HP Pavilion a1209n ICH4 no sound

Comments moved from: IBM X31 suse 11.1 No Sound with Intel ICH4 card - openSUSE Forums

I am having the same problem - no sound, with the same chip - ICH4, but on an HP Pavilion, instead of an IBM X31. It also worked with a previous release (10.0?). This was a clean install. I have followed the trouble shooting steps mentioned above with no luck. The output from tsalsa has been posted at tsalsa.txt - nopaste.com (beta)

There was some additional information requested in that thread which I will post shortly.

alsa-info output is here: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=6b1021920a48f38307628153659206a08b4afa11

rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-firmware-1.0.17-1.42
alsa-driver-kmp-pae-1.0.19.20090309_2.6.27.19_3.2-7.1
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18-6.12
tsalsa-20080914-0.pm.1
alsa-1.0.18-8.7
alsa-oss-1.0.17-1.37
alsa-plugins-1.0.18-6.12
alsa-utils-1.0.18-6.4

rpm -qa | grep pulse
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18-6.12
pulseaudio-0.9.12-9.6
libpulse0-0.9.12-9.6
libpulsecore4-0.9.12-9.6

rpm -q libasound2
libasound2-1.0.18-8.7

uname -a
Linux Buzzard 2.6.27.19-3.2-pae #1 SMP 2009-02-25 15:40:44 +0100 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
options snd slots=snd-intel8x0

W60f.YugExCZIYc0:82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC’97 Audio Controller

alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0

OK, Thanks for starting the new thread.

OK, there is a problem that I hi-lighted in red. If you are going to install an “alsa-driver-kmp-pae” version, you also need to update alsa, alsa-plugins, alsa-plugins-pulse, alsa-oss, alsa-utils and libasound2 ! That has not been done. Hence your sound is broken. Now there may be other reasons, but lets sort out this first.

Please open a gnome terminal or a kde konsole, type “su” (no quotes, enter root password when prompted) and with your PC connected to the internet, copy and paste (in sequence) and execute the following six zypper commands. … its possible the 5th command may indicate the rpm is already installed, but proceed and send all six anyway.

zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio/openSUSE_11.1/ multimedia
zypper install alsa alsa-oss alsa-plugins alsa-plugins-pulse alsa-utils alsa-tools alsa-firmware libasound2
zypper rr multimedia
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia

Then restart your PC and test your sound.

ran updates:

rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-plugins-1.0.19.git20090303-1.8
alsa-oss-1.0.17.git20080715-2.23
alsa-driver-kmp-pae-1.0.19.20090310_2.6.27.19_3.2-2.1
alsa-utils-1.0.19.git20090221-1.4
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.19.git20090303-1.8
alsa-1.0.19.git20090304-2.1
tsalsa-20080914-0.pm.1
alsa-firmware-1.0.19.git20090120-2.1
alsa-tools-1.0.19.git20090310-1.1

rebooted. No noticable change.

How about libsound2 ? Did you update that?

Please run the script now, so we can examine your mixer:
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh

You may need to run it twice with root permissions if the first time it notes an update is available. Post here the URL it provides. JUST the URL.

Don’t forget to do the obvious checks … ie cables properly plugged in the correct connection (and not partly loose) … etc …

Note, ensure you do a proper sound test.

A simple test to see if your sound works, is to open a konsole or xterm, and type (it may be easier to copy and paste this into your konsole/xterm):

     speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav

Note Linux is case sensitive, and “D” is not the same as “d”. To stop the above test, while the konsole/xterm has the mouse focus, press <CTRL><C> on the keyboard. Note you should check your mixer settings (kmix if using KDE, and alsamixer if using Gnome) to ensure that PCM and Master Volume are set around 75%. Note the test for surround sound is different.

If that test yields errors, try instead this more simple test: speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twavIf there is no sound from either test when using a konsole (or xterm) as a regular user, try as user root. ie type “su” (no quotes, and enter root password when prompted) and then try the test line. If you get sound with root permissions, but you got no sound as a regular user, then you probably have a permissions problem.

Note you should hear a lady’s voice saying ‘FRONT LEFT’,‘FRONT RIGHT’ five times in either of those two tests. Its quite common for only one of the two tests to give sound.

Here is the url: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=4d9c68acefad7fc5e70c1745c44d8a97ffd75289

>speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav

speaker-test 1.0.19

Playback device is plug:front
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
Rate set to 48000Hz (requested 48000Hz)
Buffer size range from 8 to 16384
Period size range from 8 to 16384
Using max buffer size 16384
Periods = 4
was set period_size = 4096
was set buffer_size = 16384
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.733182
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071736
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.901499
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071943
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071643

No sound.

If I run it with no parameters I get:

speaker-test

speaker-test 1.0.19

Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 1 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
E: socket-client.c: socket(): Address family not supported by protocol
ALSA lib pulse.c:272:(pulse_connect) PulseAudio: Unable to connect: Connection refused

I do not have a libsound2, but I did upgrade libasound2.

Reboot after updating libasound2, and test your audio again.

I’m surprised you did not have libasound2, as your earlier post indicated an old version was installed, and I specifically had libasound2 in the zypper command that I provided.

!!Amixer output
!!-------------
!!-------Mixer controls for card 0 [I82801DBICH4]

Card hw:0 ‘I82801DBICH4’/‘Intel 82801DB-ICH4 with ALC658D at irq 17’
Mixer name : ‘Realtek ALC658D’
Simple mixer control ‘Master’,0
Front Left: Playback 31 49%] -48.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 31 49%] -48.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control ‘PCM’,0
Front Left: Playback 21 68%] -3.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 21 68%] -3.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control ‘Surround’,0
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -94.50dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -94.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control ‘Center’,0
Mono: Playback 63 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control ‘LFE’,0
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] -94.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control ‘Line’,0
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control ‘IEC958’,0
Mono: Playback [off] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control ‘IEC958 Playback AC97-SPSA’,0
Mono: 3 [100%]
Simple mixer control ‘Aux’,0
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] -34.50dB] [off] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control ‘Duplicate Front’,0
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control ‘External Amplifier’,0
Mono: Playback on]I do not have your hardware, so I can only look at your mixer settings and ask questions. Its possible your mixer settings are ok, and its possible they are not ok. You need to determine that by testing different settings.

But its very clear to me that for testing purposes, your Master and PCM volumes are WAY TOO LOW !!! Instead of 75% (or lower), move them up to 95% for testing. After you have basic sound, you can move them back down.

I note you have surround sound switched OFF. What happens if you switch it ON ?

I note you have digital audio (IEC958) switched OFF. What happens if you switch it ON ?

I note you have the external amp ON, typically that is the correct setting. Still, for some PCs it should be OFF. Try switching it OFF (and then back ON) at different times during the testing.

Note again, its possible your mixer setting is ok, … I’m just providing suggestions for you to consider.

I did have libasound2 and it was updated. Your post asked about libsound2 (without the a). I am not familiar enough with the libaries to just assume that it was a just a typo, and that was why I mentioned it.

The mixer settings return to low values when I exit the application. For testing, I set them all at 75%

I am using Yast2 Volume Control. I tried changing each control from 0 to 100% one at a time and testing with no change. There is not a control labeled ‘external amp’ so I am not sure how to test that.

For testing, I recommend you leave them at 95%. Back off once sound is working.

If you type amixer you should see it.

I have tried most combinations of controls at 95%. Still no sound. I tested the speakers on another system to verify that they still work, and they do.

When was the last time sound worked with this PC? Are you certain this is not hardware? You checked your BIOS (to ensure sound not switched OFF ? )… checked all your cables (ie you are not consistently plugging your speakers into the wrong outlets ) …

Assuming you checked the mixer settings I recommended, and tried the troubleshooting guide suggestions (such as YaST > Hardware > Sound > Other > Test … (which may crash dependent on PC due to yast bug) and also tried YaST > Hardware > Sound > Other > Volume and moved master/pcm volume up there) … if you still have no sound, then I doubt I can help.

You could look at your dmesg output after a boot, but given one of the speaker tests is giving a proper text output, I doubt the dmesg will show anything.

You can write a bug report following the guidance here:
Submitting Bug Reports - openSUSE

It could be hardware, but I am having the same problem on two similar systems, and two identical hardware failures seems unlikely. I have checked the cables and used two different speaker systems which work OK on a windows system. The sound worked somewhat on the system around SuSE 10.0 - back then I could get the test sounds, but could never get the cd player to work and gave up and re-purposed the hardward for another use. I am now trying to replace a windows system with linux, and need to get the sound to work.

I am using the jacks labeld ‘out’, but since the config comments mention problems with switched outputs, I also tested with the other jacks.

I have checked the BIOS and even reset to defaults on one system.

I have used the YaST/Hardware/Sound/Other/Volume.
I do not have a YaST/Hardware/Sound/Other/Test.

Can’t afford anymore time to work on this. 'will have to use windows for sound.

Did you write a bug report?