selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: chrome failed to start while executing selenium python script on ubuntu

Question

I am running following python3 script on ubuntu

import os
from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options

options = Options()
options.add_argument('--headless')
options.add_argument('--disable-gpu')  # Last I checked this was necessary.
driver = webdriver.Chrome("/home/admin/web/web.com/public_html/scripts/az/chromedriver", chrome_options=options)

Running as normal user, I am getting following error:

$ python3 getStock.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "getStock.py", line 61, in <module>
    driver = webdriver.Chrome("/home/admin/web/web.com/public_html/scripts/az/chromedriver", chrome_options=options)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/chrome/webdriver.py", line 75, in __init__
    desired_capabilities=desired_capabilities)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 154, in __init__
    self.start_session(desired_capabilities, browser_profile)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 243, in start_session
    response = self.execute(Command.NEW_SESSION, parameters)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 312, in execute
    self.error_handler.check_response(response)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/errorhandler.py", line 242, in check_response
    raise exception_class(message, screen, stacktrace)
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: chrome failed to start
(Driver info: chromedriver=2.38.551591 (bcc4a2cdef0f6b942b2bb8049068f65340fa2a69),platform=Linux 4.2.0-042stab120.16 x86_64)

Trying with sudo also; still I am getting following error

$ sudo python3 getStock.py
[sudo] password for admin:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "getStock.py", line 61, in <module>
    driver = webdriver.Chrome("/home/admin/web/web.com/public_html/scripts/az/chromedriver", chrome_options=options)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/chrome/webdriver.py", line 75, in __init__
    desired_capabilities=desired_capabilities)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 154, in __init__
    self.start_session(desired_capabilities, browser_profile)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 243, in start_session
    response = self.execute(Command.NEW_SESSION, parameters)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 312, in execute
    self.error_handler.check_response(response)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/errorhandler.py", line 242, in check_response
    raise exception_class(message, screen, stacktrace)
selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: Chrome failed to start: exited abnormally
(Driver info: chromedriver=2.38.551591 (bcc4a2cdef0f6b942b2bb8049068f65340fa2a69),platform=Linux 4.2.0-042stab120.16 x86_64)

Not sure what is going on? I have tried following;

1. I have tried updating selenium;
2. I have tried running as python 2.x and python 3.x
3. I have tried running the script as a normal user and sudo user
4. I have tried changing the permissions to even chmod 777

Here are my versions:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS
Release:        16.04
Codename:       xenial

Python 3.5.2
Requirement already satisfied: selenium in /usr/local/lib/python3.5/dist-packages (3.11.0)

Answer 1

This error message...

selenium.common.exceptions.WebDriverException: Message: unknown error: chrome failed to start

...implies that your WebClient Chrome failed to start.

Solution

You need to pass the Key executable_path along with the Value referring to the absolute path of the ChromeDriver through single forward slash ie \\ along with the raw ie r switch as follows :

from selenium import webdriver
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options

options = Options()
options.add_argument('--headless')
options.add_argument('--no-sandbox')
#options.add_argument('--disable-gpu')  # applicable to windows os only
driver = webdriver.Chrome(chrome_options=options, executable_path=r'/home/admin/web/web.com/public_html/scripts/az/chromedriver')

Additional Steps

• Clean your Project Workspace through your IDE and Rebuild your project with required dependencies only.
• Use CCleaner tool to wipe off all the OS chores before and after the execution of your Test Suite .
• If your base Web Client version is too old, then uninstall it through Revo Uninstaller and install a recent GA and released version of Web Client .
• Take a System Reboot .
• Execute your @Test .

Answer 2

The real error is unknown error: Chrome failed to start: exited abnormally .

Since , you are using chromedriver=2.38.551591 .

Just make sure whether you are using correct chromedriver version with respect to the chrome browser installed on your local machine.

Your version of chromedriver works with chrome browser versions > 67.xx

You can refer this page for compatibility references.

Answer 3

this code below is working for me on the same environment (but my chromedriver version is 2.36):

options = Options()
options.add_experimental_option("detach", True)
options.add_argument("--window-position=0,0")
options.add_argument("--headless")
driver = webdriver.Chrome("path", chrome_options=options)

Check if it works for you :)