slmodemd process hogging access to /dev/snd devices -> Sound Preferences -> Output tab -> "Dummy Output: Stereo" - Codec + Mixer: Realtek ALC861-VD - ALC861-VD Analog [ALC861-VD Analog] Audio device [0403]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio [10de:026c] (rev a2) - sound not working on HP Pavilion tx1000 Notebook PC in Ubuntu 9.10 - using ALSA Driver version 1.0.20

Please send us output from step 3 and step 4 from the following procedure:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshootingProcedure

Please also specify the exact model and make of your pc.

Step 3
bala@ubuntu:~$ wget -O alsa-info.sh http://212.20.107.51/alsa-info.sh
--2009-11-04 23:29:34-- http://212.20.107.51/alsa-info.sh
Connecting to 212.20.107.51:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found
Location: http://git.alsa-project.org/?p=alsa-driver.git;a=blob_plain;f=utils/alsa-info.sh [following]
--2009-11-04 23:29:35-- http://git.alsa-project.org/?p=alsa-driver.git;a=blob_plain;f=utils/alsa-info.sh
Resolving git.alsa-project.org... 212.20.107.51
Connecting to git.alsa-project.org|212.20.107.51|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: unspecified [text/plain]
Saving to: `alsa-info.sh'

    [ <=> ] 26,584 24.3K/s in 1.1s

2009-11-04 23:29:53 (24.3 KB/s) - `alsa-info.sh' saved [26584]

bala@ubuntu:~$ bash alsa-info.sh --pastebin
ALSA Information Script v 0.4.58
--------------------------------

This script visits the following commands/files to collect diagnostic
information about your ALSA installation and sound related hardware.

  dmesg
  lspci
  lsmod
  aplay
  amixer
  alsactl
  /proc/asound/
  /sys/class/sound/
  ~/.asoundrc (etc.)

See 'alsa-info.sh --help' for command line options.

Automatically upload ALSA information to pastebin? [y/N] : y
Uploading information to www.pastebin.ca ... Done!

Your ALSA information is located at http://pastebin.ca/1657009

Please inform the person helping you.

Please also send us output from step 4 from the same procedure.

Step 4
bala@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/asound/cards; sudo aptitude install paman gnome-alsamixer alsa-utils flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound; aplay -l; sudo lshw -C sound; ls -lart /dev/snd; cat /dev/sndstat; lspci -nn; sudo which alsactl; sudo fuser -v /dev/dsp /dev/snd/* ; dpkg -S bin/slmodemd; lsmod | grep snd
 0 [NVidia ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0x80020000 irq 17
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound gnome-alsamixer libgconfmm-2.6-1c2{a} libglademm-2.4-1c2a{a} padevchooser{a} paman paprefs{a} pavucontrol{a}
  pavumeter{a} pulseaudio-module-zeroconf{a}
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  binutils-static{u}
0 packages upgraded, 10 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 508kB of archives. After unpacking 2,073kB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
Writing extended state information... Done
Get:1 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/multiverse flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound 0.0.svn2431-3 [8,160B]
Get:2 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe gnome-alsamixer 0.9.7~cvs.20060916.ds.1-2 [53.7kB]
Get:3 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main libgconfmm-2.6-1c2 2.24.0-2 [31.4kB]
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main libglademm-2.4-1c2a 2.6.7-2 [21.7kB]
Get:5 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe pavumeter 0.9.3-1ubuntu1 [29.2kB]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe pavucontrol 0.9.8+git20090701-0ubuntu2 [120kB]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe paman 0.9.4-1ubuntu2 [92.2kB]
Get:8 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main pulseaudio-module-zeroconf 1:0.9.19-0ubuntu4 [20.2kB]
Get:9 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe paprefs 0.9.8+git20090825-0ubuntu2 [111kB]
Get:10 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/universe padevchooser 0.9.3-2ubuntu4 [20.2kB]
Fetched 508kB in 10s (48.2kB/s)
(Reading database ... 167106 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing binutils-static ...
Selecting previously deselected package flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound.
(Reading database ... 167103 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound (from .../flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound_0.0.svn2431-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package gnome-alsamixer.
Unpacking gnome-alsamixer (from .../gnome-alsamixer_0.9.7~cvs.20060916.ds.1-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libgconfmm-2.6-1c2.
Unpacking libgconfmm-2.6-1c2 (from .../libgconfmm-2.6-1c2_2.24.0-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libglademm-2.4-1c2a.
Unpacking libglademm-2.4-1c2a (from .../libglademm-2.4-1c2a_2.6.7-2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package pavumeter.
Unpacking pavumeter (from .../pavumeter_0.9.3-1ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package pavucontrol.
Unpacking pavucontrol (from .../pavucontrol_0.9.8+git20090701-0ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package paman.
Unpacking paman (from .../paman_0.9.4-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package pulseaudio-module-zeroconf.
Unpacking pulseaudio-module-zeroconf (from .../pulseaudio-module-zeroconf_1%3a0.9.19-0ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package paprefs.
Unpacking paprefs (from .../paprefs_0.9.8+git20090825-0ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package padevchooser.
Unpacking padevchooser (from .../padevchooser_0.9.3-2ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils ...
Setting up flashplugin-nonfree-extrasound (0.0.svn2431-3) ...
Setting up gnome-alsamixer (0.9.7~cvs.20060916.ds.1-2) ...

Setting up libgconfmm-2.6-1c2 (2.24.0-2) ...

Setting up libglademm-2.4-1c2a (2.6.7-2) ...

Setting up pavumeter (0.9.3-1ubuntu1) ...

Setting up pavucontrol (0.9.8+git20090701-0ubuntu2) ...

Setting up paman (0.9.4-1ubuntu2) ...

Setting up pulseaudio-module-zeroconf (1:0.9.19-0ubuntu4) ...
Setting up paprefs (0.9.8+git20090825-0ubuntu2) ...

Setting up padevchooser (0.9.3-2ubuntu4) ...

Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: ALC861-VD Analog [ALC861-VD Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 1: ALC861-VD Digital [ALC861-VD Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 6: Si3054 Modem [Si3054 Modem]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
  *-multimedia
       description: Audio device
       product: MCP51 High Definition Audio
       vendor: nVidia Corporation
       physical id: 10.1
       bus info: pci@0000:00:10.1
       version: a2
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 66MHz
       capabilities: pm msi ht bus_master cap_list
       configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0 maxlatency=5 mingnt=2
       resources: irq:17 memory:80020000-80023fff
total 0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 33 2009-11-05 02:17 timer
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 1 2009-11-05 02:17 seq
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 17 2009-11-05 02:17 pcmC0D1p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 16 2009-11-05 02:17 pcmC0D0p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 24 2009-11-05 02:17 pcmC0D0c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 4 2009-11-05 02:17 hwC0D0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 5 2009-11-05 02:17 hwC0D1
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 0 2009-11-05 02:17 controlC0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 60 2009-11-05 02:17 by-path
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 260 2009-11-05 02:17 .
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 22 2009-11-05 02:17 pcmC0D6p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 30 2009-11-05 02:17 pcmC0D6c
drwxr-xr-x 16 root root 3800 2009-11-05 02:22 ..
Sound Driver:3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.21 emulation code)
Kernel: Linux ubuntu 2.6.31-14-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 16 14:04:26 UTC 2009 i686
Config options: 0

Installed drivers:
Type 10: ALSA emulation

Card config:
HDA NVidia at 0x80020000 irq 17

Audio devices:
0: ALC861-VD Analog (DUPLEX)

Synth devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Midi devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Timers:
7: system timer

Mixers:
0: Realtek ALC861-VD
00:00.0 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Host Bridge [10de:02f0] (rev a2)
00:00.1 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 0 [10de:02fa] (rev a2)
00:00.2 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 1 [10de:02fe] (rev a2)
00:00.3 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 5 [10de:02f8] (rev a2)
00:00.4 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 4 [10de:02f9] (rev a2)
00:00.5 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Host Bridge [10de:02ff] (rev a2)
00:00.6 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 3 [10de:027f] (rev a2)
00:00.7 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation C51 Memory Controller 2 [10de:027e] (rev a2)
00:02.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation C51 PCI Express Bridge [10de:02fc] (rev a1)
00:03.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation C51 PCI Express Bridge [10de:02fd] (rev a1)
00:05.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation C51 [Geforce Go 6150] [10de:0244] (rev a2)
00:09.0 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Host Bridge [10de:0270] (rev a2)
00:0a.0 ISA bridge [0601]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 LPC Bridge [10de:0260] (rev a3)
00:0a.1 SMBus [0c05]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 SMBus [10de:0264] (rev a3)
00:0a.3 Co-processor [0b40]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 PMU [10de:0271] (rev a3)
00:0b.0 USB Controller [0c03]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 USB Controller [10de:026d] (rev a3)
00:0b.1 USB Controller [0c03]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 USB Controller [10de:026e] (rev a3)
00:0d.0 IDE interface [0101]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 IDE [10de:0265] (rev f1)
00:0e.0 IDE interface [0101]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Serial ATA Controller [10de:0266] (rev f1)
00:10.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 PCI Bridge [10de:026f] (rev a2)
00:10.1 Audio device [0403]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio [10de:026c] (rev a2)
00:14.0 Bridge [0680]: nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller [10de:0269] (rev a3)
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration [1022:1100]
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map [1022:1101]
00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller [1022:1102]
00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control [1022:1103]
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11a/b/g [14e4:4312] (rev 02)
/sbin/alsactl
                     USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0: Slmodemd 1242 F.... slmodemd
/dev/snd/pcmC0D6c: Slmodemd 1242 F...m slmodemd
/dev/snd/pcmC0D6p: Slmodemd 1242 F...m slmodemd
sl-modem-daemon: /usr/sbin/slmodemd
snd_hda_codec_si3054 4828 1
snd_hda_codec_realtek 200576 1
snd_hda_intel 26560 3
snd_hda_codec 78300 3 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 7392 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm_oss 37472 0
snd_mixer_oss 16188 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 75168 6 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy 2752 0
snd_seq_oss 29216 0
snd_seq_midi 6656 0
snd_rawmidi 22208 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 7036 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 50896 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 21540 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 7208 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd 60164 19 snd_hda_codec_si3054,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore 7264 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 9124 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm

Wow... it works! Thanks a lot...

Thanks Mark Rijckenberg, that solved my question.