hda Intel soundcard solution

[eggdeng]

This solution may work for you if alsa is properly configured, ie sound seems to be working in every respect except that you simply can't hear it or, for example, can hear it on headphones but not on integrated speakers.

Many posters have pointed out that the solution to the problem is often as simple as adding a line at the end of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base along the lines of

options snd-hda-intel model=xyz

The problem here is that xyz is different for different makes of laptop. For HP laptops, you (usually) need to put 'hp' (no quotes), my LG laptop requires 'lg' (no quotes), other options I have seen are 'asus', 'w180', 'uniwill' (again, no quotes).

On dapper, you can find one list of possible options in /usr/share/doc/alsa-base/driver/ALSA-Configuration.txt.gz. Gunzip it, open with gedit and search for your soundcard chip. To check which chip you have

aplay -l

Sample entry from ALSA-Configuration.txt:

ALC260
hp HP machines
fujitsu Fujitsu S7020

This tells you that if you have an ALC260 chip on a HP laptop, the appropriate value is 'hp'. And so on and so forth.


UPDATE

The following are some of the known good options for this fix and links to threads & posts in which they are confirmed to work.

Acer ???

options snd-hda-intel model=ACER

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ight=Intel+HDA
#41

Asus F3J

options snd-hda-intel model=uniwill-m31

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ht=Intel+HDA??
post unknown

Dell 6400 laptop

options snd-hda-intel model=dell

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...=snd_hda_intel #14

Dell Inspiron

options snd-hda-intel model=ref

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...maTel+STAC9200
post unknown

Dell Dimension 9150

options snd-hda-intel model=ref

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ight=Intel+HDA
post unknown

Fujitsu Siemens Amilo XI 1526

options snd-hda-intel model=fujitsu

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=465422&page=2

Gateway laptops with a sigmatel audio device

options snd-hda-intel probe_mask=1

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ight=Intel+HDA #2
or

options snd-hda-intel model=test enable-msi=1 probe-mask=1

thread unknown, post unknown

Lenovo ???

options snd-hda-intel model=laptop-eapd

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...=snd_hda_intel #2

LG P1 Express Dual (ALC880 chip)

options snd-hda-intel model=lg

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ight=Intel+HDA
post unknown

LG P1 with CMI9880 chip
options snd-hda-intel model=minimal
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=465422&page=2

Toshiba Satellite a135-s2386

options snd-hda-intel probe_mask=8 model=3stack

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=452992


Toshiba Tecra A8-103

options snd-hda-intel probe_mask=8 model=fujitsu

Thread unknown
or

options snd-hda-intel probe_mask=8 model=fujitsu

See this thread, post #42

More help is available from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto. The following is quoted (with a small edit) from that source:

options snd-hda-intel model=3stack works for many motherboard integrated chips with shared surrounds. Other models include 5stack, 6stack, laptop and laptop-eapd. Sometimes it is also possible to use the more generic "options snd-hda-intel model=ref", which the hda driver uses to load manufacturer specfic presets (SigmaTel, Realtek, etc.). The full list is available in ALSA-Configuration.txt in the driver tarball under alsa-kernel/Documentation/.



UPDATE

A guy in this thread has found a solution to the microphone problem.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=342681

[MadeR]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=alc260

[MWP]

eggdeng...

You say youve got a LG LWxx.
Have you got audio out on the inbuilt speakers working?
I can only get audio out of the headphone jack.

[eggdeng]

It's an LG P1 Express Dual & a beautiful piece of work. I did have the same problem as you to begin with, so don't give up, you'll be able to get it to work. It's a while since I set it up so I can't remember all the steps but you will need at least alsa 1.0.13. If I were you, I would follow MadeR's how-to to set up alsa and just change the last step as indicated in the original post. Good luck.

[MWP]

But... how did you move sound to the speaker outputs instead of line/headphone out?

Ive updated to alsa 1.0.13 from the Fiesty repositories (im running Edgy), am still using "lg-lw" as the hda type option.
Sound still only comes from the line-out.

None of the switches in alsamixer help.

Any ideas?

[eggdeng]

What solved the problem for me was simply inserting

options snd-hda-intel model= lg

in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base. From your post, you seem to be using 'lg-lw' where I am using 'lg'. Try with just 'lg'.

[MadeR]

Originally Posted by eggdeng What solved the problem for me was simply inserting options snd-hda-intel model= lg in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base. From your post, you seem to be using 'lg-lw' where I am using 'lg'. Try with just 'lg'.

option "lg" is not among the recognized ones, i think the module automatically uses "auto"

[Zoandar]

I can't edit the alsa-base file, because it says I don't have permission. I installed this OS, and there has been no other person near this notebook. How do I tell it I am an administrator, so I can try your suggestion? ( HP DV1000).

Larry

[MadeR]

Originally Posted by Zoandar I can't edit the alsa-base file, because it says I don't have permission. I installed this OS, and there has been no other person near this notebook. How do I tell it I am an administrator, so I can try your suggestion? ( HP DV1000). Larry

use the sudo command

for example

sudo vim /etc/alsa

if you are using kde and you need a window application (for example "kate") use kdesu instead.
there is a similar command for gnome, if I am not wrong gtksudo or gsudo, but I do not remember the name.

[julian67]

Originally Posted by eggdeng This solution may work for you if alsa is properly configured, ie sound seems to be working in every respect except that you simply can't hear it or, for example, can hear it on headphones but not on integrated speakers. Many posters have pointed out that the solution to the problem is often as simple as adding a line at the end of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base along the lines of options snd-hda-intel model=xyz Lenovo ??? options snd-hda-intel model=laptop-eapd http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...=snd_hda_intel #2

I can confirm this solution works on a Lenovo Y400 with Intel ICH7 (82801g controller) using Ubuntu 6.10 i386 default install. This is an Asian market only laptop but it is based on the very common Lenovo 3000 series. I added the line and rebooted and now have perfect controllable sound from the onboard speakers and/or from the line out/headphone minijack. It sounds truly excellent, I never heard a laptop with sound this good before. So thanks very much for the tip....I already lost one whole nights sleep trying to fix this different ways and finally it's time for a beer and a long rest

btw on XP the Windows driver installation from the official Lenovo install disk is actually pretty flaky too, problems recognising the hardware, problems copying the system files to the right place and so on and at the end you get a feeble sound. The Alsa driver once configured actually takes advantage of the hardware which is a mini subwoofer as well as the usual laptop stereo pair