Hi Linux peeps. I need some help.

I just got my new parts in. MSI B150m mobo, Intel G4400 processor and DDR4-2133 2x4GB.

Linux (Mint, Cinnamon, Rafaela) saw the new components and we were off to a happy start, but no audio.

I tried a lot of things. Some I can't remember. I installed a bunch of software (some mixers) and ran some terminal commands that I have no idea what they did, if anything.

And I've edited a file, too.

Here are my full symptoms:
- No audio
- Audio is visually shown when I use a mixer, so Linux is trying to play it
- I can turn up the Mic Front in the mixer and the microphone is properly transmitted. So the MOBO is good.

Here are main things I've done.

http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1236
- I didn't use the download link b/c it didn't work. I got what may or may not have been the driver from the Realtek site. No idea if it was the right one. I tried to follow the steps, but eventually, what I was doing wasn't having the effect they described, so I quit somewhere in the middle of it. (part 8 didn't work, but then I started clicking on everything :D)

http://www.webupd8.org/2010/11/fix-hda-intel-realtek-alc887-no-sound.html
I found a link somewhere that would reload the sound after doing these steps so I didn't have to reboot. I still rebooted. I can't find the link to the command that reloaded it all.

I also followed probably 20 other tutorials with tons of steps similar to that above, sometimes with a few lines different. And the comments are always "Thank you! That worked!" But so far, nothing has worked for me.

I'm afraid I could have really screwed the pooch (messed up -- not sure if that idiom translates well :D). So, does anyone have any ideas?

I was thinking of reinstalling Linux and trying a few things. I'm currently on a newer version running off my USB stick, but it doesn't recognize my sound card at all, it seems. So I'll go back to my previous version.

What's the current volume set at? Have you made sure the master volume isn't muted?

(This sounds silly, but I actually have had this issue before; someone thought mute would be a good default volume.)

Yes. It's set to 100%. I found a nice sit with handy scripts that un-mute absolutely everything. Sound is definitely on and unmuted.

I can confirm that b/c I can hear me talk through the front speakers when I talk into the mic (when I turn up the front mic volume).

Thanks!

I was just working on the first link and now I have "Dummy Audio." So that's worse. :)

I think I'm all updated. But I think I'll try upgrading to Rosa here in a second. Maybe that will restore something. :)

P.S. Definitely using the right audio. HDMI is listed through my nVidia, but it's all disabled (or was -- it's not there now)

I worked on it some more last night to no avail. I'm going to try to "repair" my installation and see if I can't get it to where it recognizes the card again. And then from there (if it works), I'll try some of the non-permanent solutions people have recommended.

If you didn't install a new kernel yourself then it will still be using whatever kernel it had when you installed it (3.16 for Mint 17.2, 3.19 for Mint 17.3) - it'll never upgrade the kernel unless you specifically tell it to do so. Since you can't remember everything you tried a clean install with Mint 17.3 might be the best option, just in case you've made any changes that might cause further issues.

I did upgrade to the newest kernel manually. I can't remember the number, but it was at the bottom of the list and had the highest number. :)

The first link I provided had a dead link for the driver, so used my best guess for a driver and that made it a "dummy" sound card. So Linux won't see it anymore.

Maybe I'll contact Realtek and see if they can direct me to the right driver.

Anyhoots, I'm trying to avoid a clean install, but it wouldn't be the worst thing. I didn't make partitions last time, so it'd be nice to get Linux on a partition and everything else on another so I don't lose everything every time I want to install a new distro.

I still have much to learn about Linux!

If you reinstall just make a backup of your home directory and that should take care of backing up all of your data & user settings

Thanks! I'll do that.

I found this:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=180643&p=937161&hilit=choppy+sound&sid=7871f36a3579dd99f873b52aa5b75fe

That may get me to revert back to my non-dummy audio.

That won't do it, that'll install the 3.13 kernel

Linux 3.16 was released on August 3rd, 2014.

There is a commit dated November 12 or December 11 (2014-11-12) that fixes a problem with no sound after rebooting from Windows.
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=394c97f824fa6b62351fe08b722fff2fc5188bfc

Maybe try a kernel version released after that commit? 3.19 or later should do.

I'll give that a go after I reinstall Linux tonight. I don't have Windows, so I don't know if that will help. But I'll try it anyway!

My plan right now is to:

- back up Home director
- reformat my HD so I have a home directory on a partition, the OS on another, and a swap partition
- Reinstall Linux Mint (the latest version -- I got the ISO last night)
- Upgrade to the newest Kernel and install all other updates
- Test the sound
- Try altering the alsa-base.conf file as shown here: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/11/fix-hda-intel-realtek-alc887-no-sound.html (I like this solution b/c it was mentioned in this ancient article but I saw it mentioned all the way up until early 2015 on various forums. That said, I doubt it will work.)
- Test
- Beg for more help
- Be depressed
- Go outside and be thankful for life
- Get back to it. :)

Linux Mint 17.3 already has kernel 3.19 installed. Just update Mint through update manager after you reinstall and it should pull down all the updates since 17.3 version appeared.

I got it fixed! After a fresh install (this time with /home on a separate partition!),I don't know which kernel makes it work, but I used the newest Kernel, rebooted, and it detected it. Now i have sound. Thanks guys!