Dead soundcard?

phunni · 2012-01-19 16:22:19

Yesterday my soundcard stopped producing any sound. I initially thought it was the speakers so I plugged it in to different ones with no joy. The modules are all loaded (snd-hda-intel) and alsamixer thinks everything is hunky dory and allows me to adjust settings. Nothing is muted.

I'm assuming at this point that the problem is with the soundcard - or at least the line out jack, but is there anything I should try and test before giving up in it?

Evilandi666 · 2012-01-19 16:26:26

Did you do some upgrades?

phunni · 2012-01-19 17:07:26

Good question - probably, I often do. How could I find out what has been upgraded in the last few days? What could disable audio without appearing ot affect the modules/software? Jack behaves as if everything is ok as well...

Evilandi666 · 2012-01-19 17:09:42

cat /var/log/pacman.log shows what pacman did upgrade and also when.

Last edited by Evilandi666 (2012-01-19 17:09:53)

phunni · 2012-01-19 18:51:42

Logs for the previous 2 days - including some aur upgrades using aurget:

[2012-01-17 09:04] Running 'pacman -Syu'
[2012-01-17 09:04] synchronizing package lists
[2012-01-17 09:04] upgraded libarchive (2.8.5-2 -> 3.0.3-2)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed pth (2.0.7-4)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed gnupg (1.4.11-3)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed libksba (1.2.0-1)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed libassuan (2.0.3-1)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed pinentry (0.8.1-3)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed dirmngr (1.1.0-3)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed gnupg2 (2.0.18-1)
[2012-01-17 09:04] installed gpgme (1.3.1-2)
[2012-01-17 09:04] warning: /etc/pacman.conf installed as /etc/pacman.conf.pacnew
[2012-01-17 09:04] >>> Run `pacman-key --init` to set up your pacman keyring.
[2012-01-17 09:04] upgraded pacman (3.5.4-4 -> 4.0.1-4)
[2012-01-17 09:09] Running 'pacman -Syu'
[2012-01-17 09:09] synchronizing package lists
[2012-01-17 09:09] starting full system upgrade
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded cmake (2.8.7-1 -> 2.8.7-2)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded gmime (2.4.31-1 -> 2.6.4-1)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded gvfs (1.10.1-1 -> 1.10.1-2)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded hydrogen (0.9.5-1 -> 0.9.5-2)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded inetutils (1.9-1 -> 1.9.1-1)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded intltool (0.41.1-2 -> 0.50.0-1)
[2012-01-17 09:10] upgraded totem-plparser (2.32.6-1 -> 2.32.6-3)
[2012-01-17 11:44] Running 'pacman --noconfirm -S --asdeps gcc-multilib'
[2012-01-17 11:44] Running 'pacman -Rs lib32-gmp'
[2012-01-17 11:46] Running 'pacman -Rs lib32-gnutls'
[2012-01-17 11:46] removed lib32-gnutls (2.12.2-1)
[2012-01-17 11:46] removed lib32-libgcrypt (1.5.0-1)
[2012-01-17 11:46] removed lib32-libgpg-error (1.10-1)
[2012-01-17 11:48] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/android-udev-0.8-2-any.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 11:48] ===> In order to use adb, you have to be in the 'adbusers' group
[2012-01-17 11:48] ===> For that, use: gpasswd -a USERNAME adbusers
[2012-01-17 11:48] upgraded android-udev (0.8-1 -> 0.8-2)
[2012-01-17 11:50] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/eduke32-20120114.2257-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:28] upgraded eduke32 (20110319.1850-2 -> 20120114.2257-2)
[2012-01-17 12:29] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/esound-0.2.41-3-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:29] upgraded esound (0.2.41-2 -> 0.2.41-3)
[2012-01-17 12:29] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/libgnomecups-0.2.3-10-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:31] upgraded libgnomecups (0.2.3-9 -> 0.2.3-10)
[2012-01-17 12:32] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/libgnomeprint-2.18.8-5-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:39] upgraded libgnomeprint (2.18.8-3 -> 2.18.8-5)
[2012-01-17 12:39] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/libgnomeprintui-2.18.6-4-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:39] upgraded libgnomeprintui (2.18.6-1 -> 2.18.6-4)
[2012-01-17 12:40] Running 'pacman -U /var/abs/local/par2cmdline-0.5.1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-17 12:41] upgraded par2cmdline (0.4-18 -> 0.5.1-1)
[2012-01-18 10:46] Running 'pacman -Syu'
[2012-01-18 10:46] synchronizing package lists
[2012-01-18 10:46] starting full system upgrade
[2012-01-18 10:47] upgraded colord (0.1.15-3 -> 0.1.16-1)
[2012-01-18 10:47] upgraded unrar (4.1.3-1 -> 4.1.4-1)

Nothing jumps out at me as being a potential sound problem...

Darksoul71 · 2012-01-19 19:10:43

Crosscheck with another Linux distribution in Livemode if sound is also non-existent.

stqn · 2012-01-20 01:09:51

Do you have headphones plugged in? :] (This problem happened to me once... some ALSA update prevented output to the speakers when headphones were plugged in.)

phunni · 2012-01-20 12:51:34

No headphones plugged in :-)

I tried booting into a Knoppix CD and there is still no sound - so I'm guessing that's a pretty bad sign!

Interestingly, when I tried to boot from a live USB stick the BIOS failed to spot my keyboard until the OS was booted, which also gives me a bad feeling about the health of my motherboard...

The soundcard is an onboard one BTW...

Last edited by phunni (2012-01-20 12:52:01)

OrangeRoot1000 · 2012-01-20 15:31:44

I have same issues: Gnome, Alsa and other vital libraries including a kernel within the last 48 hrs were changed.

Last edited by OrangeRoot1000 (2012-01-20 15:47:42)

Darksoul71 · 2012-01-20 16:25:38

Hey phunni,

I tried booting into a Knoppix CD and there is still no sound - so I'm guessing that's a pretty bad sign!

Yes, I would consider this a bad sign. At least if you set all output to maximum in the alsa mixer and tried to play back a soundfile directly via /dev/*

Unless you disable your soundcard in BIOS by accident it sound pretty much like a screwed up device. I would not worry too much. There are nice alternatives for usb. You usually get a 5.1 card with digital I/O for 20€. I grabbed one from a german electronic company which works perfectly on nearly every Linux distrib I tried.

As for your USB keyboard I am not shure if this really is a hardware issue. My HTPC also does not recognise the USB keyboard from start. Only after my Xubuntu has launched I can use the RF keyboard. I guess it sometimes has to do with this USB legacy stuff in the BIOS. As long as you do not see different issue, I wouldn't worry too much.

HTH,
D$

OrangeRoot1000 · 2012-01-20 16:46:53

xkeyboard was replaced yesterday. xkeyboard-config (2.4.1-2 -> 2.4.1-3)

Running 'pacman -U npapi-vlc-git-20120119-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz'
[2012-01-19 10:26] upgraded npapi-vlc-git (20111216-1 -> 20120119-1)

Last edited by OrangeRoot1000 (2012-01-20 16:52:38)

phunni · 2012-01-20 18:50:28

The soundcard definitely wasn't disabled in the BIOS - I checked. As for cheap USB ones - I found this: http://www.ebuyer.com/239250-xenta-usb- … ut-n-us2ch but can't find any reference to xenta in the alsa matrix - does anyone know if this works?

As far as the keyboard goes - it gets picked up by the BIOS when there are not too many other USB peripherals plugged in, so it's a USB related issue, not that the BIOS is fundamentally incapable of seeing it.

Darksoul71 · 2012-01-20 19:23:15

@phunni: I bought this one:
http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MDUyODcyOT … A0099.html

Unfortunately the text is in german. As indicated it works perfectly under Linux.

It seems to be also available on amazon.uk:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LogiLink-USB-2- … 257&sr=8-1

Here is a link to the companies page:
http://www.logilink.eu/showproduct/UA0099.htm

The spec sheet (a pdf) is at least in english.

If it helps I could post the chip it uses. Then you could check yourself. But anyway: Most cheap USB soundcards (like the one you linked) will most likely work under Linux.

Last edited by Darksoul71 (2012-01-20 19:32:34)

OrangeRoot1000 · 2012-01-21 15:33:03

My issue was solved by going to the LTS kernel as the update made about 2 days ago made by sound card stop working even though modules were loaded. Once I rebooted into LTS sound fired up immediately.

phunni · 2012-01-21 15:38:34

thanks - I'll take a look at that. Although, the fact that my soundcard isn't working under Knoppix doesn't fill me with much hope...

Last edited by phunni (2012-01-21 15:57:35)

gerald82 · 2012-01-22 10:55:07

I've got a similar problem that appeared just after upgrading this morning.
Only the kernel package and the nvidia package seem to be a candidate for this problem.
Here's the pacman log:

[2012-01-22 11:09] Running 'pacman -Sy'
[2012-01-22 11:09] synchronizing package lists
[2012-01-22 11:09] starting full system upgrade
[2012-01-22 11:10] Running 'pacman -S -u'
[2012-01-22 11:10] starting full system upgrade
[2012-01-22 11:12] removed module-init-tools (3.16-3)
[2012-01-22 11:12] upgraded cifs-utils (4.9-3 -> 5.2-1)
[2012-01-22 11:12] upgraded perl (5.14.2-6 -> 5.14.2-7)
[2012-01-22 11:12] upgraded openssl (1.0.0.f-1 -> 1.0.0.g-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded git (1.7.8.3-1 -> 1.7.8.4-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded gnutls (3.0.11-1 -> 3.0.12-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded hdparm (9.37-2 -> 9.38-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] installed kmod (4-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded udev (175-1 -> 177-3)
[2012-01-22 11:13] warning: /etc/rc.conf installed as /etc/rc.conf.pacnew
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded initscripts (2012.01.2-1 -> 2012.01.3-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded libass (0.10.0-2 -> 0.10.0-3)
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded mkinitcpio (0.8.0-3 -> 0.8.2-1)
[2012-01-22 11:13] >>> Updating module dependencies. Please wait ...
[2012-01-22 11:13] >>> Generating initial ramdisk, using mkinitcpio.  Please wait...
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Building image from preset: 'default'
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux.img
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Starting build: 3.2.1-1-ARCH
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [base]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [udev]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [autodetect]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [pata]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [scsi]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [sata]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [resume]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [filesystems]
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Creating gzip initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux.img
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Image generation successful
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Building image from preset: 'fallback'
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img -S autodetect
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Starting build: 3.2.1-1-ARCH
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [base]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [udev]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [pata]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [scsi]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [sata]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [resume]
[2012-01-22 11:13]   -> Parsing hook: [filesystems]
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Creating gzip initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
[2012-01-22 11:13] ==> Image generation successful
[2012-01-22 11:13] upgraded linux (3.1.9-2 -> 3.2.1-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded linux-headers (3.1.9-2 -> 3.2.1-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded lirc-utils (1:0.9.0-8 -> 1:0.9.0-10)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded nvidia (290.10-1 -> 290.10-2)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded pixman (0.24.0-1 -> 0.24.2-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded sdl_image (1.2.11-1 -> 1.2.12-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded sqlite3 (3.7.9-1 -> 3.7.10-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] In order to use the new version, reload all virtualbox modules manually.
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded virtualbox-modules (4.1.8-1 -> 4.1.8-2)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded xkeyboard-config (2.4.1-2 -> 2.5-1)
[2012-01-22 11:14] upgraded yaourt (1.0-1 -> 1.0.1-1)
[2012-01-22 11:27] Running 'pacman -Sy'
[2012-01-22 11:27] synchronizing package lists
[2012-01-22 11:27] starting full system upgrade

I do get sound when I connect earphones, but no sound at all from the laptop-internal speakers.
Nothing is muted, and from what alsamixer shows everything is fine.

phunni · 2012-01-22 14:57:07

Has anyone tried downgrading the kernel? Have they found a version which works? Are those of us with this problem using the same module? The last question may not matter, but would certainly be very interesting if we are...

phunni · 2012-01-23 10:26:48

I tried downgrading the kernel and the nvidia package, but couldn't get it to work because of dependency issues. I can, however, confirm that, like gerald82, I can get sound via a different output. In my case (since this isn't a laptop) it's from the line out/headphones jack on the front of the machine (which I've never used before), but the same jack on the rear of the machine (which always used ot work) remains silent...

gerald82 · 2012-01-27 13:54:13

I just realized something very odd:
The sound on the speakers is not dead, but the volume control has switched to a different channel: "Bass Speaker".
I never realized I had that. It wasn't muted, but just set to a very low volume.

Now altering volume on the master channel seems to have no effect anymore unless earphones are connected.

gerald82 · 2012-02-17 08:59:06

Just installed the latest updates with kernel 3.2.6-2.
It seems this has solved the issue...

Arch Linux

#1 2012-01-19 16:22:19

Dead soundcard?

#2 2012-01-19 16:26:26

Re: Dead soundcard?

#3 2012-01-19 17:07:26

Re: Dead soundcard?

#4 2012-01-19 17:09:42

Re: Dead soundcard?

#5 2012-01-19 18:51:42

Re: Dead soundcard?

#6 2012-01-19 19:10:43

Re: Dead soundcard?

#7 2012-01-20 01:09:51

Re: Dead soundcard?

#8 2012-01-20 12:51:34

Re: Dead soundcard?

#9 2012-01-20 15:31:44

Re: Dead soundcard?

#10 2012-01-20 16:25:38

Re: Dead soundcard?

#11 2012-01-20 16:46:53

Re: Dead soundcard?

#12 2012-01-20 18:50:28

Re: Dead soundcard?

#13 2012-01-20 19:23:15

Re: Dead soundcard?

#14 2012-01-21 15:33:03

Re: Dead soundcard?

#15 2012-01-21 15:38:34

Re: Dead soundcard?

#16 2012-01-22 10:55:07

Re: Dead soundcard?

#17 2012-01-22 14:57:07

Re: Dead soundcard?

#18 2012-01-23 10:26:48

Re: Dead soundcard?

#19 2012-01-27 13:54:13

Re: Dead soundcard?

#20 2012-02-17 08:59:06

Re: Dead soundcard?

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