Can't change sound volume

[hogl]

I just installed Kubuntu 9.04, and mostly it seems to be working flawlessly. One problem I have though, is that I can't change the sound volume. The sound works, but is always at max volume. When opening Kmix, I see Master, Front and headphone channels with no sliders, and a mic channel with a volume slider. When right-clicking on kmix to select master channel, I only get to choose between beep (which seems to be pc-speaker) and mic. When opening alsamixer, I get also get a PCM slider, which doesn't seem to change the actual volume. I have searched google and these forums and found others with similar problems, but no good solutions.

I have a AC97 soundcard, and tried reinstalling drivers I found form realteks homepage, but that didn't change anything.

Any help would be appreciated, as this is pretty frustrating

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't change sound volume

As always, we need to know what hardware you have: make and model of PC, and using Konsole post the results of

lspic

and

lshw

[josefko]

Re: Can't change sound volume


Have you seen something like that? There is an option in kmix, you can choose as many channels with sliders as you wish.

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

josefko:
It looks like this. No sliders. I can't add any more channels that make sense, and I can't select any of these channels as master (except from mic and beep).

GreyGeek:

Make and model probably won't mean a lot to you. It's a Zepto Z-note 6214w (laptop).

lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G70 [GeForce Go 7600] (rev a1)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 01)
05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
09:06.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
09:06.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCIxx12 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
09:06.2 Mass storage controller: Texas Instruments 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)
09:06.3 SD Host controller: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller

hogl-laptop         
  description: Computer  
  product: Znote      
  vendor: Zepto      
  version: 6214W      
  serial: 8630027871    
  width: 32 bits      
  capabilities: smbios-2.4 dmi-2.4 smp-1.4 smp
  configuration: administrator_password=disabled boot=oem-specific cpus=2 frontpanel_password=unknown keyboard_password=unknown power-on_password=disabled uuid=C6F37A40-BF5D-11DA-A70E-00A0D1C14062                      
 *-core                                                         
    description: Motherboard                                             
    product: MPAD-MSAE Customer Reference Boards                                   
    vendor: Acer,inc                                                 
    physical id: 0                                                  
    version: Not Applicable                                              
    serial: Not Applicable                                              
   *-firmware                                                     
     description: BIOS                                               
     vendor: ZEPTO                                                 
     physical id: 0                                                 
     version: Z1.26 (08/01/07)                                           
     size: 104KiB                                                  
     capabilities: isa pci pcmcia pnp apm upgrade shadowing escd cdboot acpi usb agp biosbootspecification     
   *-cpu:0                                                       
     description: CPU                                                
     product: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU     T5600 @ 1.83GHz                            
     vendor: Intel Corp.                                              
     physical id: 4                                                 
     bus info: cpu@0                                                
     version: 6.15.6                                                
     serial: 0000-06F6-0000-0000-0000-0000                                     
     slot: U2E1                                                   
     size: 1GHz                                                   
     capacity: 2048MHz                                               
     width: 64 bits                                                 
     capabilities: boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx x86-64 constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts pni dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm lahf_lm tpr_shadow cpufreq                                  
     configuration: id=0                                              
    *-cache:0                                                    
       description: L1 cache                                            
       physical id: 5                                               
       slot: L1 Cache                                               
       size: 16KiB                                                 
       capacity: 16KiB                                               
       capabilities: asynchronous internal write-back                               
    *-cache:1                                                    
       description: L2 cache                                            
       physical id: 6                                               
       slot: L2 Cache                                               
       size: 2MiB                                                 
       capabilities: burst external write-back                                   
    *-logicalcpu:0                                                  
       description: Logical CPU                                          
       physical id: 0.1                                              
       width: 64 bits                                               
       capabilities: logical                                            
    *-logicalcpu:1                                                  
       description: Logical CPU                                          
       physical id: 0.2                                              
       width: 64 bits                                               
       capabilities: logical                                            
   *-memory                                                      
     description: System Memory                                           
     physical id: 12                                                
     slot: System board or motherboard                                       
     size: 2GiB                                                   
     capacity: 3GiB                                                 
    *-bank:0                                                     
       description: SODIMM Synchronous                                       
       physical id: 0                                               
       slot: M1                                                  
       size: 1GiB                                                 
       width: 32 bits                                               
    *-bank:1                                                     
       description: SODIMM Synchronous                                       
       physical id: 1                                               
       slot: M2                                                  
       size: 1GiB                                                 
       width: 32 bits                                               
   *-cpu:1                                                       
     physical id: 1                                                 
     bus info: cpu@1                                                
     version: 6.15.6                                                
     serial: 0000-06F6-0000-0000-0000-0000                                     
     size: 1GHz                                                   
     capacity: 1GHz                                                 
     capabilities: vmx ht cpufreq                                          
     configuration: id=0                                              
    *-logicalcpu:0                                                  
       description: Logical CPU                                          
       physical id: 0.1                                              
       capabilities: logical                                            
    *-logicalcpu:1                                                  
       description: Logical CPU                                          
       physical id: 0.2                                              
       capabilities: logical                                            
   *-pci                                                        
     description: Host bridge                                            
     product: Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub                
     vendor: Intel Corporation                                           
     physical id: 100                                                
     bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0                                           
     version: 03                                                  
     width: 32 bits                                                 
     clock: 33MHz                                                  
    *-pci:0                                                     
       description: PCI bridge                                           
       product: Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port              
       vendor: Intel Corporation                                          
       physical id: 1                                               
       bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0                                         
       version: 03                                                 
       width: 32 bits                                               
       clock: 33MHz                                                
       capabilities: pci pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list                           
       configuration: driver=pcieport-driver                                    
      *-display                                                   
        description: VGA compatible controller                                  
        product: G70 [GeForce Go 7600]                                      
        vendor: nVidia Corporation                                        
        physical id: 0                                              
        bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0                                        
        version: a1                                               
        width: 64 bits                                              
        clock: 33MHz                                               
        capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list                           
        configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0 module=nvidia                           
    *-multimedia                                                   
       description: Audio device                                          
       product: 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller                       
       vendor: Intel Corporation                                          
       physical id: 1b                                               
       bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0                                         
       version: 02                                                 
       width: 64 bits                                               
       clock: 33MHz                                                
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list                             
       configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0 module=snd_hda_intel                       
    *-pci:1                                                     
       description: PCI bridge                                           
       product: 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1                              
       vendor: Intel Corporation                                          
       physical id: 1c                                               
       bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.0                                         
       version: 02                                                 
       width: 32 bits                                               
       clock: 33MHz                                                
       capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm bus_master cap_list                           
       configuration: driver=pcieport-driver                                    
      *-network                                                   
        description: Ethernet interface                                     
        product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller                      
        vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.                                 
        physical id: 0                                              
        bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0                                        
        logical name: eth0                                            
        version: 01                                               
        serial: 00:a0:d1:c1:40:62                                        
        size: 10MB/s                                               
        capacity: 1GB/s                                             
        width: 64 bits                                              
        clock: 33MHz                                               
        capabilities: pm vpd msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation                                           
        configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half latency=0 link=no module=r8169 multicast=yes port=MII speed=10MB/s                               
    *-pci:2                                                     
       description: PCI bridge                                           
       product: 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2                              
       vendor: Intel Corporation                                          
       physical id: 1c.1                                              
       bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.1                                         
       version: 02                                                 
       width: 32 bits                                               
       clock: 33MHz                                                
       capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm bus_master cap_list                           
       configuration: driver=pcieport-driver                                    
    *-pci:3

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't change sound volume

I see you don't show any sliders on your Kmixer GUI.

Here is what mine looks like, and my channel and selections.

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

This is all I got from Kmix.

[josefko]

Re: Can't change sound volume

I have seen something like your picture on my computer. Try to shut the kmix window and open it again, suprisingly sometimes it differs and try to move a corner of the window to make it bigger, sliders will come up.

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

I tried that and got nothing. Dragging the edges doesn't reveal any sliders, and restarting seems to get the same result every time.

It's like kmix doesn't recognize the right channels.

[josefko]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Sorry, I can't help you.
I personally would try external USB speakers, they have their own sound card, maybe it would be a workaround, but it could be inconvenient if you have a notebook. I use them with a netbook for better sound.

[dibl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Maybe give the ALSA packages a try:

I'm working from a Wintel POS so you need to check my package names before you cut and paste:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install alsabase alsamixergui alsaplayer alsa-oss

Then Alt-F2 "alsamixergui" with no quote marks, and make sure the Master and PCM sliders are up. Test with alsaplayer.

[skunk]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Try running alsamixer just in case kmix is confused

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Already tried alsamixer, which gives the same results. I think I will try the ALSA packages and see if I can get somewhere. It seems weird to me that I can get sound when ALSA seems to pick up the wrong channels or something.

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

No dice.. Guess I need to get to the root of the problem somehow

[hogl]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Okay, update. Everything seems to work perfectly. Suddenly I had a PCM channel in kmix, that I could chose as master, and that just did the trick.
Must have been the extra alsa packages I installed. Thanks everybody for your input.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't change sound volume

Good to read that you have sound control now.

I noticed in your KMixer images that you had two "features" that are not related to sound: "Caller ID" and "Off Hook". Those are modem features. It appears that the sound driver that HAL has chosen isn't an exact match for your sound chip. Also, you haven't selected the "Mic" to appear in your slider settings. IF you want to be able to control a microphone in any app that uses it you should include the "Mic".