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I booted into Arch this morning and I noticed that none of my applications were giving off any sound despite the fact that the master control in alsamixer was unmuted and at 100%. My PC is running a dual-boot system of Arch and Windows 7. I'm running kmix with pulseaudio.
I tinkered with all kinds of solutions on the forum, such as commenting Jack and Bluetooth items in /etc/pulse/default.pa. I also uninstalled pulseaudio, deleted the files in /etc/pulse/ and ~/.config/pulse/, and then reinstalled it with no success.
Here are some outputs:
$ lspci | grep Audio
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
01:05.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RS880 HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 4200 Series]
$ ls -l /dev/snd
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 80 Aug 10 14:03 by-path
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 5 Aug 10 14:03 controlC0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 2 Aug 10 14:03 controlC1
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 10 Aug 10 14:03 hwC0D0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 4 Aug 10 14:03 hwC1D0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 7 Aug 10 14:53 pcmC0D0c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 6 Aug 10 15:20 pcmC0D0p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 8 Aug 10 14:43 pcmC0D1p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 9 Aug 10 14:03 pcmC0D2c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 3 Aug 10 14:43 pcmC1D3p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 1 Aug 10 14:03 seq
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 33 Aug 10 14:03 timer
$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: ALC888-VD Analog [ALC888-VD Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 1: ALC888-VD Digital [ALC888-VD Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
$ amixer
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: ALC888-VD Analog [ALC888-VD Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 1: ALC888-VD Digital [ALC888-VD Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
[conor@ConorArch ~]$ amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Front',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic Boost',0
Capabilities: volume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: 0 - 3
Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Surround',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Center',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Side',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-64.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Line Boost',0
Capabilities: volume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: 0 - 3
Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 46
Front Left: Capture 46 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 46 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',1
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 46
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [-16.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [-16.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
Item0: 'Disabled'
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Front Mic' 'Rear Mic' 'Line'
Item0: 'Front Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',1
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Front Mic' 'Rear Mic' 'Line'
Item0: 'Front Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic Boost',0
Capabilities: volume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: 0 - 3
Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
cat: /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf: No such file or directory
$ cat /etc/group | grep audio
audio:x:92:
I would be very appreciative if someone could point me in the right direction.
Last edited by contheman (2014-08-10 22:24:10)
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Try changing iec settings first.
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
You should be able to turn if off wth
amixer sset 'IEC958 Default PCM' off
Does speaker-test output sound?
speaker-test -c 2 -t wav
speaker-test -c 2 -t wav -D plug:dmix
Last edited by emeres (2014-08-10 20:03:18)
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Thanks a million. That seemed to do the trick. Both speaker-tests went swimmingly, unlike before. So what was IEC958 Default PCM doing, c*** blocking my audio?
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Some hardware may output only one form of signals at a time. This might be due to hardware, firmware or even software restrictions. It was not blocking audio, just redirecting it to the digital output 'IEC958', which was disabled. It might have required another format though, so partly it could block.
The second speaker-test, when run in multiple instances also tests the ability to output sound from multiple sources at once. Just for future reference.
You are welcome.
Last edited by emeres (2014-08-10 20:16:31)
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I still find it strange that this problem appeared out of nowhere, but thanks again for fixing this issue. Now I can return to using my Arch boot without gritting my teeth (which means a celebratory game of Crusader Kings 2).
I believe that this website proves that Arch Linux is fundamentally better than Windows by the fact that the community supports one another. I knew Arch was for me after my first installation on VirtualBox. Now I am reassured that come hell or high water, I can seek and find the solution to any problem if need be (so long as I don't brick my system somehow *crossing my fingers, hoping that doesn't happen*).
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Check if alsa-restore.service is/has been run at boot. Since you use pulseaudio wit kmix, there might be a problem between them, freedesktop has a site about compatibility of those two if I recall correctly. Some application might have taken control over audio directly or through pulseaudio for example. If it reoccurs try to isolate the problem, disable pulseaudio for example first.
Try to not look down on Windows users, respect their choice.
Let us hope, your machine stays intact. Enjoy Arch.
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$ systemctl is-enabled alsa-restore.service
static
$ systemctl status alsa-restore.service
● alsa-restore.service - Restore Sound Card State
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/alsa-restore.service; static)
Active: inactive (dead) since Sun 2014-08-10 16:04:49 UTC; 1h 6min ago
Process: 225 ExecStart=/usr/bin/alsactl restore (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Main PID: 225 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
I still use Windows for steam, its overpriced office tools, and a few other things. I actually like the convenience of having two operating systems and don't see myself ever wiping my Windows 7 partitions. There isn't anything fundamentally wrong with Windows; Arch is just a more open and community supported OS.
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Check if 'alsa restore' puts the iec routing option to 'on' again. If so, set every parameter value you want to have as default in alsamixer for each card, then run 'alsactl store' as root, which should store the defaults in /var/lib/alsa/asound.state.
Last edited by emeres (2014-08-10 21:35:59)
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After a reboot amix confirmed that IEC958 and IEC958 Default PCM were still disabled.
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Then I think, you can mark this thread as solved.
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