Install server on Debian testing Triexie

[gumaamug]

Update: searching anew for this issue produced this github page, which was updated yesterday:
https://github.com/HanamaruYouchien/jell...ing-trixie

Unfortunately I still have an issue even after generating the packages myself and installing manually using dpkg. The service simply refuses to start and fails with code 'signal'

[gumaamug]

Updating this thread with the solution to my problem:

I had somehow lost a libicu package in the update to Trixie, and the absence of this package was killing the jellyfin.service every time I attempt to restart it. It took me a while to find the correct package but I used sudo apt install libicu-dev

Still as of 8/9/2025 there doesn't seem to be a trixie package in the official jellyfin repo—I compiled my package manually using the github link I posted last week. But it's running at least.

[Esch]

Installing libicu-dev allows for Jellyfin to start again.

[Strangle7068]

I had somehow lost a libicu package in the update to Trixie, and the absence of this package was killing the jellyfin.service every time I attempt to restart it. It took me a while to find the correct package but I used sudo apt install libicu-dev

Thank you for this!



I just fresh installed Trixie and then Jellyfin with 

Code:

curl -s https://repo.jellyfin.org/install-debuntu.sh | sudo bash

Jelly fin could not start, 

Code:

 
Aug 24 10:09:12 Sanctum systemd[1]: jellyfin.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 5.
Aug 24 10:09:12 Sanctum systemd[1]: jellyfin.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Aug 24 10:09:12 Sanctum systemd[1]: jellyfin.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
Aug 24 10:09:12 Sanctum systemd[1]: Failed to start jellyfin.service - Jellyfin Media Server.

 


I tried starting it manually and got this 

Code:

$ jellyfin
Process terminated. Couldn't find a valid ICU package installed on the system. Please install libicu (or icu-libs) using your package manager and try again. Alternatively you can set the configuration flag System.Globalization.Invariant to true if you want to run with no globalization support. Please see https://aka.ms/dotnet-missing-libicu for more information.
  at System.Environment.FailFast(System.String)
  at System.Globalization.GlobalizationMode+Settings..cctor()
  at System.Globalization.CultureData.CreateCultureWithInvariantData()
  at System.Globalization.CultureData.get_Invariant()
  at System.Globalization.CultureInfo..cctor()
  at System.Globalization.CultureInfo.get_InvariantCulture()
  at CommandLine.ParserSettings..ctor()
  at CommandLine.Parser+<>c.<.cctor>b__20_0()
  at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]].ViaFactory(System.Threading.LazyThreadSafetyMode)
  at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]].ExecutionAndPublication(System.LazyHelper, Boolean)
  at System.Lazy`1[[System.__Canon, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]].CreateValue()
  at CommandLine.Parser.get_Default()
  at Jellyfin.Server.Program.Main(System.String[])
  at Jellyfin.Server.Program.<Main>(System.String[])
Aborted

 

nethiether apt install libicu or icu-libs were valid on the debian repository but that search term did bing me here


This:

Code:

sudo apt install libicu-dev

Got me up and running, Thank you!

[Aubs]

I had somehow lost a libicu package in the update to Trixie, and the absence of this package was killing the jellyfin.service every time I attempt to restart it. It took me a while to find the correct package but I used sudo apt install libicu-dev

nethiether apt install libicu or icu-libs were valid on the debian repository but that search term did bing me here

This:

Code:

sudo apt install libicu-dev

Got me up and running, Thank you!

Thank you @gumaamug and @Strangle7068.  This helped me resolve an issue, though it didn't start out as the same issue!  Documenting it all here as it might help someone.


I have Proxmox running, I set up a container with debian_13_trixie_amd64_cloud_20250920_rootfs.tar.xz, installed Jellyfin with the usual curl https://repo.jellyfin.org/install-debuntu.sh | sudo bash.  That was on 20th September 2025.  All was working fine for a few days at least.

Just came to access it, and it's offline.  Service not running.

TL;DR: 'jellyfin-ffmpeg' and 'jellyfin' not installed.  Possibly could have reinstalled both, but decided to purge it all (I have a backup from last night).  reinstalled, but dependency libicu missing.  Installed libicu76 and it's now all running.

I can only presume an update killed it, but no idea why.  Also, the installer script doesn't seem to be installing all dependencies, even though they are available.

Code:

Oct 04 16:13:08 jellyfin01 jellyfin[1303]: System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (2): An error occurred trying to start process '/usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/ffmpeg' with working directory '/var/lib/jellyfin'. No such file or directory

Purged Jellyfin components (note libicu72 is no longer required):

Code:

$ sudo apt purge jellyfin jellyfin-ffmpeg jellyfin-server jellyfin-web
Package 'jellyfin-ffmpeg' is not installed, so not removed
Package 'jellyfin' is not installed, so not removed
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  fontconfig-config  libbluray2          libicu72                  libogg0        libpython3.11-minimal  libudfread0    libwebpmux3      libxcb-randr0  libxshmfence1                    perl-modules-5.36        python3-more itertools  python3-typeguard
  fonts-dejavu-core  libcairo2          libldap-2.5-0            libopenmpt0    libpython3.11-stdlib  libvorbis0a    libx11-xcb1      libxcb-render0  libzvbi-common                  python3-autocommand      python3-pkg-resources  python3-typing-extensions
  fonts-dejavu-mono  libcbor0.8          libmp3lame0              libopus0      libsharpyuv0          libvorbisenc2  libx264-164      libxcb-shm0    linux-image-6.1.0-32-amd64      python3-httplib2          python3-pycurl          python3.11
  libaacs0          libcurl3t64-gnutls  libmpg123-0              libpciaccess0  libtheora0            libvorbisfile3  libx265-199      libxcb-sync1    linux-image-6.1.0-38-amd64      python3-inflect          python3-pyparsing      python3.11-minimal
  libassuan0        libfontconfig1      libngtcp2-16              libperl5.36    libtheoradec1          libvpx7        libxcb-dri3-0    libxcb-xfixes0  linux-image-6.12.41+deb13-amd64  python3-jaraco.context    python3-pysimplesoap
  libbdplus0        libfuse2            libngtcp2-crypto-gnutls8  libpixman-1-0  libtheoraenc1          libwebp7        libxcb-present0  libxrender1    ocl-icd-libopencl1              python3-jaraco.functools  python3-six
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.

REMOVING:
  jellyfin-server*  jellyfin-web*

Removed unused packages (note libicu72 is now going to be removed):

Code:

$ sudo apt autoremove
REMOVING:
  fontconfig-config  libbluray2          libicu72                  libogg0        libpython3.11-minimal  libudfread0    libwebpmux3      libxcb-randr0  libxshmfence1                    perl-modules-5.36        python3-more-itertools  python3-typeguard
  fonts-dejavu-core  libcairo2          libldap-2.5-0            libopenmpt0    libpython3.11-stdlib  libvorbis0a    libx11-xcb1      libxcb-render0  libzvbi-common                  python3-autocommand      python3-pkg-resources  python3-typing-extensions
  fonts-dejavu-mono  libcbor0.8          libmp3lame0              libopus0      libsharpyuv0          libvorbisenc2  libx264-164      libxcb-shm0    linux-image-6.1.0-32-amd64      python3-httplib2          python3-pycurl          python3.11
  libaacs0          libcurl3t64-gnutls  libmpg123-0              libpciaccess0  libtheora0            libvorbisfile3  libx265-199      libxcb-sync1    linux-image-6.1.0-38-amd64      python3-inflect          python3-pyparsing      python3.11-minimal
  libassuan0        libfontconfig1      libngtcp2-16              libperl5.36    libtheoradec1          libvpx7        libxcb-dri3-0    libxcb-xfixes0  linux-image-6.12.41+deb13-amd64  python3-jaraco.context    python3-pysimplesoap
  libbdplus0        libfuse2            libngtcp2-crypto-gnutls8  libpixman-1-0  libtheoraenc1          libwebp7        libxcb-present0  libxrender1    ocl-icd-libopencl1              python3-jaraco.functools  python3-six

Reinstall, exactly the same way (note no dependency for libicu installed):

Code:

$ curl https://repo.jellyfin.org/install-debuntu.sh | sudo bash
Found the following details from '/etc/os-release':
  Real OS:            debian
  Repository OS:      debian
  Repository Release: trixie
  CPU Architecture:  amd64

> Installing Jellyfin.
Installing:
  jellyfin

Installing dependencies:
  fontconfig-config  jellyfin-ffmpeg7  libaacs0    libcairo2      libmpg123-0t64  libopus0      libsharpyuv0  libudfread0    libvorbisfile3  libwebpmux3  libx265-215      libxcb-randr0  libxcb-sync1    libxshmfence1  ocl-icd-libopencl1
  fonts-dejavu-core  jellyfin-server  libbdplus0  libfontconfig1  libogg0        libpciaccess0  libtheoradec1  libvorbis0a    libvpx9        libx11-xcb1  libxcb-dri3-0    libxcb-render0  libxcb-xfixes0  libzvbi-common
  fonts-dejavu-mono  jellyfin-web      libbluray2  libmp3lame0    libopenmpt0t64  libpixman-1-0  libtheoraenc1  libvorbisenc2  libwebp7        libx264-164  libxcb-present0  libxcb-shm0    libxrender1    libzvbi0t64

Suggested packages:
  intel-opencl-icd  intel-opencl-icd-legacy  libbluray-bdj  opus-tools  opencl-icd

Summary:
  Upgrading: 0, Installing: 44, Removing: 0, Not Upgrading: 0

Now seeing a different error:

Code:

Oct 04 16:30:56 jellyfin01 (jellyfin)[7722]: jellyfin.service: Referenced but unset environment variable evaluates to an empty string: JELLYFIN_NOWEBAPP_OPT, JELLYFIN_SERVICE_OPT
Oct 04 16:30:56 jellyfin01 jellyfin[7722]: Process terminated. Couldn't find a valid ICU package installed on the system. Please install libicu (or icu-libs) using your package manager and try again. Alternatively you can set the configuration flag System.Globalization.Invariant to true if you want to run with no globalization support. Please see https://aka.ms/dotnet-missing-libicu for more information.

Tried to install the version I had earlier:

Code:

$ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian trixie InRelease
Hit:2 http://deb.debian.org/debian trixie-updates InRelease
Hit:3 http://security.debian.org/debian-security trixie-security InRelease
Hit:4 https://repo.jellyfin.org/debian trixie InRelease
All packages are up to date.

Code:

$ sudo apt install libicu72
Error: Unable to locate package libicu72

Searching for the package, I came across libicu76:

Code:

$ apt-cache search libicu
icu-devtools - Development utilities for International Components for Unicode
libicu-dev - Development files for International Components for Unicode
libicu76 - International Components for Unicode
libicu4j-java - Library for Unicode support and internationalization
libicu4j-4.4-java - Library for Unicode support and internationalization

Installed libicu76:

Code:

$ sudo apt install libicu76
Installing:
  libicu76

Started the service:

Code:

$ sudo systemctl start jellyfin

$ sudo systemctl status jellyfin
● jellyfin.service - Jellyfin Media Server
    Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/jellyfin.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
    Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/jellyfin.service.d
            └─jellyfin.service.conf
    Active: active (running) since Sat 2025-10-04 16:53:21 BST; 1min 8s ago
Invocation: 13555a3e0adc4be9b0d075aa09a80a93
  Main PID: 8238 (jellyfin)
      Tasks: 19 (limit: 9471)
    Memory: 201.8M (peak: 220.1M)
        CPU: 33.339s
    CGroup: /system.slice/jellyfin.service
            └─8238 /usr/bin/jellyfin --webdir=/usr/share/jellyfin/web --ffmpeg=/usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/ffmpeg

Oct 04 16:53:29 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:29] [INF] Available encoders: ["libsvtav1", "av1_nvenc", "av1_qsv", "av1_amf", "av1_vaapi", "libx264", "h264_amf", "h264_nvenc", "h264_qsv", "h264_v4l2m2m", "h264_vaapi", "libx265", "hevc_amf", "hevc_nvenc", "hevc_qsv", "hevc_vaapi>
Oct 04 16:53:29 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:29] [INF] Available filters: ["bwdif_cuda", "deinterlace_qsv", "deinterlace_vaapi", "flip_vulkan", "hwupload_cuda", "hwupload_vaapi", "libplacebo", "overlay_opencl", "overlay_qsv", "overlay_vaapi", "overlay_vulkan", "overlay_cuda",>
Oct 04 16:53:29 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:29] [INF] Available hwaccel types: ["cuda", "vaapi", "qsv", "drm", "opencl", "vulkan"]
Oct 04 16:53:31 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:31] [INF] Clean Transcode Directory Completed after 0 minute(s) and 0 seconds
Oct 04 16:53:31 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:31] [INF] Clean up collections and playlists Completed after 0 minute(s) and 0 seconds
Oct 04 16:53:32 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:32] [INF] Update Plugins Completed after 0 minute(s) and 0 seconds
Oct 04 16:53:40 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:40] [INF] FFmpeg: /usr/lib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/ffmpeg
Oct 04 16:53:40 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:40] [INF] ServerId: 89057e95101a4abfbda042063663cd64
Oct 04 16:53:40 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:40] [INF] Core startup complete
Oct 04 16:53:40 jellyfin01 jellyfin[8238]: [16:53:40] [INF] Startup complete 0:00:18.3804748

Stopped the service, restored the /var/lib/jellyfin from backup, reset permissions on the folder, started service, all working.

[spk44]

If going the bookworm backports route instead, you may also need to install the firmware from backports, especially if you are trying to support a newer device.

Code:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports firmware-linux