[SOLVED] No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

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ML-1951Pa

[SOLVED] No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Have done a nice clean dual boot of 'Sonya' and Windows 10. Sound continues to work well in Windows but no sound on the Linux side.

Here is output from 'inxi -Fxz'. Just realized I should add this is from the headphone jack on the front of the computer which drives my computer speakers, I have not tested the 'line out' on the back, don't have those type of cables or a device that could use that kind of input, so don't know the status of that port.

Code: Select all

System:    Host: mark-Inspiron-3252 Kernel: 4.8.0-53-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 (Gtk 2.24.28) Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine:   System: Dell product: Inspiron 3252 v: 2.11.1
           Mobo: Dell model: 0R5F6R v: A00
           Bios: Dell v: 2.11.1 date: 06/21/2017
CPU:       Dual core Intel Celeron J3060 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 6400
           clock speeds: max: 2480 MHz 1: 479 MHz 2: 479 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Device 22b1 bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 12.0.6 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Device 2284 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.8.0-53-generic
Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9565 / AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
           Card-3: Atheros usb-ID: 001-009
           IF: null-if-id state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (1.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_DT01ACA1 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 20G used: 5.5G (30%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: /home size: 169G used: 1.7G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 8.39GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 2428
Info:      Processes: 197 Uptime: 57 min Memory: 1575.7/3865.2MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 5 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

Hello,

I just looked at pictures of the Dell 3252 and you should be able to plug the speakers into the green line out jack at the back of the computer. If you can open a terminal and run alsamixer and post a screenshot of alsamixer, that would be helpful in trying to solve the problem.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Here's a screenshot of alsamixer with a Youtube video running in the foreground. While this Youtube video was running I had a set of headphones plugged in the green port on the back of the machine (You were right, it's just like the port on the front.)

No sound though, the same procedure with Windows 10 did play sound through the headphones from this back port.

I really have no clue how to post an image here, though I did read the cryptic instructions on this.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 577&type=3

O.K. I posted it to Facebook, which is awkward, but it gives me a URL, don't know if I posted it here correctly. No idea how to upload here...but thank you for checking into this for me. Audio drivers are not something I'm familiar with.
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

The Master slider is highlighted (in red). Use the right arrow key to go to Headphones, then use the up key to turn up the headphone volume. When posting to the forum, you can add screenshots to your post by clicking on the attachments tab below and to the left of the Preview and Submit buttons, then click add files. There is a limit on the number of files and their size.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Thanks for the info. Yes the 'first' headphone slider would not raise, the one to its right I was able to raise easily, but it had no effect in terms of making sound happen. I also raised the 'master', first one, all the way. No effect.
Alsamixer2.png
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

Those little arrows at the right edge mean there are more sliders to the right. Click on the right edge and pull it to the right. There may be an option (Analog Output) to change the output between Headphones, Front Panel Headphones and Multichannel (rear speakers). This is the only way I can change where the audio output goes on my systems.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

There's a bunch of channels for sure. I lifted ALL of them, still no sound.
Alsamixer3.png
Alsamixer4.png
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

Go to Channel, see if you can change the output and if that gives you sound. You don't need the Mic turned up unless you are recording. You might want to turn down Master a bit. :) . I'll check back tomorrow and see if you are successful.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

That thing labeled 'channel' is just a channel activator. All it does is cycle through 2, 4, or 6 channels. i guess it's not really inert, but I'm leaving it on '6'.

O.K. I tried a reboot, sometimes after making changes that can be effective, but same result. Oh well, thanks for the effort. I was reading some other posts here that some people's sound problems went away when they went back to an earlier kernel or forward to a newer one. Maybe with the routine updates that occur, the problem fixes itself?

Meantime, since it is dual boot, I can go over to the Windows side for sound, but using Windows makes me feel 'dirty'. 8) This is the first machine I've owned since my Radio Shack 1978 vintage TRS-80 that has had Microsoft software on it. Yes, I'm that old..
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

I saw somewhere that using Windows can knock out audio in Linux, when the audio device is a Realtek ALC662 rev 3, but that was with Windows running in Virtualbox. I'm out of ideas for now. If I come across anything that may help, I'll post it. Hope you get it fixed.

My first computer was an IBM clone with a 286 processor and DOS 3.3. It was supposed to run at 12 MHz, but years later when I pulled the heatsink, I saw it was a 10MHz processor. I eventually upgraded it to a 386 myself and I've been building (almost) all of our computers myself. My older son builds his own. :D

These days, I only use Windows for Quicken 2000 (yes 2000) and TurboTax.
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

Just a thought. Have you tried changing the channel to 2ch or 4 ch and seeing whether it affects where te audio goes? That might be similar to my option of FP Headphones, Headphones and Multichannel. Audio output goes to the rear speakers with Multichannel and to the headphones with FP Headphones. You could try the different options and see if any work. You can always change it back to 6 Ch.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Yes, I've tried all 3 settings 2, 4, and 8, no difference. I did discover a 'volume control' setting feature/applet and displaying it together with Alsamixer was interesting.
Alsamixer5.png

The top, smaller and 'skinnier' scale (set currently at 29% at capture) was raised or lowered when I moved the slider on the first one, 'master' and the one labeled PCM, none of the other sliders made any difference at all..only those two. I'm sure PCM refers to pulse code modulation. The scale beneath that was rapidly changing and bouncing back and forth with the rise and fall of voice output as a video of an Elon Musk interview was playing. That lower placed scale was unaffected by any slider, just changed with Elon's intonations..

If your machine operates differently than this, that could be a clue..
yaye

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by yaye »

Yeah, the thinner one is a volume control and the thicker one reflects sound level like a VU meter. In Sound Control App, can you post a screenshot of the Configuration Tab? If it is not set to Analog Stereo Duplex, try setting it to that.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

It's been set correctly all along, so that's not it either.
volume.png
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Just for grins, I've posted all of the driver updates that Windows installs on THAT side, in case they load a driver that's needed that we don't have on the Linux side.
Drivers.png
I clicked on these individually, and nothing to do with Audio, as far as I can tell. These were all installed automatically by Dell after I had wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Windows during the dual boot install process.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

Well, I'm going deeper. If I can figure this out maybe I can help someone else..

Reading material:

http://tuxradar.com/content/how-it-work ... -explained

https://wiki.debian.org/Sound

Most of the easy things on this discussion I have tried (didn't work), but it provides some ideas:

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=129683
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TeaSwigger
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Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by TeaSwigger »

ML-1951Pa wrote:Yes, I've tried all 3 settings 2, 4, and 8, no difference. I did discover a 'volume control' setting feature/applet and displaying it together with Alsamixer was interesting.
May sound silly, but regarding alsamixer as seen in the 1st pic there, shouldn't the 2nd slot (what's it even for?) be muted and the 3rd unmuted for analog headphone output? To toggle muting in alsamixer, select the slot and press the 'm' button. The headphone or headset slot(s) may only control one of the output jacks on your laptop. Just guessing wildly here; it's a bit different for my system (no pulseaudio here).
“You can make a strong business case for equality but not everyone wants to hear it.” - Prof. Kate Pickett

Mint 20.2 xfce w/nemo - AMD A10 7700K APU - spdif to Bifrost DAC - Dell U2415
some favs: Zim, deadbeef, kid3, gimp, artha, deluge, handbrake, mc
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

You're absolutely right, I just found out about that feature myself about half hour ago..just learning about these tools for the first time..

Also found this website with an amazing troubleshooting flowchart for Linux sound. Going through it now:

http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux/so ... ooting.htm

So now I know I've un-muted everything, but still no sound..

Following the flowchart provided in that link, and since this is a dual boot system with Windows 10, and sound works on that side, it seems like its drivers that might be the problem, which as this article suggests is a royal pain.

Others here have had success by going backwards or forwards on kernel versions. I'd like to avoid that.
ML-1951Pa

Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by ML-1951Pa »

mark@mark-Inspiron-3252 ~ $ lspci -v | grep -B1 -A12 -i audio

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Device 2284 (rev 35)
Subsystem: Dell Device 06f6
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 123
Memory at 91410000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable)
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Device 22c8 (rev 35) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 115
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00001000-00001fff
Memory behind bridge: 91500000-916fffff

Running this command we see the result => 'Capabilities: <access denied>' this might be pointing to a problem...searching..
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TeaSwigger
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Re: No Sound on 64 bit XFCE Sonya install on Dell Inspiron Desktop after install.

Post by TeaSwigger »

ML-1951Pa wrote:mark@mark-Inspiron-3252 ~ $ lspci -v | grep -B1 -A12 -i audio
Try as root, that is, sudo lspci -v | grep -B1 -A12 -i audio
Also, the commands (as regular user is fine) aplay -l and aplay -L will list available devices, device names etc.
Others here have had success by going backwards or forwards on kernel versions. I'd like to avoid that.
The caution is commendable, but if you decide to do so, it'll be easiest to use the gui provided via the Update Manager (open update manager > view > linux kernels). Try newer, say, 4.10.x series. If the newer kernel won't work, you can reboot and select to boot with the earlier kernel from the grub screen.
“You can make a strong business case for equality but not everyone wants to hear it.” - Prof. Kate Pickett

Mint 20.2 xfce w/nemo - AMD A10 7700K APU - spdif to Bifrost DAC - Dell U2415
some favs: Zim, deadbeef, kid3, gimp, artha, deluge, handbrake, mc
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