11.1_64 Sound Issues HP DV7 Laptop

English Hardware
1

I have been following several of Old_CPUs threads following suggestions and converging, I think, on a fix but can’t seem to complete it.

My ALSA script is here:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=a1af660854822a0e85f4d77b6059f91821caf525

HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # rpm -qa |grep alsa
returns
alsa-utils-1.0.19.git20090130-2.2
alsa-plugins-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-tools-devel-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-firmware-1.0.19.git20090120-1.1
alsa-docs-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-tools-gui-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
kalsatools-1.5.0-499.110
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-tools-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-devel-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # rpm -qa |grep pulse
returns
pulseaudio-esound-compat-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-32bit-0.9.12-9.6
libpulsecore4-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-0.9.12-9.5
libxine1-pulse-1.1.16.1-0.pm.1
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
pulseaudio-0.9.12-9.5
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5

HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # rpm -q libasound2
returns
libasound2-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # uname -a
Linux HPDV7-Linux 2.6.27.7-9-default #1 SMP 2008-12-04 18:10:04 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
returns
options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m4-1 enable_msi=1
#above found by experimentation to work feb 4 2009
#options snd-hda-intel model=hp-m4
options snd slots=snd-hda-intel,snd-hda-intel

5Dex.Jpa__qQ4asA:SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)

alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel

l4dC.vfAxXUx5zd4:RS780 Azalia controller

alias snd-card-1 snd-hda-intel

Following other threads I grabbed (I think) the latest alsa files and found that model=dell-m4-1 worked with the speaker-test command:
speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twav

Thinking I had it licked, I rebooted to “clean up” and , oops, it did not work again.

I have been into the YAST sound configurator and set 90% plus levels.
Should Pulse Audio Support be enabled there or not?

What is the preferred mixer for getting things going?
I have KDE4-Kmix running, but not much help.

Suggestions Welcome

2

The diagnostic script gives this:

!!ALSA Version
!!------------

Driver version:     1.0.17
Library version:    1.0.19
Utilities version:  1.0.19

which suggests you did not manage to update the alsa driver (only the library and utilities). This is confirmed by:

You need to install alsa-driver-kmp-default of the latest git version, … Instructions for doing that is here: Alsa-update - openSUSE

After installing alsa-driver-kmp-default, restart your PC, and test your sound.

3

Install complete, here is the new ALSA summary
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=6e9f793ba232223f369a3e73885b6ea700904985

I am now seeing this failure during speakertest:
HPDV7-Linux:/home/carl # speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twav

speaker-test 1.0.19

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
ALSA lib pulse.c:272:(pulse_connect) PulseAudio: Unable to connect: Connection refused

Playback open error: -111,Connection refused
ALSA lib pulse.c:272:(pulse_connect) PulseAudio: Unable to connect: Connection refused

(repeats)

I have enabled Pulse Audio in the YAST setup.

Thoughts?

and Thanks

4

It looks like your /etc/modprobe.d/sound file is wrong.

I think you are using: options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m4-1 enable_msi=1

I think you should be using: options snd-hda-intel model=hp-m4 enable_msi=1

5

Don’t forget to restart after updating the /etc/modprobe.d/sound file, and when testing your audio for basic functionality, move up your volume controls (master/pcm) to 95%, until you establish basic sound, then back off the volume to lower levels to avoid distortion.

6

I changed to
options snd-hda-intel model=hp-m4 enable_msi=1
then performed an
rcalsasound restart

Result same - Playback open error - unable to connect to PulseAudio.

What I do notice is that I now have PC noise - beeps on new mails and a jingle when shutting down for reboot (but not on start-up).

Results above same when I reboot.

How do I check PulseAudio?

7

As opposed to just rcalsasond restart, try a PC restart. Please note my comment about moving volume (both master and pcm volume) up to 95% while testing for basic sound. You can also go to YaST > Hardware > Sound > Other > Volume and move the volume controls up there, but be careful, as YaST sound edit (and also alsaconf) will over write your /etc/modprobe.d/sound custom setting and that will break your sound again.

With the correct model option, I would like to look at your configuration again. Please, can you run the diagnostic script again and post the output URL: /usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh

and provide the output of:rpm -qa | grep alsa
rpm -qa | grep pulse
rpm -q libasound2
uname -a

The fact that you are getting some sound means we are almost there.

In the mean time, you could also set up your repositories to get ready to install multimedia software, as we are almost there. I recommend you start off with ONLY 4 repositories: OSS, Non-OSS, Update and Packman. Just those 4. No others. None. Only add others after you understand the risks involved, understand the problems that can arise, and understand how to fix the problems. This is typically beyond new users and some average users. There is guidance here for openSUSE-11.1: Repositories/11.1 - openSUSE-Community AGain, only OSS, Non-OSS, Update and Packman. Do NOT add videolan.

Once those 4 are in place, you can easily update your multimedia software by going to YaST > Software > Software Management and change the filter to “search” and then search for and install some Packman versions of apps (you will see the “pm” in the version number) replacing the Novell/SuSE-GmbH packaged versions. Specifically, to start off, I recommend the packman packaged amarok, libxine1, xine-ui, amarok-xine, amarok-packman, smplayer, mplayerplug-in, libffmpeg0, w32codec-all, xvidcore, libxvidcore4. That will get you started, and more multimedia apps can be added later.

8

Requested info is below, but first, today’s boot-up status

  1. From the YAST-hardware-sound setup, the options-test audio worked properly thru the speakers.
    2.Aramok(already the pacman version) played a CD image correctly.
  2. in console window(root), this test worked:
    speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav
  3. in console window(root), this test failed with the cannot connect to Pulse… error above
    speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twav
    5 KDE4-Kmix started and running. I could swear that today it added a new mixer element it calls “speaker”, which in fact controls the speaker volume(buts shows a small jack icon above, implying that it thinks it is external).

Summary: If this is where I started, I would comfortably say everything is working just fine.
Following your recommendations on other threads, I had already set up the 4 key repositories and have done the replacements with packman versions. I’ll go back and double check but for now will declare victory and move on (to getting resume from S3 working fully).
When I make a bit more progress, I’ll update the HCL for this machine, an HP Pavillion DV7-1133cl

I did both rcalsasound restart and reboots yesterday, but perhaps overfocussed on the console test in 4 above; I don’t recall.

Needless to say - Thanks for your assistance

Today’s state:
ALSA script:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=3b7747520f843081c75e3f7b094864f20dc54909

uname -a
Linux HPDV7-Linux 2.6.27.7-9-default #1 SMP 2008-12-04 18:10:04 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-utils-1.0.19.git20090130-2.2
alsa-plugins-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.19.20090204_2.6.27.7_9.1-4.1
alsa-tools-devel-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-firmware-1.0.19.git20090120-1.1
alsa-docs-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-tools-gui-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
kalsatools-1.5.0-499.110
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-tools-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-devel-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

rpm -qa | grep pulse
libpulsecore4-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-0.9.12-9.5
libxine1-pulse-1.1.16.1-0.pm.1
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
pulseaudio-0.9.12-9.5
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
pulseaudio-esound-compat-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-32bit-0.9.12-9.6

rpm -q libasound2
libasound2-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

9

Great ! Congratulations. Glad to read this is working.

Sorry that it was so difficult, but the DV5 and DV7 are relatively new laptops, and my suspicion is it will not be until openSUSE-11.2 or 11.3 that the sound with these laptops will function immediately upon openSUSE install. Until then these “work arounds” are needed. We are fortunate that openSUSE has a developer who is also an alsa developer, so we get updates to alsa (and to the openSUSE kernel) for sound relatively quickly, and do not always have to wait for the upstream fixes to make their way downstream.

That would be appreciated.

Thanks for that and thanks for the other outputs. Its not often I get to see the users configuration after eveything works, … which in reality is quite useful, as it gives me a baseline to compare against when looking at the output from users whose sound is not working.

10

If you can hear some sounds and not others then check to see that your “user-name” is also a member of group “audio”. This is not assigned at install time.

11

Thanks RC, I had caught the “add to group ‘audio’” early on.

My setup has survived a full 24 hours and another full reboot, so basics seem solid.

However - I note that the headphone jacks do not work with this setup. The speakers remain ON and no sound comes from the headphones.
I have verified that the headphones do work when booted to [gasp] Vista.

Oldcpu - is this behavior related to the “model” setting, which is currently set to hp-m4 ? Suggestions?

12

This is not good. Headphones should work, and speakers should be muted when headphones are plugged in.

I recommend you first confirm your mixer settings are correct (although off hand I can not think of a mixer function that would over ride the driver muting of speakers when a headset is plugged in).

Then, assuming that did not work, I recommend you try the various /etc/modprobe.d/sound card options that are applicable to the 92HD71B* that is in your HP DV7. I quote from the HD-Audio-models.txt file:

STAC92HD71B*
============
  ref		Reference board
  dell-m4-1	Dell desktops
  dell-m4-2	Dell desktops
  dell-m4-3	Dell desktops
  hp-m4		HP dv laptops

so to do that, in the /etc/modprobe.d/sound file, change the line “options snd-hda-intel model=hp-m4 enable_msi=1” to “options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m4-1 enable_msi=1” and restart alsa, restart your mixer, and test your sound / headphones.

If that fails (and I suspect it will) in place of “dell-m4-1” try, one at a time, dell-m4-2, dell-m4-3, and ref. You will need to restart alsa between each attempt.

I fear none of those will work in which case I recommend you waste no time, but immediately write a bug on openSUSE-11.1 headpone use with the HP-DV7’s STAC92HD71B* . There is a link here for openSUSE bug reports: Submitting Bug Reports - openSUSE

In the bug report, explain your problem. Here is some guidance from the HD-Audio.txt file for bug reports:

Sending a Bug Report
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If any model or module options don't work for your device, it's time to send a bug report to the developers.  Give the following in your bug report:

- Hardware vendor, product and model names
- Kernel version (and ALSA-driver version if you built externally)
- `alsa-info.sh` output; run with `--no-upload` option.  See the section below about alsa-info

If it's a regression, at best, send alsa-info outputs of both working and non-working kernels.  This is really helpful because we can compare the codec registers directly.

Send a bug report either the followings:

kernel-bugzilla::
  http://bugme.linux-foundation.org/
alsa-devel ML::
  alsa-devel@alsa-project.org

Now they note the kernel-bugzilla and alsa-devel as places to raise the bug report, but I suspect you may get quick action if you raise it on openSUSE like I suggested. The openSUSE developer who handles these reports is also an alsa dev, and he will (if he finds a fix) ensure that both openSUSE gets the fix quickly and that the fix is sent up stream to help other Linux distributions (unlike in Ubuntu where many Ubuntu discovered fixes are not sent upstream).

Here a bug report I raised on the codec in my Dell Studio 15 laptop, where I had the same problem as you:
https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=446025

Note that I had to provide a lot of support to the alsa dev (and I was lucky that another user chipped in to help) to test his various fix attempts.

13

OK, I’ll dig in and report back.

Will “rcalsasound restart” be enough, or reboot?

14

For changes to the model options, then I believe “rcalsasound restart” should be enough. I am not so certain about the removal/insertion of “enable_msi=1”.

15

I lucked out; model=dell-m4-1 works well.
I did not try the others.
the rcalsasound restart command worked fine

I also noted that the change in models reconfigured the KMIX screen.

Below is the full data results you ask for:

uname -a
Linux HPDV7-Linux 2.6.27.7-9-default #1 SMP 2008-12-04 18:10:04 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-utils-1.0.19.git20090130-2.2
alsa-plugins-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.19.20090204_2.6.27.7_9.1-4.1
alsa-tools-devel-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-firmware-1.0.19.git20090120-1.1
alsa-docs-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1
alsa-tools-gui-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
kalsatools-1.5.0-499.110
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
alsa-tools-1.0.19.git20090120-1.8
alsa-devel-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

rpm -qa | grep pulse
libpulsecore4-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-0.9.12-9.5
libxine1-pulse-1.1.16.1-0.pm.1
alsa-plugins-pulse-32bit-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
pulseaudio-0.9.12-9.5
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090123-1.5
pulseaudio-esound-compat-0.9.12-9.5
libpulse0-32bit-0.9.12-9.6

rpm -q libasound2
libasound2-1.0.19.git20090203-1.1

ALSA script results:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=6d1a7f0b750cb0da0f1f078a09212db6c4ad0008

WooHoo :slight_smile:

16

Wow! That was unexpected (on my part). Thats GREAT !!

Congratulations.

Thanks for sharing your solution.