No sound in ubuntu, alsamixer no help.

Thanks for your question.

Have you tried https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DebuggingSoundProblems or https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshooting ?
If it still doesn't work, you could report a bug.

I have a similar problem, which I posted as a bug, but was referred back to this forum because the start-up sound worked when I first installed ubuntu (mind you, no other sound did) so for some reason that means it's not a bug. I did, in fact, try the aforementioned link, and I'll repost here what happens when I followed its instructions.

*****************************

I'm new to linux and am starting to wish I had never left the sleepy
confines of OS X. I just bought a gateway MT6452
(http://www.gateway.com/retail/mt6452.php) and installed ubuntu 7.04.
Anyway, I am not getting any sound at all on my computer. When I first
installed the os, I would at least get the little world beat clip when
ubuntu started up. Now I don't even get that, let alone am I able to use
any programs like rhythmbox or totem. Being new, I don't know exactly
what info y'all need. I can tell you that I followed all the
troubleshooting instructions found at

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshooting?highlight=%28sound%29

apparently ubuntu is seeing my sound card, because when I enter "lspci
-v" in term I get all sorts of output. I found my sound card driver at
alsa and methinks it is hda-intel, but the discerning reader will
probably want to check my facts here as I know NOTHING about hardware
(or linux, for that matter). I did "sudo modprobe snd-hda-intel" and
didn't get an error, but all I got was a new command line, so I'm not
sure anything actually happened. Again, no sound. I followed the steps
to delete and reinstall the relevant packages. Reboot, no luck. I also
got into the BIOS but saw no option for disabling/enabling the sound
card.

Then I did:

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) module-
assistant alsa-source

followed by

sudo dpkg-reconfigure alsa-source

(mind you, I have little idea what any of these commands are doing) . I
then selected my driver and did

sudo module-assistant a-i alsa-source

I got a "build of the package failed" message so I generated the log for
others to look at:

for i in control postinst postrm ; do \ ↑
 │ if [ -f debian/$i.orig ]; then \ ▮
 │ mv -f debian/$i.orig debian/$i ; \ ▒
 │ fi ; \ ▒
 │ done ▒
 │ rm -f control-munge ▒
 │ make mrproper ▒
 │ make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver' ▒
 │ rm -f .depend *.o snd.map* ▒
 │ rm -f /*.ver ▒
 │ rm -f modules/*.o modules/*.ko ▒
 │ make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver/acore' ▒
 │ make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver/acore' ▒
 │ make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver' ▒
 │ rm -f configure-stamp

There is a much longer output that I get when I open /var/cache/modass
/alsa-source*buildlog*, but I thought it would be too long to post here.

Any suggestions? I'm ready to reinstall ubuntu or, god forbid, windows
vista. This is way to much work just to play my William Shattner Sings
CD

thanks

matt

Hey Matt,
I'm not a ubuntu gure (yet?:) sorry, but I AM a person in your same shoes, a person with a Gateway laptop, who is also getting know sound. When you solve the problem, so will I, and vice versa. Such is the mantra of the south african ubuntu ideology, is it not!?:) Anyways, I've used Mac os x for 20 years, windows for 1, and am fully committed to Ubuntu, the FSF and GNU just resonate with my beliefs more, and thus, the software intuitively clicks better with what I'm doing and my work, and I love contributing to it, so I'm committed to making ubuntu work.

I've been going without sound for a week and -- while I'm not suggesting abandoning it and working in computer "silence" -- it's a very interesting experience. Anyways, some technical points that might solve the problem:

With the gateway windows boot disk I used to use, sometimes I'd install off that (back in windows days) and IT, the very boot disk that came with the laptop. installed (with a full, "destructive" installation) the windows xp with no sound. Some how if I reinstalled a few times, the sound drivers would kick in. My goal is still to get sound working in ubuntu, but maybe the boot disk had some special driver in it? Thought that mini fact might help.

I also tweedled with the codec/module prefs and think the driver is hda-intel, too.

This what I get after "aplay -l"

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 1: STAC92xx Digital [STAC92xx Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 6: Si3054 Modem [Si3054 Modem]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

how do I pinpoint the soundcard chipset manufacturer and then find that in http://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main ?
Is the chipset manufacturer, ATI? But there's only ATI-IXP related to anything close to SB, What's Stac92xx, is that the model of the ATI chipset sound manufacturer?

This could solve the problem, but a little ayudar? Thanks.

typing "modinfo soundcore"

produced

filename: /lib/modules/2.6.20-16-generic/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko
alias: char-major-14-*
license: GPL
author: Alan Cox
description: Core sound module
srcversion: 45750F13477CBA5B6F36F46
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.20-16-generic SMP mod_unload 586

So apparently, I don't have to recompile the kernal. Not sure what that means, but am pretty sure that it's good.

the solution might lie here:

http://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Module-hda-intel

But am not sure what to make of all that.

is my gateway chipset manufacturer Core Sound, then? there's no driver docs for Core Sound on the above listed wiki-page.

this seems like am answer but how to apply it?
http://mailman.alsa-project.org/pipermail/alsa-devel/2007-May/000763.html

typing "modinfo soundcore"

produced

filename: /lib/modules/2.6.20-16-generic/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko
alias: char-major-14-*
license: GPL
author: Alan Cox
description: Core sound module
srcversion: 45750F13477CBA5B6F36F46
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.20-16-generic SMP mod_unload 586

So apparently, I don't have to recompile the kernal. Not sure what that means, but am pretty sure that it's good.
 johntkucz said 5 hours ago:

the solution might lie here:

http://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Module-hda-intel

But am not sure what to make of all that.
 johntkucz said 5 hours ago:

is my gateway chipset manufacturer Core Sound, then? there's no driver docs for Core Sound on the above listed wiki-page.
 johntkucz said 10 seconds ago:

this seems like am answer but how to apply it?
http://mailman.alsa-project.org/pipermail/alsa-devel/2007-May/000763.html

Hey John,

I might check some of these fixes out, but I did discover that when I first re-install ubuntu 7.04, I *do* have sound and all apps work properly. The problem, which I've posted to the ubuntu bug forum, is that when I install the 60 updates to ubuntu, something in that package shuts down the sound. I'm in conversation with them now and will post again when I have more beta.

Sweet, thanks a ton Matt, for helping me (and yourself ) out. I, unortunatley, have installed 7.04 off the Ubuntu boot disk and have no sound -- so I have yet to experience Ubuntu with sound. But this problem-solving-post cetainly should/could help. I'll keep checking and post when I discover more. This only community is defintiely awesome.

The only way I'll solve this is if someone helps me *identity* all these components that terminal feeds back.

From...
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 1: STAC92xx Digital [STAC92xx Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 6: Si3054 Modem [Si3054 Modem]

What is STAC92xx? Is that the model number?
What is HDA ATI SB -- is that device-manufacturer-model??

What is Core Sound and is that my soundchip manufacturer?

How do I plug in (find) the writer driver when I determine the sound chip manufacturer?

Is the soundboard Intel, Core Sound, or ATI?

I too have a similar problem with sound. I just installed Ubuntu about a couple of weeks ago and have just been trying to configure everything and get things going. I have a USB headset that I use for sound (I have no speakers) and I have tried everything to get sound. If anyone knows a quick fix that would be awesome, I have looked around but haven't found an answer to my problem. Any help would be great.

i still haven't gotten a response to my bug post, but i do know that reinstalling ubuntu and *not* installing the updates took care of my problem. Maybe you could find a list of the updates and try deleting them one by one to see if it restores the sound? That sounds like a drag, though. I'll post again if the bug dude gets back to me.

I was browsing the website of the maker to my headphones and I saw that they did not list linux as a supported os. So maybe that is why it is not working.

Matt Scholz <email address hidden> wrote: Question #8321 on gnome-media in ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/8321

Matt Scholz proposed the following answer:
i still haven't gotten a response to my bug post, but i do know that
reinstalling ubuntu and *not* installing the updates took care of my
problem. Maybe you could find a list of the updates and try deleting
them one by one to see if it restores the sound? That sounds like a
drag, though. I'll post again if the bug dude gets back to me.

I've followed up this bug (still not fixed) with #121644.

-----Original Message-----
>From: dustin64 <email address hidden>
>Sent: Jun 20, 2007 7:34 PM
>To: <email address hidden>
>Subject: Re: [Question #8321]: No sound in ubuntu, alsamixer no help.
>
>Question #8321 on gnome-media in ubuntu changed:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/8321
>
>dustin64 requested for more information:
>I too have a similar problem with sound. I just installed Ubuntu about a
>couple of weeks ago and have just been trying to configure everything
>and get things going. I have a USB headset that I use for sound (I have
>no speakers) and I have tried everything to get sound. If anyone knows a
>quick fix that would be awesome, I have looked around but haven't found
>an answer to my problem. Any help would be great.

Thanks for the sugggestion, but don't htink that will work, my laptop never had sound with ubuntu. Do you have a gateway mx3701??

-----Original Message-----
>From: Matt Scholz <email address hidden>
>Sent: Jun 20, 2007 8:50 PM
>To: <email address hidden>
>Subject: Re: [Question #8321]: No sound in ubuntu, alsamixer no help.
>
>Question #8321 on gnome-media in ubuntu changed:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/8321
>
>Matt Scholz proposed the following answer:
>i still haven't gotten a response to my bug post, but i do know that
>reinstalling ubuntu and *not* installing the updates took care of my
>problem. Maybe you could find a list of the updates and try deleting
>them one by one to see if it restores the sound? That sounds like a
>drag, though. I'll post again if the bug dude gets back to me.

John,

I'm sorry for all the problems you're having. I really don't know much about computers at all, so I'm not going to be able to help beyond giving you these two tidbits:

1. I have a gateway MT6452 and I found my chipset by looking on the label on the bottom of the laptop. On the big Gateway label there should be a section that says something like IC: 6317A-RTL8187. That RTL8187 is my chipset and if you google it you'll find out it's Realtek's RTL8187 chipset. I can't figure out if I have the RTL8187L or 8187B chipset, but this info was a start at least.

2. I have repeatedly found this to be a "workaround": reinstall from disk and use apt-get upgrade to do you upgrades. This automatically holds back the kernel updates while installing everything else. It is definitely the kernel updates that disable the sound on my box, so maybe they do the same on yours?

good luck

Hey matt, thanks for the response. That's helpful.

My chipset then is RTL81815 (From the bottom of the laptop). what do I do wit hthat knowledge. Is my chipset Realtek, then? How do I modify the alsa-base file with this new info?

John,

Sorry to lead you astray, but that chipset is your wireless chipset, not your sound. I was thinking of another problem I was having. If you want more info about it, for some reason, check out:

http://rtl8181.sourceforge.net/

and yes, it is realtek.

Don't be sorry!

Also, I really don't have any problems at all. All these "fix-its" I am inquiring about are luxuries and none of them fall into the category of necessity. If a necessity were "broken or malfunctioning" that would be a problem, but that isn't the case!

-----Original Message-----
>From: Matt Scholz <email address hidden>
>Sent: Jul 6, 2007 2:41 PM
>To: <email address hidden>
>Subject: Re: [Question #8321]: No sound in ubuntu, alsamixer no help.
>
>Question #8321 on gnome-media in ubuntu changed:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/8321
>
>Matt Scholz proposed the following answer:
>John,
>
>Sorry to lead you astray, but that chipset is your wireless chipset, not
>your sound. I was thinking of another problem I was having. If you want
>more info about it, for some reason, check out:
>
>http://rtl8181.sourceforge.net/
>
>and yes, it is realtek.
>
>--
>You received this question notification because you are a direct
>subscriber of the question.

Hello every one,
If it makes you feel better I have the same problem with a Gateway model MX6453.
I get no sound from
XMMS or from movie player or anything else either older them seem to be working.

os is 7.04 64 bit.
I also installed 7.04 32 bit on an older A Open computer with AMD Duron and the sound is working good.

I am not a specialist on software so I will be following this discussion closely.

Claude

gconfaudiosrc ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink profile=chat: Could not open resource for writing.

anyone know how to fix that when you click on the sound-test option under the Gnome Sound control panel?

All those gateway laptop people, have you stumpled across the alsa-base file mod?

I've tried appending
options snd-hda-intel probe_mask=8 model=ref

to the end of that file and it seems to work pretty well loading drivers, but still absolutley no sound.

Here is how I solved my problem with no sound: go to the following answer # 6717

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/6717

You can also follow my adventure on question # 9756

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/9756

hey Claude,

I checked your post, but could not understand the relevance of bug 6717 to the problem. Could you enlighten a newbie? I continue to reject the kernel updates, and my sound continues to work just fine.

Matt

I am also a newbee
I guess I have the wrong answer to you question, sorry.

I have the same make of Gateway MT 6452 and had no sound, but I rolled back the kernel and everything now works (although the wireless doesn't support scanning for access points unless I unload/reload the driver, which I added to /etc/init.d at boot).

I reported the bug here https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.20/+bug/136308 .

Thanks for that info, Ogilvie. Are you going to test out gutsy to see if the problem is fixed as was suggested? I don't know if I have the guts (he he).... but if you have success, I might give it a whirl.

Also, is there a better way to roll back the kernel than a complete reinstall of the OS? If so, I'd LOVE to hear about it so I can reduce my anxiety about kernel installs. I'm always a bit worried i'm not getting some security update that will make my home vulnerable to al-queda.

btw, I don't have the same wireless problem you do, but I use wicd instead of network manager. I find it to be generally more robust.

I've LONG since given up on ubuntu sound. The only way I can "fix it" is (and I have assurance this will work_) is getting a mac laptop. Gateway has enough problems even without ubuntu, and I've heard that macs have had a lot of success with ubuntu.

I am also experiencing the same problem with my gateway. I installed Ubuntu about 4 months ago and everything was working fine until I installed a kernel update. Apparently the new kernel does not support the drivers on the gateway sound card( this is what i was told by some linux pros). I spent weeks trying to figure out what was wrong; I uninstalled alsamixer, and rebuilt it using the source code, but no luck. I was just about to give up, but fortunately I work at a company that runs all their servers off of Linux. I am having the tech guys working on my computer now (its not getting done as quick as I would like, but I guess I can’t complain) hopefully it will be done by the middle of next week (Sept 20/07) As soon as I get word on how to fix this problem I will relay all the info to everyone. I hope this will solve everyone else problem too. Below is a link to my posting on Ubuntu Forums.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=547006&highlight=gateway

hey amdefeo,

That sounds very promising -- with the linux IT guys specifically working on your computer. I'll definitely check back on this thread to see if you've discovered anything for the gateway-linux-sound solution! Thanks!~