No sound nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio

English Hardware
#1

lspci -v shows me:

nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio (rev a2)

dmesg shows me:

ALSA /usr/src/realtek-linux-audiopack-5.05/alsa-driver-rt20080704-5.05/pci/hda/…/…/alsa-kernel/pci/hda/hda_intel.c:2142: hda-intel: no codecs found!

I’m running the latest alsa packages, and I even downloaded the alsa driver and tried compiling it myself. I also tried the package from realtek’s website.

I fought with this all day yesterday. This is a friend’s computer. I twisted his arm to leave Windows behind and try Linux, and now I feel like a schmuck that the sound isn’t working.

#2

This suggests to me you should focus your efforts on

  • his PC’s BIOS or
  • on a newer alsa version or
  • on power management (ACPI) / special boot code for his motherboard.

In the case of the BIOS, look for:
a. sound being turned ON in this motherboard’s BIOS, or
b. something else being switched OFF (or ON) in the BIOS causing problem (maybe switch OFF plug an play if ON (or visa versa)),
c. a newer BIOS version.

I assume, sound worked under MS-Windows. Note though, that Linux is more sensitive to BIOS settings than Windows (Windows will on occasion ignore the BIOS settings).

Ok, … so you tried the “alsa” route! … I personally avoid the realtek drivers like a plague. From what I have read they are undocumented edits to the alsa drivers … and one is typically better off with the alsa drivers.

Try booting with safe settings (fail safe) and check sound with that. Does it work? In terms of a sound test, I recommend this test from the audio troubleshooting guide: SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE

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

However that dmesg warning needs to be addressed, and no optimized sound test will help until it is addressed.

Can you provide specific information on his motherboard? For example, some laptops (the Toshiba P100/105 series for example) required special boot codes to get sound codec recognized: How To Have Sound On A Toshiba P105/100 Series (oss 10.3) - openSUSE Forums
In the case of the Toshiba’s, one had to put in the boot code:

acpi_osi=!Linux

Also, try downloading an burning a “sidux” live cd, and/or a Kanotix “live cd”, and then booting with those. Does sound work? They have possibly the best hardware detection in Linux, and if sound works under any Linux, IMHO its most likely to work with those Live CDs.

If worst comes to worst, and a BIOS update, and safe setting boot fails, can you please write a bug report? I know, that’s an unsatisfactory solution from your and your friend’s viewpoint, but at least the community will benefit from your hard work, as by writing a bug report, this will be brought to the attention of the developers.

opensuse bug reposts: Submitting Bug Reports - openSUSE
alsa bug reports: https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/

#3

Thanks. I already tried the latest .17 alsa driver, and even the daily snapshot, and the realtek version.

I did check BIOS, and changed onboard sound from auto to on. I didn’t see any other relevant sound or PCI options.

I wonder if I can just use acpi=off, because this isn’t a laptop, and power management isn’t crucial.

I didn’t verify sound worked in Windows before I whipped out fdisk, but I’m assuming it did. I’m also downloading sidux right now.

#4

I have the same problem, sound doesn’t work, although it works under Linux Fedora Core 6 with ALSA driver.

#5

Welcome to our forum and welcome to openSUSE Linux.

Do you have same motherboard: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio (rev a2) ? Do you have same dmesg output?

Does sound work when you boot with acpi=off ?

Does sound work when you boot with acpi_osi=!Linux ?

There are many suggestions in this thread and it is not clear to me which, if any, you tried.

#6

My motherboard : Gigabyte GA-M55plus-S3G (rev. 1.0)
Opensuse 11.0 for x86_64 (AMD Athlon)

I can’t remember the dmesg output.

My sound works today :

  • desactivated my Sound Board in the BIOS
  • removed the MCP51 Sound Board from YAST
  • downloaded drivers from NVIDIA : Linux nForce Drivers
  • installed this drivers
  • reboot my computer
  • configured the MCP51 Sound Board in YAST
  • the sound is OK, but is not very well amplified. I’ve had to increase the volume of my speakers.

BIOS version F6 upgraded to F15A for my motherboard

#7

My motherboard : Gigabyte GA-M55plus-S3G (rev. 1.0)
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce 430
OnBoard Realtek ALC883 Audio Codec

Opensuse 11.0 for x86_64 (AMD Athlon)

I can’t remember the dmesg output.

My sound works today :

  • desactivated my Sound Board in the BIOS
  • removed the MCP51 Sound Board from YAST
  • downloaded drivers from NVIDIA : Linux nForce Drivers
  • installed this drivers
  • reboot my computer
  • reactivated my Sound Board in the BIOS
  • configured the MCP51 Sound Board in YAST
  • the sound is OK, but is not very well amplified. I’ve had to increase the volume of my speakers.

BIOS version F6 upgraded to F15A for my motherboard

#8

My motherboard : Gigabyte GA-M55plus-S3G (rev. 1.0)
Southbridge: NVIDIA® nForce 430
OnBoard Realtek ALC883 Audio Codec

lcpci : 00:10.1 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio (rev a2)

Opensuse 11.0 for x86_64 (AMD Athlon)

I can’t remember the dmesg output.

My sound works today :

  • desactivated my Sound Board in the BIOS
  • removed the MCP51 Sound Board from YAST
  • downloaded drivers from NVIDIA : Linux nForce Drivers
  • installed this drivers
  • reboot my computer
  • reactivated my Sound Board in the BIOS
  • configured the MCP51 Sound Board in YAST
  • the sound is OK, but is not very well amplified. I’ve had to increase the volume of my speakers.

BIOS version F6 upgraded to F15A for my motherboard

#9

Hey fella,

sometimes there are very minor problems that conclude to this.
have you tried:
**alsa-init
alsaconfig
**or even /etc/alsasound restart
and then alsamixer to raise the volume.

give this a try with root permissions.

Regards.

#10

With these commands, the issue was resolved for the active session.

I found on error message in /var/log/messages “pulseaudio[3719]: core-util.c: setpriority(): Permission non accordée” that I resolved with #281 (Applications are sluggish because of disabled network access to local sound devices) - PulseAudio - Trac](http://pulseaudio.org/ticket/281).
No it seems to work after I’ve rebooted my computer.

The sound is OK with alsamixer.

#11

The sound worked yesterday, it doesn’t work today…

#12

lsof: WARNING: can’t stat() fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon file system /home/jerome/.gvfs
Output information may be incomplete.
uploading /tmp/tsalsa.txt to nopaste.com
Uploading /tmp/tsalsa.txt: #-------------------------------------------------] 0.2 Seconds
tsalsa completed in 180 seconds

paste this url in #alsa: tsalsa.txt - nopaste.com (beta)

Spirit:/etc/init.d # rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-tools-gui-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
alsa-oss-1.0.17.git20080715-2.19
alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-default-1.0.18.20081112_2.6.25.18_0.2-6.1
alsa-tools-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
FA_clalsadrv-1.1.0-136.1
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18.git20081030-1.4
alsa-firmware-1.0.17.git20080617-2.1
alsa-plugins-1.0.18.git20081030-1.4
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.18.20081112_2.6.25.18_0.2-7.1
alsa-oss-32bit-1.0.17.git20080715-2.19
alsa-utils-1.0.18.git20081031-2.1
alsa-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
alsa-devel-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
Spirit:/etc/init.d # rpm -qa | grep pulse
gstreamer-0_10-pulse-0.9.5-54.1
pulseaudio-esound-compat-0.9.10-26.5
libpulsecore4-0.9.10-26.5
libpulse-mainloop-glib0-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-module-zeroconf-0.9.10-26.5
libpulse0-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-utils-0.9.10-26.5
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18.git20081030-1.4
libpulse-browse0-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-module-lirc-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-module-x11-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-module-gconf-0.9.10-26.5
libpulse0-32bit-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-0.9.10-26.5
pulseaudio-module-bluetooth-0.9.10-26.5
Spirit:/etc/init.d # rpm -q libasound2
libasound2-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
Spirit:/etc/init.d # uname -a
Linux Spirit 2.6.25.18-0.2-default #1 SMP 2008-10-21 16:30:26 +0200 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Spirit:/etc/init.d # cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound

options snd slots=snd-hda-intel

wRyD.dKFtAlyy8t3:MCP51 High Definition Audio

alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel

#13

This identifies your PC’s hardware audio codec as an ALC883.

IMHO having both these drivers is bound to cause problems. I recommend you remove alsa-driver-kmp-unstable … and restart your PC. Test your sound

Looking at your mixer settings I see:
amixer set ‘Front’,0 100% off 100% off
amixer set ‘Surround’,0 100% off 100% off
amixer set ‘Center’,0 100% off
amixer set ‘LFE’,0 100% off
amixer set ‘Side’,0 100% off 100% off Whats the point of having Front, Surround, Center, LFE, and Side all at 100% volume levels, if you have them selected OFF (ie muted) ?

Also, I note this as your /etc/modprobe.d/sound file:

And its possible we could apply a setting to that. But there is no point until we sort your mixer.

#14

It works with the latest update of AlSA repository :

jerome@Spirit:~> rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-1.0.18.git20081030-3.1
alsa-oss-1.0.17.git20080715-2.21
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18.git20081114-1.2
FA_clalsadrv-1.1.0-136.1
alsa-tools-1.0.18.git20081114-1.1
alsamixergui-0.9.0rc1-705.1
alsa-firmware-1.0.17.git20080617-2.1
alsa-utils-1.0.18.git20081114-1.1
alsa-plugins-1.0.18.git20081114-1.2
alsa-devel-1.0.18.git20081030-3.1
alsamodular-1.8.7-4.39
alsa-tools-gui-1.0.18.git20081114-1.1
alsa-oss-32bit-1.0.17.git20080715-2.21
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.18.20081118_2.6.25.18_0.2-6.1
alsaplayer-0.99.80-5.45

I haved tried to raise the volume with alsamixer before.
I have remove the unstable version.

#15

I do not understand.

You have sound now? So is your problem solved?

#16

Yes, my problem is resolved.

#17

Well, but for me it isn’t solved. I’m using openSUSE 11.1-rc1 with the following ALSA packages:

rpm -qa | grep alsa

alsa-1.0.18.git20081205-1.1
alsa-plugins-1.0.18.git20081122-1.7
alsa-oss-1.0.17.git20080715-2.5
alsa-firmware-1.0.17.git20081202-2.2
alsa-plugins-pulse-1.0.18.git20081122-1.7
alsa-utils-1.0.18.git20081122-1.5

There is no alsa-driver-kpm-pae available. Isn’t it?

#18

OK. It works. Only the YaST test sound does not work. Grrr…

#19

Nahh … its me. … I need to update the opensuse audio troubleshooting guide.

Try this speaker test (for 2 channel sound):
speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twav

#20

I had an issue with my sound not working and I have the exact same
nVidia setup.

I went so far as to do a clean install because I needed audio and the first time through I quickly installed other things. I figured this might be a problem.

I went back in and much to my suprise I had no sound on re install.

I checked all my connections and everything was hooked up.

There was nothing wrong with my connections and I run out to my stereo head which is the same as a regular set of speakers …its just a pre amp.

I checked all of those connections.

I went and unplugged my PC mini pin connectionn from the back of the PC and hooked into another out.

All of a sudden I had sound but coming from the wrong out.

Plugged into the right hole again and it worked this time.

Some kind of safety or electrical loop?

The audio was set to start at boot so I assume speakers have to be disconnected from the PC everytime the sound gets restarted ?

Via a reload during trouble shooting or otherwise?