No sound at wit's end. SOLVED

[horusfalcon]

Was just over at Gigabyte's site, looking at the specs for this motherboard.  I note there are at least two versions of it.  The first one I looked at was:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3967&dl=1#sp

In the specifications page, it has the following information that may be relevant.

Due to different Linux support condition provided by chipset vendors, please download Linux driver from chipset vendors' website or 3rd party website.

It sounds pretty much like generic boilerplate disclaimer language to me, but still might be needful here, given all that's gone before.

The second page, linked from the first, is for an earlier version:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3645#sp

with the same Linux support disclaimer...

Hope the info is useful.  I'm a bit confused as to why so many are focusing on snd-hda-intel as a suitable driver?  Is this Realtek an Intel-compatible, or what?

Later On,
D

[skizikz]

There is an HDMI output in your motherboard right? (for the onboard graphics card)
This HDMI port outputs both audio and video.

Nope.Onboard is just the old vga.

Was just over at Gigabyte's site, looking at the specs for this motherboard.  I note there are at least two versions of it.  The first one I looked at was:

In the specifications page, it has the following information that may be relevant.

Due to different Linux support condition provided by chipset vendors, please download Linux driver from chipset vendors' website or 3rd party website.

It sounds pretty much like generic boilerplate disclaimer language to me, but still might be needful here, given all that's gone before.


Hope the info is useful.  I'm a bit confused as to why so many are focusing on snd-hda-intel as a suitable driver?  Is this Realtek an Intel-compatible, or what?

Later On,
D

Yes I saw that as well.Mine is revision 3.0 I believe.
The alsa configuration seems to suggest that snd-hda-intel is the default driver for this.
Maybe it is wrong?

[Just17]

I'm a bit confused as to why so many are focusing on snd-hda-intel as a suitable driver?  Is this Realtek an Intel-compatible, or what?

snd-hda-intel is, I believe, as near a generic HD audio driver as possible .....  for instance I have an Nvidia GF116 HD audio card on the graphics board and it uses the snd-hda-intel module.

I also have an Nvidia MCP51 High Definition Audio on the motherboard which uses the same module.

[skizikz]

I'm a bit confused as to why so many are focusing on snd-hda-intel as a suitable driver?  Is this Realtek an Intel-compatible, or what?

snd-hda-intel is, I believe, as near a generic HD audio driver as possible .....  for instance I have an Nvidia GF116 HD audio card on the graphics board and it uses the snd-hda-intel module.

I also have an Nvidia MCP51 High Definition Audio on the motherboard which uses the same module.

When I try sound configuration in PCC and select pick any driver I do not see this realtek one listed as a choice.
Should I somehow get rid of snd-hda-intel to utilize the new one? Or do they both have a function with regards to
the sound hardware?

[Just17]

You could try creating a  ~/.asoundrc file as described here

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,108896.0.html

use

aplay -l

to get your card number.

[skizikz]

You could try creating a  ~/.asoundrc file as described here

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,108896.0.html

use

aplay -l

to get your card number.

Here is the output from aplay:

root@localhost /]# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
ALSA lib conf.c:3009:(snd_config_update_r) Cannot access file /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf
ALSA lib control.c:909:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL hw:1
aplay: device_list:261: control open (1): No such file or directory


Creating the .asoundrc file did not seem to help.

[Just17]

Check for the existence of    /usr/share/alsa/  directory

Try re/installing   alsa, alsa-utils

[Phil]

Lots of frustration here.

Is there a gigabyte specific driver, not done a search. I would have thought the realtek drivers would work.

In kmix there are some hidden controls you can drag in, cannot remember which menu item when knix is up, fiddle and you will see.

You seem to know how to configure using the command line as root, alsaconf from memory.

Have a look at Configure Your Desktop > Multimedia (old kcontrol). Lets you test sound and may help.

Keep going, just frustrating for now.

PS I have another non-recommended possible solution which will completely break alsa. You would need to back up your system with say clonezilla before installing. This would be a last resort and most would say do not do it. It worked on my mini itx box for  a year, then I re-installed and applied realtek drivers, which is where it is now. Only as a last resort and if needed ask.

[skizikz]

Check for the existence of    /usr/share/alsa/  directory

Try re/installing   alsa, alsa-utils

The directory is there and the contents of alsa.conf.d are:

file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf.d/50-pulseaudio.conf
file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf.d/99-pulseaudio-default.conf.example

aplay is complaining about no alsa.conf file.is that supposed to be generated by running alsaconf?

Is there a gigabyte specific driver, not done a search. I would have thought the realtek drivers would work.

No, gigabyte suggests going to the chip maker (realtek).

[Yankee]

I have a question.

Is there a symlink at /etc/asound.state that goes
to /var/lib/alsa_sound.state    ?

Mine disappeared during an upgrade once, shut down
things quite well.

.02

[skizikz]

I have a question.

Is there a symlink at /etc/asound.state that goes
to /var/lib/alsa_sound.state    ?

Mine disappeared during an upgrade once, shut down
things quite well.

.02

The file is listed as 0 bytes.
Logged in as root (owner ) it thows up an access denied error?

[Yankee]

I have a question.

Is there a symlink at /etc/asound.state that goes
to /var/lib/alsa_sound.state    ?

Mine disappeared during an upgrade once, shut down
things quite well.

.02

The file is listed as 0 bytes.
Logged in as root (owner ) it thows up an access denied error?

You need to right-click on properties
and just check it's going to /var/lib/alsa_sound.state

edit: mine gives no access denied error, could be interesting

[horusfalcon]

I'm a bit confused as to why so many are focusing on snd-hda-intel as a suitable driver?  Is this Realtek an Intel-compatible, or what?

snd-hda-intel is, I believe, as near a generic HD audio driver as possible .....  for instance I have an Nvidia GF116 HD audio card on the graphics board and it uses the snd-hda-intel module.

I also have an Nvidia MCP51 High Definition Audio on the motherboard which uses the same module.

Sounds kinda like all these other vendors are implementing a common standard (possibly AC97?) and the intel driver covers a multitude of sins there.  If so, there may be a quirk that needs to be set to swap headphone and master volume?  (I seem to remember this with my old Gateway - ADI1981B used the intel driver, now I think about it some more...)

Later On,
D  

[Just17]

Check for the existence of    /usr/share/alsa/  directory

Try re/installing   alsa, alsa-utils

The directory is there and the contents of alsa.conf.d are:

file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf.d/50-pulseaudio.conf
file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf.d/99-pulseaudio-default.conf.example

aplay is complaining about no alsa.conf file.is that supposed to be generated by running alsaconf?

Did you reinstall the two packages?

[skizikz]

Try re/installing   alsa, alsa-utils


Did you reinstall the two packages?

Yes,it did not seem to help.I am running from a live dvd right now.It correctly identifies the ALC887 hardware
in phonon and the files in /usr/share/alsa that were missing are now there.
file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa-utils
file:///usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf
file:///usr/share/alsa/bluetooth.conf
file:///usr/share/alsa/smixer.conf
file:///usr/share/alsa/sndo-mixer.alisp

Kmix had the sound slider for cd only and it was muted.I added more controls such as PCM2, Line,and Igain but still no
sound.Using clementine to test.