG0_H0ME DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS DISPLAY GDK_PIXBUF_M0DULE_FILE GOB IN GOPATH PERL5LIB PERL50PT PERLPREFIX PERL_C0RE PERL_MB_0PT PERL_MM_0PT XAUTHC RITY XDG_CACHE_H0ME XDG_C0NFIG_H0ME XDG_DATA_H0ME XDG_RUNTIME_DIR XDG_STATE_H0ME”
FCFLAGS2”-march=natiue -02 -pipe”
FEATURES="assume-digests binpkg-docompress binpkg-dostrip binpkg-logs binpkg-nuIti-instance binpkg-request-signature buildpkg-1iue config-protect-if-nodified di stlocks ebuiId-locks export-pms-uars fixlafiles getbinpkg ipc-sandbox merge-sync merge-wait multi1ib-strict network-sandbox news para 1lel-fetch pid-sandbox pkgd ir-index-trusted preserue-1ibs protect-owned qa-unresolued-soname-deps sandbox strict unknown-features-warn unmerge-logs unmerge-orphans userfetch userpriu user sandbox usersync xattr”
FFLAGS=”-march=natiue -02 -pipe”
GENT00_MIRR0RS=”http://d istf iles.gentoo.org”
LANG=”en_US.utf8”
LDFLAGS=”-U1,-01 -Ul,—as-needed -Ul,-z,pack-relatiue-reIocs”
LEX="flex”
NAKE0PTS=”-j4 -14”
PKGDIR="/uar/cache/b inpkgs”
P0RTAGE_C0NFIGR00T=”/”
P0RTAGE_RSYNC_0PTS=”—recursiue —links	—safe-links	—perms	—times	—omit-dir-times	—compress	—force	—whole-file	—delete	—stats	—human-readable	—timeoi
t=180 —exclude=/distfiles —exclude2/local —exclude=/packages —exclude2/.git”
P0RTAGE_TMPDIR="/uar/tmp”
SHELL=”/bin/bash”
USE="acl amd64 bzip2 cet crypt gdbm iconu ipu6 libtirpc multi lib ncurses ills openmp pam pcre read line seat seccomp seruer ssl test-rust Unicode wayland xattr zl ib” ABI_X86="64” ADA_TARGET="gcc_14” APACHE2_M0DULES="authn_core authz_core socache_shmcb unixd actions alias auth_basic authn_anon authn_dbm authn_file authz_d bm authz_groupfile authz_host authz_owner authz_user auto index cache cgi eg id dau dau_fs dau_lock deflate dir enu expires ext_filter file_cache filter headers i nclude info log_config logio mime mime_magic negotiation rewrite setenuif speling status unique_id userdir usertrack uhost_alias” CALLIGRA_FEATURES=”karbon shee ts words” C0LLECTD_PL0GINS=”df interface irq load memory rrdtool swap syslog” CPU_FLAGS_X86="mmx mmxext sse sse2 aes aux aux2 bmil bmi2 fl6c fma3 pclmul popent rdrand sse3 sse4_l sse4_2 ssse3” ELIBC="glibc” GPSD_PR0T0C0LS=”ashtech aiudm earthmate euermore ful8 garmin garmintxt gpsclock greis isync itrax naucom oceanser uer oncore rtcml04u2 rtcml04u3 sirf skytraq superstar2 tsip tripmate tnt ublox” GRUB_PLATF0RMS=”ef i-64” GUILE_SINGLE_TARGET=”3-G” GUILE_TARGETS=”3-G” INPUT_DEU1 CES=”lib input” KERNEL2”1inux” LCD_DEUICES=”bayrad cfontz glk hd4478G lb216 lcdmGGl mtxorb text” LLUN_TARGETS=”X86” LUA_SINGLE_TARGE T2”1ua5-1' ’ LUA_TARGETS=”lua5-1” 0FFICE_INPLEMENTATI0N=”1ibreoffice” PHP_TARGETS=”php8-3” P0STGRES_TARGETS=”postgresl7” PYTH0N_SINGLE_TARGET=”python3_13” PYTH0N_TARGETS=”python3_13” RUBY_TAF GETS="ruby32 ruby33” XTABLES_ADD0NS="quota2 psd pknock lscan length2 ipu4options ipp2p iface geo ip fuzzy condition tarpit sysrq proto logmark ipmark dhcpmac del ude chaos account”
Unset: ADDR2LINE, AR, ARFLAGS, AS, ASFLAGS, CC, CCLD, C0NFIG_SHELL, CPP, CPPFLAGS, CTARGET, CXX, CXXFILT, ELFEDIT, EMERGE_DEFAULT_0PTS, EXTRA_EC0NF, F77FLAGS, FC, GC0U, GPR0F, INSTALL_MASK, LC_ALL, LD, LFLAGS, LIBT00L, LINGUAS, NAKE, NAKEFLAGS, NM, 0BJC0PY, 0BJDUMP, P0RTAGE_BINH0ST, P0RTAGE_BUN2IP2_C0MMAND, P0RTAGE_CC MPRESS, P0RTAGE_C0MPRESS_FLAGS, P0RTAGE_RSYNC_EXTRA_0PTS, PYTHONPATH, RANLIB, READELF, RUSTFLAGS, SI2E, STRINGS, STRIP, YACC, YFLAGS

[GDH-gentoo]

Code: Select all

Portage 3.0.68 (python 3.13.5-final-0, default/linux/amd64/23.0, gcc-14, glibc-2.41-r4, 6.12.38-gentoo-dist-x86_64)
=================================================================
...
sys-apps/systemd:          256.4-r3::gentoo

Oh, systemd. If you want Gentoo with systemd and sway, profile default/linux/amd64/23.0/desktop/systemd would have been a better choice in my opinion, and would give you fewer headaches.

If you really want to keep your current profile, post the output of:

Code: Select all

$ systemctl status seatd

[iamnoteug]

Code: Select all

Portage 3.0.68 (python 3.13.5-final-0, default/linux/amd64/23.0, gcc-14, glibc-2.41-r4, 6.12.38-gentoo-dist-x86_64)
=================================================================
...
sys-apps/systemd:          256.4-r3::gentoo

Oh, systemd. If you want Gentoo with systemd and sway, profile default/linux/amd64/23.0/desktop/systemd would have been a better choice in my opinion, and would give you fewer headaches.

If you really want to keep your current profile, post the output of:

Code: Select all

$ systemctl status seatd

I honestly don't know where systemd came from. Maybe I was typing one of the hundreds of commands from the internet trying to run sway and systemd installed as a dependency.

I originally installed minimal gentoo with openrc.

I have previously used sway in arch linux. Now I tried to ask chatgpt about this problem again and he said that sway supposedly can't be run in virtualbox without KMS support. and it can't be run on real hardware with proprietary nvidia driver in gentoo either. And Arch works because it has patched sway/wlroots packages. Is this true?

I've been trying to get this sway up and running for a few days now. I've installed gentoo 5 times already, both on virtualization and on real hardware. I'm getting discouraged. I don't know what the problem is.
Nvidia, Gentoo, Seatd, Sway or me.

[GDH-gentoo]

I don't know about VirtualBox, but sway should run without problems on Gentoo with real hardware.

It is possible that sway is not starting on your setup because the seatd daemon has not been started by the service manager. But this is a minor problem, because...

The output of emerge --info shows that yours is a systemd Gentoo, so if you actually wanted an OpenRC Gentoo.... something went wrong in your installation before sway was even installed. These days having systemd installed by accident is very unlikely. You might have picked the wrong stage3 archive during installation. But at the same time, those have "systemd" in their name, hard to pick them without knowing. Only you know what you did to install Gentoo. I hope you followed the Handbook.

Also, the profile you chose is hard to work with if you want a GUI (any GUI), without knowing very well what you are doing.

Sooo... What do you want to do?