Troubleshooting Chrome and Chromium Flag Issues on Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS is a fantastic operating system, especially for users in STEM and creative fields. However, sometimes, even the most experienced Linux users run into unexpected issues. This article addresses a peculiar problem encountered by a Pop!_OS user: Chrome and Chromium refusing to read custom flag configuration files. This guide will explore the issue, potential causes, and troubleshooting steps based on a real-world scenario.

The Problem: Flags Ignored by Chrome and Chromium

A user migrating from Mint to Pop!_OS was facing difficulties in getting Chrome and Chromium to recognize custom flags. Typically, users can set flags by creating chrome-flags.conf and chromium-flags.conf files in the ~/.config/ directory. These files should contain the desired flags, such as --disable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu.

Despite creating these files and ensuring correct ownership, Chrome and Chromium were ignoring the specified flags. Even directly modifying the .desktop files didn't resolve the issue.

Investigating the Root Cause

The user performed several troubleshooting steps, including:

• Verifying File Existence and Location: Ensuring that ~/.config/chrome-flags.conf and ~/.config/chromium-flags.conf exist with the correct content.
• Checking File Ownership: Confirming that the user owns the configuration files using echo $UID and stat ~/.config.
• Analyzing Process Execution with strace: Using strace -f google-chrome-stable 1&> chromelog and then grep chrome-flags.conf chromelog to see if Chrome attempts to access the configuration file.

On a working system, strace output shows Chrome accessing the chrome-flags.conf file. However, on the affected Pop!_OS system, no such access was logged, indicating that Chrome wasn't even attempting to read the file.

Potential Solutions and Further Troubleshooting

While the exact cause remains elusive in the original scenario, here are some potential solutions and further troubleshooting steps:

1. Check Configuration File Syntax: Ensure the flags in chrome-flags.conf and chromium-flags.conf are correctly formatted. Each flag should be on a new line, and the syntax must be accurate. For example:

   --flag-name
   --another-flag=value
   

2. Verify Chrome/Chromium Version Compatibility: Some flags might be deprecated or only available in specific versions of Chrome or Chromium. Check the Chrome flags list and the Chromium command line switches to make sure the flag is still valid and works with the installed browser version.

3. Profile-Specific Flags: In some cases, flags might need to be set for a specific Chrome profile. Try launching Chrome with the --user-data-dir flag, pointing to a new or existing profile directory, and then see if the flags in chrome-flags.conf are recognized within that profile.

4. Command-Line Launch: Try launching Chrome/Chromium directly from the command line with the flags:

   google-chrome --disable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu
   chromium --disable-features=ExtensionsToolbarMenu
   

   If the flag works when launched this way, it suggests the issue lies specifically with the configuration files or desktop entry.

5. Permissions Issues (Beyond Ownership): While ownership was checked, there might be subtle permission issues. Try explicitly setting read permissions for the user:

   chmod u+r ~/.config/chrome-flags.conf
   chmod u+r ~/.config/chromium-flags.conf
   

6. Conflicting Configurations: Check for any conflicting configurations that might be overriding the flags defined in the configuration files. This could include policies set by extensions or within Chrome's settings.

7. System-Wide Configuration: Investigate if there are any system-wide Chrome/Chromium configuration files that could be interfering. These are typically found in /etc/.

8. Update or Reinstall: As a last resort, try updating Chrome/Chromium to the latest version or reinstalling the browser. This can sometimes resolve underlying issues with the installation.

Importance of Thorough Troubleshooting

This scenario highlights the importance of systematic troubleshooting when dealing with Linux configurations. By using tools like strace and carefully checking file permissions and syntax, users can often pinpoint the root cause of unexpected behavior. While a definitive solution wasn't provided in the original Reddit post, the troubleshooting steps outlined here offer a comprehensive approach to resolving similar Chrome and Chromium flag issues on Pop!_OS and other Linux distributions.