Linux Mint Forums

I've run into an issue with the system sounds (login, logout, alerts, etc.) not working anymore. Banshee still plays music, games still have sound, and sounds on webpages in Google Chrome still work great. I searched around and tried installing the Ubuntu Tweak program that was recommended and using the sound tab, but that didn't work. From the system sound menu, under sound effects, the alert volume is 100% and the button is turned on. If I click to test the various sound effects, all of them work except for the "Test Sound" button on the output tab (the one that brings up the smiley face and is supposed to say "Front left, Front right" when you click the buttons, they don't make any sound anymore).

If it helps, I'm using the motherboard analog output on my motherboard which is an MSI Z97 PC Mate (which has a Realtek ALC887 sound chipset). I've also tried switching to HDMI (via my NVidia GTX 750Ti) with no luck either. Also, I'm using Mint 17.3 64-bit. I find it odd that only the system sounds are affected and not any applications. I'd appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks,
-Matt

I do have the exsactly same problem you described: sound working fine except systemsounds and the testsound button. Would also be interested if someone has a clue how to fix this.
Interestingly system sounds work fine when booting from a persistent usb stick installation of 17.3 on the same system - so I guess a reinstall would solve this but there has to be a better way I hope.

by tom_big68 » 04 May 16
I am using Mint Rosa 17.3 64-bit there 3 other versions which are you using
I had same problem but I found a fix on Rosa
left click speaker icon on panel
centre volume control make 100%, then press Sound Settings. opens sound dialogue

in sound dialogue press Output
under Play sound through use Analogue Output
go to Mode: set as Analogue Stereo
Output volume: 100%

sound dialogue press Sound Effects
Alert volume: make sure its on and slide is hard right
check all sound files to work

sound dialogue press
Output volume: 100%

then open a window use minimize maximize close, should give sounds
also in the Applications window at the top a flash of green should show
hope this helps tom_big68

Hey tom_big68, thanks for trying but the problem remains. I can play the effect sounds manually in the sound effects panel but the system does not trigger them when the according task is performed + the channel test buttons also do not trigger the channel soundfiles. Everything else works flawlessly.

LinuxMint Mate 15, 16 ... 17.3 64-bit:
Is anyone at LinuxMint ever gonna FIX the System Sound, aka Sound Preferences -> Sound Effects | Enable Window and Buttons ???!!!

hey Clem, can you please FIX the sound system in Linuxmint Mate.
Every other sound in all my applications, youtube,..., including the "Test Speaker" sounds, work perfectly.
Soooo, is LinuxMint ever gonna fix their LACK OF system sound effects issues/problems have been going on for a long long time now.

How 'bout suppling us LinuxMint user's with at least a workable Ubuntu-Tweak tool for system sounds ?

Will the System Sound Effects get finally fixed in LinuxMint 18 Mate ?

' Comon ALREADY, enuf is enuf.
Regards.

I had the same problem in Linux Mint 18 - Cinnamon and I've solved it today. It doesn't matter what type of soundcard you have..
I tried it with the onboard soundcard (the problematic ALC892 ) and also with HDMI. I had any system sound but others like VLC, Banshee, etc. and the general sound worked well in those last cases.

I have discovered that I deleted the library libcanberra-pulse (be careful with sudo apt-get autoremove, it removes sometimes necessary libraries for the right working of the system ) which is absolutely necessary to play these kind of system sounds (volume up/down, minimize/maximize, login, logout, speake test buttons, etc..)

So, in my case was only installing the library again..no rebooting necessary.

Wow, great find. I can't go back and test this as I've moved from 17.3 Cinnamon back when I first posted this, to 18 KDE now... Hopefully if some of the others who posted about this issue still have their respective installs intact this may help them fix their issues.

(SOLVED)

tom_big68 wrote:by tom_big68 » 04 May 16
I am using Mint Rosa 17.3 64-bit there 3 other versions which are you using
I had same problem but I found a fix on Rosa
....tom_big68

Hi I'm using Mint Rosa 17.3-64bit kde too but stiil not solved the sound issue!
I'm asking you if you are using Rosa 17.3-64bit kde??
I think mint kde is the only kde distro with this kind of problem.
Hope you are willing to help me.Any help will be greatly appreciated ! Haave nice day

L.E. :the problem is solved,I post here the link with instructions :viewtopic.php?t=198910

Schluckauf wrote:I had the same problem in Linux Mint 18 - Cinnamon and I've solved it today. It doesn't matter what type of soundcard you have..
I tried it with the onboard soundcard (the problematic ALC892 ) and also with HDMI. I had any system sound but others like VLC, Banshee, etc. and the general sound worked well in those last cases.

I have discovered that I deleted the library libcanberra-pulse (be careful with sudo apt-get autoremove, it removes sometimes necessary libraries for the right working of the system ) which is absolutely necessary to play these kind of system sounds (volume up/down, minimize/maximize, login, logout, speake test buttons, etc..)

So, in my case was only installing the library again..no rebooting necessary.

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install libcanberra-pulse

Your reply to the "no system sounds" Helped Me Solve mine also as I had done the same thing. I added libcanberra-pulse back through Synaptic Package Manager.
Thank You
Texas Jack
another nwb

Thanks, this fixed my problem as well. Sucks when you shoot yourself in the foot trying to do good things.

Thanks-this fixed my sound effects. I have been looking for this fix for a long time-not sure why my searches never brought me here. Oh well--thanks again

This worked for me too. Thank you for publishing this.

I also removed some things and as per the text on the terminal screen, I did an autoremove. The libcanberra-pulse package went with it. How ever did you determine what was missing?

I can confirm that the solution provided by user Schluckauf works like a treat on Linux Mint 18.2 Cinnamon. This issue had been annoying me for some weeks so thank you sir for this.