[SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-12 19:52:40

I'm having problems with audio. Just installed Arch linux and I'm using Qtile as wm. I have been trying lot of things, like reinstalling alsa, using alsa-tools, unmuting Master... Here I write down some logs. I have no idea what to do anymore. I can see the audio going up and down when I use pavucontrol.

I really think here is the problem. I'm not able to make my soundcard appear in here.
$ aplay -l

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****

$ amixer

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 65536 [100%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]

$ amixer -c 0 set Master playback 100% unmute

Invalid card number '0'

$ amixer -c 1 set Master playback 100% unmute

amixer: Unable to find simple control 'Master',0

$ I have a .asoundrc

defaults.pcm.!card 1
defaults.pcm.!device 0

I have installed alsa, alsa-tools and some other sound drivers. When I use the sound check I cannot hear anything. Any suggestion

[SOLVED]
The thing was, I tried to fix the audio without unmuting it. So I created some config files that didn't work before unmuting it. Later, in before creating this post, I unmuted the devices, but I didn't delete the config files.
After deleting /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf and /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and rebooting, my sound came to life.
- Delete /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf
- Delete /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
- Reboot

Last edited by Malcolmlisk (2023-11-14 19:38:30)

sonicx180 · 2023-11-12 20:11:55

Im having the same problem too. Are you having this problem with web broswers?

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-12 20:17:28

I'm only using firefox. Im going to try chrome just in case...

Edit:
Seems like in chromium I have no sound either.

Last edited by Malcolmlisk (2023-11-12 20:19:58)

sonicx180 · 2023-11-12 23:04:16

Same. I tried installing pipewire , but this didnt work. Maybe it'll work for you?

jl2 · 2023-11-13 08:07:34

Firefox uses PulseAudio for audio playback and capture.

Install pipewire, pipewire-pulse (pulseaudio translation) and pipewire-alsa OR pulseaudio and pulseaudio-alsa.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Sound_system

Last edited by jl2 (2023-11-13 08:09:37)

V1del · 2023-11-13 14:06:31

If you don't have devices in aplay -l then nothing you're doing on the upper layers will have any effect.

Try installing sof-firmware and rebooting if that didn't help post

sudo dmesg | grep -E 'snd|sof'

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 17:30:43

V1del wrote:

If you don't have devices in aplay -l then nothing you're doing on the upper layers will have any effect.
Try installing sof-firmware and rebooting if that didn't help post
sudo dmesg | grep -E 'snd|sof'

ALready installed when opening this.

$ sudo dmesg | grep -E 'snd|sof'

[    0.051609] software IO TLB: area num 4.
[    0.302672] PCI-DMA: Using software bounce buffering for IO (SWIOTLB)
[    0.302674] software IO TLB: mapped [mem 0x00000000c5694000-0x00000000c9694000] (64MB)
[    2.191248] snd: unknown parameter 'thinkpad_acpi' ignored
[    4.567119] snd_hda_intel: probe of 0000:00:1f.3 failed with error -2

I don't really understand this output. I see I have an error in snd_hda_intel and snd has an unknown parameter. I'm using a thinkpad 13, maybe that's the reason why thinkpad_acpi appears.

jl2 wrote:

Firefox uses PulseAudio for audio playback and capture.
Install pipewire, pipewire-pulse (pulseaudio translation) and pipewire-alsa OR pulseaudio and pulseaudio-alsa.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Sound_system

Already installed, when I use...

$ pulseaudio

E: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.
E: [pulseaudio] main.c: pa_pid_file_create() failed.

Last edited by Malcolmlisk (2023-11-13 17:32:03)

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 17:37:26

By the way @v1del, you showing here is like seeing an epic pokemon. I've been reading your post about sound problems for the whole weekend. From years and decades ago. Thank you a lot for your amazing job.

V1del · 2023-11-13 20:46:43

Mhm, looks weird. Make sure you are not using the LTS kernel so we're at least on the latest state in terms of hardware support.

Also throw in

grep -R /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d .
lspci -k

which thinkpad model exactly? Might also want to check for a firmware update, these can often lead to weird sound card behaviour, if this is a dual boot, make sure fast boot is disabled https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dual_b … ibernation

OT: Haha, thanks, it's probably the topic that confuses people the most so there's lots of help to give if you've somewhat of an understanding of how it works

Last edited by V1del (2023-11-13 20:49:55)

seth · 2023-11-13 21:40:24

I guess the pokémon meant somehing like

modprobe -c | grep -i thinkpad_acpi
grep -R snd /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d

?

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 22:07:10

It's a thinkpad 13. A small notebook of 13". It's not a dual boot, just formated my old manjaro install for arch. I thoguht I was prepared but well... I'll check to change to another kernel version, with the kernel manager was easy enough to never check the command line. Right now I'm on 6.6.1 arch1-1. I tried to disable fast boot just in case, but the bios behavior was super weird, some of the options were not accessible. I don't know but I remember changing the boot order and some bios config back in the past. I'll focus on this fixes just in case they are interferring with sound.

$ grep -R /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d .

grep: /usr/share/modprobe.d: No such file or directory

$ lspci -k

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v6/7th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Xeon E3-1200 v6/7th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers
	Kernel driver in use: skl_uncore
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 620 (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Lenovo HD Graphics 620
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_pci
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Thermal subsystem (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Thermal subsystem
	Kernel driver in use: intel_pch_thermal
	Kernel modules: intel_pch_thermal
00:15.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller #0 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller
	Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss
	Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP CSME HECI #1 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP CSME HECI
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev f1)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev f1)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP LPC Controller (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP LPC Controller
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PMC (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PMC
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel, snd_soc_skl, snd_soc_avs
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SMBus (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP SMBus
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c_i801
00:1f.6 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection (4) I219-V (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Ethernet Connection (4) I219-V
	Kernel driver in use: e1000e
	Kernel modules: e1000e
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8265 / 8275 (rev 78)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
	Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
	Kernel modules: iwlwifi

seth wrote:

I guess the pokémon meant somehing like
modprobe -c | grep -i thinkpad_acpi
grep -R snd /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d
?

Yep, some of those makes more sense, informational wise, I think...

$ modprobe -c | grep -i thinkpad_acpi

options snd slots=snd_hda_intel, thinkpad_acpi
options thinkpad_acpi index=1
alias acpi*:IBM0068:* thinkpad_acpi
alias acpi*:LEN0068:* thinkpad_acpi
alias acpi*:LEN0268:* thinkpad_acpi
alias dmi:bvnIBM:bvrI[MU]ET??WW* thinkpad_acpi
alias tpacpi thinkpad_acpi

$ grep -R snd /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d

/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd_mia index=1
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd_hda_intel index=1
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-usb-caiaq index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-usb-ua101 index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-usb-us122l index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-usb-usx2y index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-pcsp index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:options snd-usb-audio index=-2
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:options snd_hda_intel enable=0,1
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:options snd slots=snd_hda_intel, thinkpad_acpi
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:options snd_hda_intel index=1
grep: /usr/share/modprobe.d: No such file or directory

Last edited by Malcolmlisk (2023-11-13 22:09:16)

seth · 2023-11-13 22:24:59

/etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:options snd slots=snd_hda_intel, thinkpad_acpi

stray blank…

Edit, the entire file seems rather pointless?
What's the point behind all of this?

00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel, snd_soc_skl, snd_soc_avs

No module in use => you've no sound. Why snd_hda_intel doesn't load is either bc/ of the bogus modprobe configs or to be seen.

Last edited by seth (2023-11-13 22:27:55)

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 22:57:44

seth wrote:

/etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:options snd slots=snd_hda_intel, thinkpad_acpi

stray blank…

alsa.conf no such file in directory

I don't know if at this point it's better to install it again with some other DE....

seth · 2023-11-13 23:00:41

This has absolutely nothing to do with your DE and re-installation to change the DE is like buying a new car to change the seat position.

stat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 23:15:41

seth wrote:

This has absolutely nothing to do with your DE and re-installation to change the DE is like buying a new car to change the seat position.
stat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf

$ stat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf

  File: /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf
  Size: 140       	Blocks: 8          IO Block: 4096   regular file
Device: 8,2	Inode: 10749188    Links: 1
Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--)  Uid: (    0/    root)   Gid: (    0/    root)
Access: 2023-11-13 22:52:19.347423602 +0100
Modify: 2023-11-11 18:24:25.524485751 +0100
Change: 2023-11-11 18:24:25.524485751 +0100
 Birth: 2023-11-11 18:24:25.524485751 +0100

seth · 2023-11-13 23:19:48

alsa.conf no such file in directory

So yes there is - since saturday.

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-13 23:34:47

seth wrote:

alsa.conf no such file in directory
So yes there is - since saturday.

Indeed.

options snd_hda_intel enable=0,1
options snd slots=snd_hda_intel, thinkpad_acpi
options snd_hda_intel index=1
options thinkpad_acpi index=1

seth · 2023-11-14 00:01:06

So fix the stray blank?
You also didn't address the presence of the two overlapping modprobe configs or why any of this exists itfp. You've apparently only one soundcard anyway.

V1del · 2023-11-14 10:02:35

I actually meant

grep -R . /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d

to get an overview of every config in there.

But in any case, as mentioned above, none of this makes any sense, why would you try to use thinkpad_acpi as a soundcard? I suggest you drop the config entirely (alsa-base.conf as well), try to reboot and repost the dmesg and aplay -l

What I'm assuming happened/happens that made you try this is that you get an actual proper device without any of these commands that might not work properly via the sof-firmware logic, if that is the case and that didn't work one thing you could try is

options snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=1

to force usage of snd-hda-intel, but we should first see what the status is when sof-firmware can properly take over the card.

Last edited by V1del (2023-11-14 13:33:38)

Malcolmlisk · 2023-11-14 17:46:47

V1del wrote:

I actually meant
grep -R . /{etc,usr/share}/modprobe.d
to get an overview of every config in there.
But in any case, as mentioned above, none of this makes any sense, why would you try to use thinkpad_acpi as a soundcard? I suggest you drop the config entirely (alsa-base.conf as well), try to reboot and repost the dmesg and aplay -l
What I'm assuming happened/happens that made you try this is that you get an actual proper device without any of these commands that might not work properly via the sof-firmware logic, if that is the case and that didn't work one thing you could try is
options snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=1
to force usage of snd-hda-intel, but we should first see what the status is when sof-firmware can properly take over the card.

This will sound stupid but now I have volume and I can hear my sounds in the computer.

I guess this were the steps to create an alsa.conf and alsa_base.conf:
- Install arch
- Try any sound, no sound at all.
- Try to fix it like I have no sound driver
- Find this post. I happen to have a thinkpad too
- Use this config, didn't work and forget to delete the files.
- UNMUTE the sound device and since I had this config, it didn't work at all.

So thank you again, both of you seth and v1del, so much. I learned something from this and it's always a pleasure to find help with people like you. I'll update my #1 to future references, just in case someone has the same path as me.

Just for clarification

$ udo dmesg | grep -E 'snd|sof'

[    0.068811] software IO TLB: area num 4.
[    0.505787] PCI-DMA: Using software bounce buffering for IO (SWIOTLB)
[    0.505789] software IO TLB: mapped [mem 0x00000000c5694000-0x00000000c9694000] (64MB)
[    2.305928] snd: unknown parameter 'thinkpad_acpi' ignored
[    4.860039] snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1f.3: bound 0000:00:02.0 (ops i915_audio_component_bind_ops [i915])
[    4.951271] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: autoconfig for ALC298: line_outs=1 (0x14/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:speaker
[    4.951279] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:    speaker_outs=0 (0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[    4.951282] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:    hp_outs=1 (0x21/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[    4.951285] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:    mono: mono_out=0x0
[    4.951286] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:    inputs:
[    4.951288] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:      Mic=0x18
[    4.951290] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0:      Internal Mic=0x12

$ aplay -l

card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC298 Analog [ALC298 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Last edited by Malcolmlisk (2023-11-14 17:52:24)

V1del · 2023-11-14 18:00:14

There's still an error with thinkpad_acpi and a stray space for a snd config, but that's likely rather benign. That module makes no sense as a sound card driver in any context (and the thread you linked is 9 (!) years old) I strongly suggest you remove all of the alsa.conf and the alsa-base.conf. If you have no sound when rebooting after dropping these make a /etc/modprobe.d/disableDSP.conf

options snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=1

reboot. That should restore the current state with the minimal appropriately valid config.

In any case, please mark as [SOLVED] by editing the title in your first post as well as the conclusion write up.

Last edited by V1del (2023-11-14 18:05:03)

Arch Linux

#1 2023-11-12 19:52:40

[SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#2 2023-11-12 20:11:55

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#3 2023-11-12 20:17:28

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#4 2023-11-12 23:04:16

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#5 2023-11-13 08:07:34

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#6 2023-11-13 14:06:31

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#7 2023-11-13 17:30:43

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#8 2023-11-13 17:37:26

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#9 2023-11-13 20:46:43

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#10 2023-11-13 21:40:24

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#11 2023-11-13 22:07:10

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#12 2023-11-13 22:24:59

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#13 2023-11-13 22:57:44

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#14 2023-11-13 23:00:41

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#15 2023-11-13 23:15:41

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#16 2023-11-13 23:19:48

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#17 2023-11-13 23:34:47

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#18 2023-11-14 00:01:06

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#19 2023-11-14 10:02:35

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#20 2023-11-14 17:46:47

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

#21 2023-11-14 18:00:14

Re: [SOLVED] Problems with audio. No sound at all even when unmuting

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