# Sound problem [SOLVED!]

## sylvanus

Alsasound loads up modules fine, but gnome-volume-manager doesn't detect it. When i run "cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp", there is no sound. I'm using archck-sources-2.6.15-r1

I'm not sure whether the problem lies with alsa-utils or gnome-volume-manager. I've tried recompiling both of them, tried using alsa-driver, but no luck  :Sad: 

In the past, it worked. But after reformatting, sound doesn't seem to work anymore. It can't be the card, cuz I can hear the system sounds (AC Adapter plugged in/out)

Sound card:

```
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01)
```

Alsasound:

```
 * Storing ALSA Mixer Levels ...                                          [ ok ]

 * Unloading ALSA ...                                                     [ ok ]

 * Unloading ALSA modules ...                                             [ ok ]

 * Loading ALSA modules ...

 *   Loading: snd-card-0 ...                                              [ ok ]

 * Restoring Mixer Levels ...                                             [ ok ]
```

Last edited by sylvanus on Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## potatoface

i had problems with alsa too some time ago.

there are problems when you use the in-kernel driver...

i would try to recompile alsa-lib, alsa-headers and alsa-utils (although you have done it before...)   :Laughing: 

i would use alsa-mixer rather than gnome-volume-manager. on my system alsa-mixer works and gnome-volume-manager not..

hope could help you a bit..

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## sylvanus

erm, well did that but still doesn't work. Alsamixer shows Master and PCM 100% but there's still no sound   :Question: 

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## potatoface

[dumb question]

have you unmuted the channels?

[/dumb question]

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## sylvanus

yep, all of them in fact

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## sylvanus

btw, I'm using reiser4 + jackass-2005.2 (not sure if this is the cause)

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## sylvanus

Just managed to solve it after reading a previous post   :Rolling Eyes: 

 *Quote:*   

> The problem was that the "Line Jack Sense" and "Headphone Jack Sense" settings cause the driver to stop producing output.  They probably misinform the presence of the jack. Disabling _both_ solves the problem. 

 

That goes to show that it doesn't mean te more the better  :Wink: 

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## XioXouS

I have a laptop that has used the alsa-driver package with ALSA_CARDS="intel8x0" for well over a year without any problems until just the other day (2006-01-14 or 2006-01-15).  The modules still load fine and I can aplay a .wav file with out any error messages, but there is no sound, even though master and pcm are both at full blast and unmuted - I've also tried several other combinations as  suggested.  I don't have those mixer controls that you referenced, although I seem to remember seeing them in the past, but then again I might be imagining that.  Has anyone else had this problem or have _any_ ideas of what I should do to try and fix it?

Currently its using alsa-driver-1.0.10

Here's a list of things I've tried so far without success:

-rebuild with newer alsa-driver (1.0.11_rc2)

-rebuild with an older one (1.0.10_rc3)

-tried the enable parameter on the snd_intel8x0 module

-in kernel modules (vanilla-sources-2.6.14, suspend2-source-2.6.14-r7, archck-source-2.6.15_p2 = current)

-lapic kernel parameter (a wild guess, but in the past my laptop operated with this disabled by the bios, and usually when i tried to use the multimedia keys on the keyboard the bios reports that they're all muted or only at one notch in nice little osd sort of thing, even though alsa was playing just fine.  Now they report 1/2 volume, but that may have changed months ago for all I know, and may not have any bearing on this).

I'm about to try Windows on another hd to try and see if its operating system related.

Needless to say, I'm very frustrated, so any thoughts would be most welcome.Last edited by XioXouS on Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:27 am; edited 1 time in total

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## XioXouS

I haven't tried in it Windows yet, but here's some other things I can say:

Before I load the modules the BIOS keys show that the Volume is Muted.  Once I load the modules they say they're at 3 bars, or about half volume, but I can't actually hear anything, not even static.  This is true even with alsa-drivers as far back as 1.07 and when using a Live-CD, which I assumed would be less drastic than trying to install windows but still give a good test.  It seems that Windows would be my last definitive test, but so far, except for the fact that it still loads fine and shows up in lspci, it really seems like I've now got a laptop with a dead soundcard.

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