Alsamixer "this sound device does not have any controls"

Tomogui · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2016 Posts: 8

Hello fellow gentooers!
After a fresh install of gentoo, i have encountered the following problem:
Alsa doesn't seem to recognize my sound-card. i wonder why?
Some info:
linux-firmware is installed. alsasound is set to start on boot.

Jaglover · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 6:49 pm Post subject:

Maybe building in all those HDA drivers is not a very good idea.
That said, I can't tell what is wrong. But I can tell how I would approach this problem. I'd boot from install media (Sysrescue that is) and check what modules are in use for sound.
_________________
My Gentoo installation notes.
Please learn how to denote units correctly!

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 7:15 pm Post subject:

Tomogui,

All your sound support is built into the kernel, so alsa.conf cannot be used.
Its required when the modules are loaded.

Your default audio device will be

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

Tomogui · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2016 Posts: 8

Thanks for the replies,

Jaglover
NeddySeagoon
LIsLinuxIsSogood

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:34 pm Post subject:

Tomogui,

Sound cards are in two pieces. The PCI bun end, that lspci shows.
The analogue I/O end, which is the codec.

Its not quite that simple. Sometimes you need to pass module parameters to the sound card driver to tell it how the codec is connected.
Before we go there, make friends with wgetpaste and pastebin your dmesg output, we can check that there are no nasty sound related messages there.

Your /dev/snd/ appears to be missing lots of devices.

-- edit --

~/.asoundrc and /etc/asound.conf are both user created files. If you don't have them it may not matter.
At least, its not the problem yet.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Tomogui · n00b Joined: 27 Aug 2016 Posts: 8

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:17 pm Post subject:

Tomogui,

Ahh ... you have at least some debug options on. Hence all the logspam.

Some debug options are harmless.
Others generate a lot of log entries and slow things down.
Yet others are invasive to the point of preventing normal operation.
They all have one thing in common - they are for use by kernel developers.

Rebuild your kernel with all the debug option off, unless you read the help and decide you want a particular option.

Your dmesg only shows a blow by blow account of USB transfers because of the debug options.

For sound, these options

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

EDIT: fyi, just saw krinn's post and looking at the dmesg output, does anyone know what all that kernel messaging is saying? Not too sure myself after looking just briefly at it.

Tomogui,

In response to the concerns,ongoing I hope this gives you some more to think/work on, while you can continue if not the route of debugging by through the kernel, which isn't a solution per se, but will help figure out what is wrong with it so I offer my two cents in there as well.

NeddySeagoon said:

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:43 pm Post subject:

LIsLinuxIsSogood,

pcmC0D10p, That's Card 0, Device 10, (stereo) playback. pcm means its an analogue output, it will have a slider control and mute switch.

Digital outputs don't have volume controls as changing the volume in the digital domain is hard.
You would need to demultiplex the stream, process each sample separately, then remultiplex the stream.
Not all digital outputs have a mute control.

As all the pcm devices are missing, the only controls that may be present are digital mute switches.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

Dominique_71 · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 4:19 pm Post subject:

Normally, sound drivers must be build as modules. That way, it is much more easier to configure it or trace issues. If you still want them to be build into the kernel, just don't expect much help because it is not the way a linux distribution will expect the ALSA driver to work.
_________________
"Confirm You are a robot." - the singularity

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 4:56 pm Post subject:

Dominique_71,

As you say, its much easier to debug modules and to pass parameters to loadable modules.

Built in alsa works too but trial and error with built in is harder.
Find out what works using modules, move to built in once the trial and error is complete.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

I am really confused, what is all that dmesg output that was just posted? As krinn says, there seems to be stuff missing from that file (like the beginning of dmesg.)

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:45 am Post subject:

LIsLinuxIsSogood,

The provided dmesg shows only logspam from having some USB debug set.
I think its CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG from the bulk mode transactions.

Due to all the debug entries in dmesg, the usful information is long gone.
If CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is on, what about CONFIG_SND_DEBUG and all the other DEBUG symbols that interfere with normal system operation?

As yet, there is insufficient information to point to a solution. All we can do is nibble away at the problem space.

Built in sound works. Its just a pain passing module parameters as they need to be on the kernel command line.
That means a reboot to test, rather than

Dominique_71

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

Yes, but something else curious could be switching between audio cards sounding like something simple, but probably a big part of why pulseaudio is around to help with assigning sinks to sources.

Personally I hate pulseaudio, and wish it would go away.

EDIT: By the way Tomogui have you been able to confirm the working of the hardware plugs, those should be able to play sound out of them. It may make more sense to at least start there, since in many situations the user doesn't require a very complex setup just to get sound from 1 channel or another.

ANOTHER EDIT: As others mentioned be sure to check the lspci command and match up your audio hardware to the correct kernel configuration. The mess is much better handled after reducing this aspect as others have mentioned. (My purpose was not to divert you from that goal, ever, but to help find a quicker answer for your sound card).

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

Dominique_71, can you please share your source for the information about sound cards and kernel modules. I just went through something similar on my desktop computer and nowhere while following the ALSA guide in the wiki does it mention what you said, about...the driver being built as a module.

Dominique_71 · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 12:06 pm Post subject:

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

Tomogui,

Make a copy of your kernel (or kernel config) before changing it, and then go ahead with the changes offered by NeddySeagoon as well with turning on debug in the kernel. As for the extra kernel drivers that are compiled in it, the decision you need to make is about how many features at a time you will be switching on/off, and if you want to know there's basically two methods that could be enacted...in the first, you remove as much as you can and then add back what you need...this is for those who are more familiar in working with the kernel. Another method that i sometimes use is to do it in stages for removal, so that would be taking away (turning off) specific drivers that you think are not being used, and then rebooting the system...each time you will have to check to see but, as in the first method if you shut off something, you should be able to turn it back on.

I would like to retroactively retract my own suggestion that came way to soon after two other suggestions for how to handle it. If anything, what I would have offered at that time was some added help like this here in making the kernel changes. Since those are good ideas in the long haul anyway. That is to eliminate unwanted or unnecessary kernel drivers, not just because they take up space but also because they may conflict.

And for the debug suggestion as well, which is probably your best chance at getting help here in the forum. I would recommend looking back at the initial two responses you received and using them to help solve the issue.

Then as for the discussion and further questions that ensued since then...know this that there is probably a very good explanation for why this install of Gentoo and the last install differed It could have been hardware, or else software, or just the way the kernel was built (how did you build it this time?)

Be sure to read up on the configuring of your kernel in the wiki, as it will provide some good suggestions. And to make sure you do not overwrite a good kernel with one that could panic, or freeze, then the following is also good practice: make a backup of your boot partition, providing the recovery if needed, and for even quicker restoration have copies of the working kernel saved to your /home diretory.

Maybe the best thing at this point is just to post back after successfully making the changes to the kernel just, and show us that with lspci, or lspci -nnk what devices are recognized and what are the drivers in use.