I have older versions of this laptop that work flawlessly with any version of open suse and sled, but the “newer” versions get no sound, even with milestone2. prelim. testing shows all is well, card is detected in install, and in yast, no levels are muted, etc. (the older ver of this laptop has a matt no glare screen, the newer version has a shiney screen)Any help or guidance is appreciated.
Note, when testing if you have sound, please copy and paste the following speaker-test into a Gnome terminal or a kde konsole:
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 95%. Once you have basic sound established you can back off to lower volume levels. Note the test for surround sound is different.
If that test yields errors (and its not uncommon to get errors there), try instead this more simple test: speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twavYou should hear a female voice saying ‘FRONT LEFT’, ‘FRONT RIGHT’ five times. Its quite common that one of those speaker tests will work and one will NOT work, so don’t be distressed if that is the case. IF that test gives sound, stop now, post that the sound test gives sound, and we will look at other possible causes for your applications not giving you the sound you want (such as missing codecs, using the wrong packaged version … etc … ).
Try those speaker-tests as both a regular user, and with root permissions. If you have a headset, try with your headset plugged in, and also with your headset not plugged in (for speakers).
Assuming no sound, can you provide more very detailed information so a good recommendation can be given? You can do that for all SuSE versions, with your laptop connected to the internet, by opening a gnome-terminal or a kde konsole and copy and paste the following into that terminal/konsole
wget -O alsa-info.sh http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-info.sh && bash alsa-info.sh
That will run a diagnostic script and post the output to a web site on the Internet. It will give you the URL of the web site. Please post that URL here. JUST the URL.
Also, please copy and paste the following commands one line at a time into a gnome-terminal or a konsole and post here the output: rpm -qa | grep alsa
rpm -qa | grep pulse
uname -a
cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound… with that information I may be able to make a recommendation.
You also could try working your way through the openSUSE audio troubleshooting guide:
SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE
Note tomorrow I am heading off on vacation for a few weeks with limited internet access, so my replies may be intermittent and slow.
Edit : Note - if your PC’s sound device is a Creative Xfi, then I can not help.
pastebin - Untitled - post number 1461150
(even us old guys can follow help eventually 
)
speaker-test 1.0.20 (no sound heard, all volumes at max in mixer)
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 = 2.732657
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071513
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.901214
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071687
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071447
alsa-oss-1.0.17-1.61
alsa-1.0.20-1.3
alsa-utils-1.0.20-1.2
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.20-1.2
alsa-plugins-1.0.20-1.2
pulseaudio-utils-0.9.14-2.32
pulseaudio-esound-compat-0.9.14-2.32
pulseaudio-module-zeroconf-0.9.14-2.32
libpulse0-0.9.14-2.32
libpulsecore9-0.9.14-2.32
pulseaudio-0.9.14-2.32
pulseaudio-module-x11-0.9.14-2.32
libpulse-mainloop-glib0-0.9.14-2.32
libpulse-browse0-0.9.14-2.32
libxine1-pulse-1.1.16.1-4.14
pulseaudio-module-lirc-0.9.14-2.32
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.20-1.2
pulseaudio-module-jack-0.9.14-2.32
pulseaudio-module-bluetooth-0.9.14-2.32
Linux linux-z51t 2.6.30-rc6-git3-4-default #1 SMP 2009-05-25 14:11:59 +0200 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
cat: /etc/modprobe.d/sound: No such file or directory
Enjoy your vacation I’ll review the troubleshooting as you suggest and post any findings I have. In the meantime, thanks for your help and patience!
According to that script, your sound is muted in the mixer.
#Simple mixer control ‘Master’,0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [0.00dB] [off]
I stopped there. You need to switch that ON
can’t blame you there…I’m going to rebuild this again as milestone2 and start from scratch. I’m noticing an error about the device not working that is throwing it into mute (can be un-muted and will stay that way,until a reboot) I’ll post the new info when I get it…the other info you asked for was done after unchecking the mixer master mute, but the first was run before I noticed that it was setting mute on at boot…it didn’t do that before. (is there a log that caputes such messages? I can’t read all of it before it disappears, it shows up right over the sound icon on the taskbar.
Enjoy your vacation:)
I do not know of a log (I’m not saying there is not one - I just do not know) where historical settings are kept. One can get a snapshot of the settings by running the script /usr/sbin/alsa-inf.sh. Alternatively, one can simply run “amixer” to get the mixer outut. Or if one wishes a text copy of the snapshot of the mixer settings run “amixer > mixer-snapshot.txt” and open mixer-snapshot.txt with a text editor.
Thanks! I’m busy checking out all electronic equipment before the trip. I just finished successfully testing the mic and headphone outputs on my Dell Studio 15 (1537) laptop. Both headphone inputs work (with independant mixer control of each - which is great, so my wife and I can watch a movie while waiting at the airport). I checked the laptop’s integrated digital mics, and they work great (albeit capture of sound from integrated mic is a bit low) and I checked out my wife’s favourite portable headphone/mic combo with the laptop, and it works great also for recording sound. The wife likes to use the headphone mic from WinXP running in a Virtual Box under Linux, so I have to ensure the Linux side is working first, and then she worries about the WinXP virtual box. 
So this is good news for us, and it sounds/records like we are prep’d for the trip for headphones and mics!!
Now to sort out bookmarks, emails, email addresses and a bunch of software stuff …
Sounds like you are well prepared for the delays in the airport and the lack of entertainment choices on airlines these days…
I checked the start-up log and system log and didn’t see anything that seemed interesting. I’ll check the info you suggested, perhaps that will give me a clue. I also have rebuilt that laptop as stable release 11.1 open suse and no error message at all, but no sound either, and built another as 11.2 milestone 2 and it too has the error (both built with auto configuration…I’d like to find this error, as you said, maybe others can benefit, in the mean time, your call as to whether we proceed on this as a pre-release issue or go back to it on 11.1…as you wisely said, sometimes the pre-releases have bugs that may have us spinning our wheels…
I’ll work on it while you are away and see what I can find with the guidance you have given so far.
Have a safe and restful vacation, and thanks again for your help and guidance
Here is the latest from the newly built one. The error message that comes up says that the audio playback device intel ICH4 with STAC9758/59 does not work (or very close to that wording)
pastebin - Something - post number 1462107
linux-s37p:/home/hank # speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav
speaker-test 1.0.20
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 = 2.734384
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071462
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.901215
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071653
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.071369
linux-s37p:/home/hank # rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-plugins-1.0.20-1.2
alsa-oss-1.0.17-1.61
alsa-1.0.20-1.3
alsa-utils-1.0.20-1.2
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.20-1.2
linux-s37p:/home/hank # uname -a
Linux linux-s37p 2.6.30-rc6-git3-4-default #1 SMP 2009-05-25 14:11:59 +0200 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
linux-s37p:/home/hank # cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
cat: /etc/modprobe.d/sound: No such file or directory
linux-s37p:/home/hank # cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.20.
linux-s37p:/home/hank # cat /proc/asound/modules
0 snd_intel8x0
1 snd_intel8x0m
linux-s37p:/home/hank # cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [ICH5 ]: ICH4 - Intel ICH5
Intel ICH5 with STAC9758,59 at irq 17
1 [Modem ]: ICH-MODEM - Intel ICH5 Modem
Intel ICH5 Modem at irq 17
I also started with the SBD troubleshooting and got to step 4…there does appear to be an issue with stac9758 but it referrs to an older release, if I’m right in reading mine I have 1.0.20? the bugtrack on that note made it sound like there were unresolved issues and the steps to fix that were suggested were tough for me to follow, involving deleting unused controls and such.
Don’t worry about working on this, it can keep until your vacation is over…just wanted to post what I’ve done and get it out there.
Just arrived Bangkok and rather jet lagged.
Did you try running alsaconf with root permissions? Alternatively try YaST > Hardware > sound and configure your sound.
Either of those two programs should create an /etc/modprobe.d/sound file.
When testing your audio, continue to use the speaker test.
You could also try installing alsa-firmware.
WOW I’m so envious
Will do on the trys, I believe I’d done the alsaconf as root, but will re-run now and pay more attention to any issues or things that seem noteworthy. Also will try the GUI way in YAST, and report any issues. I read elsewhere about installing alsa firmware, (a ubuntu posting I believe) so if you think that is worth a try, I’ll go for that too.
Mean Time, enjoy your vacation, I’ve never been to the orient…europe is as far as I’ve been.
Thanks! Good luck in your efforts.
Leaving for the airport in less than an hour - next stop: Hong Kong.
how is your vacation, hope all is well. sorry for the delay but short staff and issues tied me up. 
I ran alsaconf and it ran well with the following notations
it removed the devices ich5 with the stac driver. probed for legacy PnP or PCI. it found it as snd.opl3sa2 and built a /etc/modprobe.d/sound.conf file as follows:
alias snd-card-0 snd-opl3sa2
alias sound-slot-0 snd-opl3sa2
options snd-opl3sa2 fm_port=-1 midi_port=-1 port=0x370 wss_port=0x530 isapnp=0 dma1=1 dma2=0 irq=5
on reboot no mute on the speaker icon (an inprovement)
speaker test:
speaker-test 1.0.20
Playback device is plug:front
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy
w/o the Dplug:front:
speaker-test 1.0.20
Playback device is default
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
Rate set to 48000Hz (requested 48000Hz)
Buffer size range from 2048 to 8192
Period size range from 1024 to 1024
Using max buffer size 8192
Periods = 4
was set period_size = 1024
was set buffer_size = 8192
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.844665
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.007752
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.028481
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 3.028916
0 - Front Left
1 - Front Right
Time per period = 2.986267
but still no sound
Hope you are enjoying your tour of the orient
OK this is the yast>hardware>sound results
8280 1EB/ER ICH5/ICH5R AC 97 AUDIO CONTROLLER (not configured)
configured using the “normal” option
again got the removed/forget Intel ICH5 STAC 9758/59 for both capture and output (test sound in the config button gave no sound)
configured as sound card 0 with driver snd-intel 8x0
then received the remove/forget again for same devices in this order
output
caputure
output
capture
rebooted pc and got the same notice in the same order
same results for the speaker-test as before with alsaconf
checked yast and it shows the card as configured as noted above.
again just getting this out there while I can, hope your vacation is fabulous
forgot to post the /etc/modprobe.d from after the yast setup
here it is
options snd slots=snd-intel8x0
W60f.Eu+IhsmTKB7:82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC’97 Audio Controller
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
I think you should write a bug report on this, … that will get the attention of the Novell/SuSE-GmbH alsa packager, who is also an alsa developer, and if any one can sort this, they can. There is guidance here for that: Submitting Bug Reports - openSUSE
I’m currently back in Bangkok Thailand after a whirl-wind 3-day/night China visit to MaCau, Shenzhen, and HongKong. I fly to Phuket Thailand tomorrow.
Will Do…
THANKS for your guidance and help on this Hope the remainder of your vacation goes well and that you arrive home safe.
htorrance–
Maybe this thread is long resolved, but fwiw I have the same model gateway laptop and just finished banging my head against this problem. For me, doing alsa-mixer on the command line only gave a few channels, all of which were already set to 100%. However, in gnome when I went to the application volume control there were several different mixers and using preferences I could select a number of different channels, including center and LFE–I knew from a Ubuntu board that adjusting these would give sound from the speakers and indeed it did.