SOLVED Toshiba NB205 -- No Sound

[Homer Noodleman]

Just installed PCLOS 2010-12-15 ISO on Toshiba NB205 netbook. All current updates installed.
Kernel 2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs
Realtek ALC272

'lspcidrake -v | fgrep -i AUDIO' returns
snd_hda_intel   : Intel Corporation|N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (vendor:8086 device:27d8 subv:1179 subd:ff6e) (rev: 02)

'grep sound-slot /etc/modprobe.conf' returns
alias sound-slot-0 snd_hda_intel

'/sbin/lsmod' returns
<snipped>
snd_usb_audio          64903  0
snd_usb_lib            13866  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_rawmidi            16323  1 snd_usb_lib
snd_hda_codec_realtek   191735  1
snd_hda_intel          19013  2
snd_hda_codec          66319  2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep               4802  2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_dummy           1266  0
snd_seq_oss            22774  0
snd_seq_midi_event      5464  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                40753  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          5214  4 snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            29040  0
snd_pcm                58856  4 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              15794  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_mixer_oss          11096  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd                    46351  18 snd_usb_audio,snd_usb_lib,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore               5680  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          6506  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
<snipped>

'/sbin/chkconfig --list sound' returns
sound           0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off   7:off

'/sbin/chkconfig --list alsa' returns
alsa            0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off   7:off

'aumix -q' returns
bash: aumix: command not found

'/sbin/fuser -v /dev/dsp' returns
nothing

My daughter would appreciate any suggestions to get the sound working. FWIW sound worked great in Brand X (Lucid) and Windows.

ETA: To get sound working in Brand X, had to add the following line to 'alsa-base.conf':
options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=auto

[T6]

i have a nb255 and the sound card is different, can you test a newer kernel?

[Homer Noodleman]

Could you point me to a link that explains how to upgrade the kernel? This one is not clear to me.

[T6]

you don't upgrade kernel

you can have multiple kernels installed

open synaptic package manager, press reload button, mark all upgrades and apply

after that press the search button and write kernel then press enter

from the list of results you will find multiple options

around 15 options between older and latest versions are available kernels

you mention you have the oldest that came with the first livecd, 2.6.33.7, there is older and newer versions

currently we have the most recent, 2.6.38.2 in basic version, bfs, a64, pae and bfs pae

in your case you can use the a64, the basic one and the bfs, the others won't help you

install both(you can have up to 6 afik), don't remove the one you have now, to have it as a lifesaver if the new kernels refuse to boot

this process will add to your boot menu two new entries(or as much kernels you add), each one named with the kernel installed

all you have to do is select the new kernel and press enter, the first time a new kernel is used will take longer to boot, you can press the esc key to see what is doing, it adds new modules to the new kernel

this can take up to 5 minutes or as little as 30 seconds, depends on the amount of modules and the speed of the cpu(our case is slow atoms    )

at the end you can log to the desktop and compare results

it could be useful to reconfigure sound card by using pclinux control center or by running the command alsaconf in konsole

another reason to have problems with sound is the presence of pulseaudio, do you have it installed? there is multiple posts mentioning problems and solutions, do a search about that topic on this forum

[Homer Noodleman]

Thanks very much for the detailed instructions. I have done all of the following:

1. Under Control Center > Hardware > Sound I have un-checked Pulse Audio.

2. Kernel is 2.6.38.2-pclos1.bfs

3. 'Master Channel' set to 'speaker'.

4. Phonon default output device = HDA Intel (ALC272 Analog)

I did not try each separately, so I am not sure which one worked; however, I now have sound.

I appreciate your support!

[T6]

you have latest kernel available and the appropriate version, if you can test a64, you could find it useful but your current choice is very good

glad to help