[SOLVED after 7/1] Maybe the HARDEST issue ever: Mint 19.3, headphone mic and internal mic both are not working.

[soundcard]

Hi,

Please help me with this weird issue.
I have used Mint for 3 years, Mint 18 and Mint 19.3. Both are perfect.
The headphone mic and the internal mic were always working fine. I have used the mic and OBS to create more than 5 hours videos.

But yesterday, when I joined a zoom meeting, I found my headphone's mic not working. I could hear other guys, but they couldn't hear me. Meantime, I found the internal mic didn't work as well. The headphone's mic works fine on the mobile. And, I have a dual boot system. The headphone mic works fine in another OS. So, I think it's an issue not caused by hardware.
The last time that I used the mic(the headphone's) was on June 7th. Why I remember the date is because I tested the headphone's mic just after I bought it.
After June 7th, I didn't use the mic at all until yesterday. So I can't figure out the reason why they suddenly didn't work.(I don't use the internal mic often, but it worked before)

The following screenshots are the current sound settings. The mic's input level didn't shake at all even if I shout at the PC.

I searched the keywords and found some posts similar to my microphone's issue. And have tried some fixes, but unfortunately none of them worked.

I have used some shell commands to generate the profile report about my sound card and pulseaudio's status.

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curl https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pulseaudio/pulseaudio/raw/master/src/utils/pa-info?inline=false | bash | nc termbin.com 9999

Please check it out:
https://termbin.com/dozvy

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pacmd list-sources

The asterisk is next to index 1.

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	ports:
		analog-input-internal-mic: Internal Microphone (priority 8900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
	active port: <analog-input-internal-mic>

The internal mic is "available: unknown".
The mic(headphone) is "available: no".

After

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pacmd set-source-port alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo analog-input-internal-mic
pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload

I didn't reboot, just ran the commands(the headphone was unplugged in):

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arecord -d 10 test-mic.wav
aplay test-mic.wav

It didn't work. Only crackling sound. So, even if the internal mic's status is "available: unknown", it actually doesn't work as well.

Then, I plugged in my headphone, and ran:

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pacmd set-source-port alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo analog-input-mic
pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload

I didn't reboot, just ran the commands(the headphone was plugged in):

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arecord -d 10 test-mic.wav
aplay test-mic.wav

It didn't work. Only crackling sound. The headphone mic's status is "available: no", it doesn't work as expected.

I tried

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alsamixer -c0

No matter whether the headphone is plugged in, the internal mic's status is not "MM", its volume is "53".

I raised the volume, but still not working.
And I don't use TLP app.

I ran:

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inxi -Fxz

And got the associated system information as below:

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System:    Host: marksea-TM1612 Kernel: 5.4.0-77-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 7.5.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.4.8 
           Distro: Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Timi product: TM1612 v: N/A serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Timi model: TM1612 v: MP serial: <filter> UEFI: INSYDE v: A02 date: 06/06/2016 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 28.9 Wh condition: 28.9/28.9 Wh (100%) model: N/A status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core m3-6Y30 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Skylake rev: 3 L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11999 
           Speed: 600 MHz min/max: 400/2200 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 600 2: 600 3: 600 4: 600 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 515 vendor: Xiaomi driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa tty: N/A 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 515 (SKL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.0.8 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Xiaomi driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-77-generic 

Because I had upgraded the kernel to 5.4.0-77-generic before I tested my headphone's mic on June 7th.
As I mentioned, the mic worked on June 7th.
So, I don't think I need to switch the kernel to the older kernel.

I reinstalled the following packages and rebooted my PC:

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sudo apt install --reinstall alsa-base alsa-utils pulseaudio linux-sound-base libasound2

Before I rebooted the PC, I removed "~/.config/pulse" and added the following codes to the end of "/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf"

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options snd-hda-intel power_save=0

And then,

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arecord -d 10 test-mic.wav
aplay test-mic.wav

Still not working.

I restored "/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf" and modified the final line:

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options snd-hda-intel model=alc233-eapd

I looked up my model by checking this file:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentatio ... models.rst
And then ran the commands:

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pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload
arecord -d 10 test-mic.wav
aplay test-mic.wav

Still not working.

Then, I installed alsa-tools-gui, tried HDAJackRetask.

See, there is no Mic(headphone) option.
So, I can't override it to unconnected pins.



Hopefully the information can be helpful to analyse the reason.

Any advice would be appreciated. Many thanks.

[soundcard]

Now the headphone mic and the internal mic both are working.
I didn't install anything during the period.
It's very very very strange.
I'm based in the mainland of China and yesterday was 2021/7/1. It's a special day to celebrate the 100th year since the communist party establishment. (Not my party)
The mic didn't work until 7/1(didn't work on 7/1 as well).
All started to work on 7/2.
So, I guess the reason is related to it.
But I'm very curious how they can control my sound card and my mic.
Does the driver of the sound card need to access the network to make itself turned on?
If so, then this issue can be explained from a tech point of view.
If not, I'm very very very shocked at why it suddenly didn't work and suddenly was fine............................
If you met a similar issue and you live in the mainland of China, pm me or post in this thread. I don't think it's an issue that just only one person encountered.

[soundcard]

Let me add more information.
The headphone mic and internal mic didn't work from June 24th to July 1st (including June 24th and July 1st).
Before June 24th, I didn't do test, but it worked until June 7th.
After July 1st, both worked. They are working fine currently.
So, I am sure that this was not caused by any software and any hardware, it was caused by NETWORK.
I mean, without some site, the driver of the sound card can't work.

[soundcard]

I tested again and both mic work fine.

But the interesting thing is that the results of the debug commands are the same as the results that I tested when they didn't work!
Even if both mic are working, the results of "pacmd list-sources" show me:

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	ports:
		analog-input-internal-mic: Internal Microphone (priority 8900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
	active port: <analog-input-internal-mic>

And actually, the current mic is not the internal mic, it's the headphone mic. Why didn't the results refresh to keep updated?

[soundcard]

Today, it's Oct. 1st.
This issue is reproduced again.
I'm based in China.
Now, I understood the reason......