Ubuntu 8.04 (Linux) problems.....

[lightfoot]

Hi Martin and any other Linux/Ubuntu users,

Sorry this post has nothing to do with renewables, but I know some of the forum members are into Linux based operating systems etc..........

For one reason or another I am on my third laptop in two years and this latest one actually belongs to the Mrs.  I must admit to being a bit of a Luddite when it comes to computers, especially when it comes to trying to fix the poxy things 

For the last couple of laptops (both of which are old Toshiba Tecra T9100's), I have ditched MS Windows in favour of Ubuntu 8.04 which dose everything I/we need from a computer and more.  However after loading it onto the latest Tecra, there appears to be no sound, even though it worked fine before (with Windows) and it worked ok with my other identical Tecra 

I have tried reinstalling/upgrading and following the various Ubuntu help files etc, but I can't get to the bottom of it and I just seem to reach a dead end all the time.  I have even tried posting the following details on a number of Ubuntu/Linux forums, but still didn't get much help.  So I gave up and have been limping by without sound for some months now, but there are times when it could be really handy and I was wondering if any of you guys & girls knew what the problem may be and how to fix it, as I am sure (hope) it must be something straight forwards, but I can't seem to see the wood for the trees.... 

Anyway here's a copy of what I posted on the Ubuntu/Linux forums....sorry for the long post, but any help will be much appreciated.....coz it's driving me crazy   



I've just loaded Ubuntu 8.04 onto a Toshiba Tecra T9100 and have no sound. My volume icon has a red warning sign over it, clicking the icon gives me an error window that says "No volume control Gstreamer plugins and/or devices found(I also have another identical laptop on which the sound works ok ....but has other problems).

So I started following the instructions on the Comprehensive Sound Problem Solutions Guide thread....

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=205449

Step 1....

rachel@rachel-laptop:~$ aplay -l
aplay: device_list:205: no soundcards found...

Step 2....

rachel@rachel-laptop:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82845 845 [Brookdale] Chipset Host Bridge (rev 04)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82845 845 [Brookdale] Chipset AGP Bridge (rev 04)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 42)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801CAM ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801CAM IDE U100 Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. SuperSavage IX/C SDR (rev 05)
02:07.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments TSB43AB22/A IEEE-1394a-2000 Controller (PHY/Link)
02:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82801CAM (ICH3) PRO/100 VE (LOM) Ethernet Controller (rev 42)
02:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
02:0b.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
02:0b.1 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
02:0d.0 System peripheral: Toshiba America Info Systems SD TypA Controller (rev 03)

Am I right in saying that no sound card is listed and should there be something like this be listed....

00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)

I checked to see if it was disabled in the systems BIOS, but found no mention of a sound card?...So what do I do next, can I reinstall it from somewhere ?



Sorry this is all very new to me and as I've said, I haven't got much of clue when it comes to computers....I'm more your old school pencil and paper kind of guy and water and wood is more my thing, so go gentle 

Cheer's

Lightfoot.

[martin]

tried system - prefs - sound?

[lightfoot]

Yes, I've had a good look in there....not so much as a system beep !

Everything is set to Autodetect apart from Audio conferencing sound capture, which is set to ASLA

When I click on the Music and Movies test button,  I get the following message....

"audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink profile=music: Failed to connect stream: Invalid argument"


....poxy thing, where's my abacus 

[rhys]

In step 2 did you type     lspci -v    presumably the -v switch does something, maybe just lists sound cards?

[lightfoot]

rachel@rachel-laptop:~$ lspci-v
bash: lspci-v: command not found
rachel@rachel-laptop:~$

[lightfoot]

Sorry I didn't leave a space after the lspci bit, so now this is what I get....


rachel@rachel-laptop:~$ lspci -v
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82845 845 [Brookdale] Chipset Host Bridge (rev 04)
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
   Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
   Capabilities: <access denied>

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82845 845 [Brookdale] Chipset AGP Bridge (rev 04) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 64
   Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=64
   Memory behind bridge: ffe00000-ffefffff
   Prefetchable memory behind bridge: d6000000-dfffffff

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #1 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
   I/O ports at efe0 [size=32]

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #2 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
   I/O ports at ef80 [size=32]

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801CA/CAM USB Controller #3 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
   I/O ports at 1000 [size=32]

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 42) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
   Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=0c, sec-latency=64
   I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
   Memory behind bridge: ff900000-ff9fffff

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801CAM ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 02)
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801CAM IDE U100 Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
   I/O ports at 01f0
   I/O ports at 03f4
   I/O ports at 0170
   I/O ports at 0374
   I/O ports at cfa0 [size=16]
   Memory at 30000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. SuperSavage IX/C SDR (rev 05) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 248, IRQ 11
   Memory at ffe80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
   Memory at dc000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
   Memory at d8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
   Memory at d6000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
   Expansion ROM at ffe00000 [disabled] [size=64K]
   Capabilities: <access denied>

02:07.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments TSB43AB22/A IEEE-1394a-2000 Controller (PHY/Link) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
   Memory at ff907000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
   Memory at ff900000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
   Capabilities: <access denied>

02:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82801CAM (ICH3) PRO/100 VE (LOM) Ethernet Controller (rev 42)
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems EtherExpress PRO/100 VE
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
   Memory at ff9ff000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
   I/O ports at df40 [size=64]
   Capabilities: <access denied>

02:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
   Subsystem: Lucent Technologies Unknown device ab01
   Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 11
   Memory at ff904000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
   Bus: primary=02, secondary=03, subordinate=04, sec-latency=176
   Memory window 0: 34000000-37fff000 (prefetchable)
   Memory window 1: 38000000-3bfff000
   I/O window 0: 0000d000-0000d0ff
   I/O window 1: 0000d400-0000d4ff
   16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001

02:0b.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 168, IRQ 11
   Memory at ff905000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
   Bus: primary=02, secondary=05, subordinate=08, sec-latency=0
   Memory window 0: 3c000000-3ffff000 (prefetchable)
   Memory window 1: 40000000-43fff000
   I/O window 0: 0000d800-0000d8ff
   I/O window 1: 0000dc00-0000dcff
   16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001

02:0b.1 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support (rev 32)
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 168, IRQ 11
   Memory at ff906000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
   Bus: primary=02, secondary=09, subordinate=0c, sec-latency=0
   Memory window 0: 44000000-47fff000 (prefetchable)
   Memory window 1: 48000000-4bfff000
   I/O window 0: 00001400-000014ff
   I/O window 1: 00001800-000018ff
   16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001

02:0d.0 System peripheral: Toshiba America Info Systems SD TypA Controller (rev 03)
   Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device 0001
   Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 255
   Memory at ff907800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=512]
   Capabilities: <access denied>

rachel@rachel-laptop:~$



Emmm....not sure what that lot means, but obviously the fonts don't change size in the terminal output as displayed here ?

[martin]

hope you don't mind my going through the "obvious" - I've got a little speaker logo top right on my apps bar, if I click it once, I get a  volume control, double click, and you get a "multiple" volume control - I've found that from time to time you can have the main "volume" set to "max", and one of the "minor" volume controls has been set to low or off............
Of similar ilk, I presume you've tried the "fn" and volume on/off keys?

[lightfoot]

Please feel free to point out any obvious cock-ups I may be making, but as mentioned the speaker icon has a red warning sign over it and when I click on it I get the following error message....

"The volume control did not find any elements and/or devices to control. This means either that you don't have the right GStreamer plug-ins installed, or that you don't have a sound card configured.
You can remove the volume control from the panel by right-clicking the speaker icon on the panel and selecting "Remove From Panel" from the menu."

Or

"No volume control GStreamer plugins and/or devices found"


I have also just tried the "fn" and volume on/off keys and nothing appears to have changed 

[rhys]

I can't see a sound card listed there. What do you get listed on the working Tosh? Did you ever have it working under windows? Sorry yes you said it did!!
Are both laptops running the exact same version of UBUNTU?

[lightfoot]

Yes at the point of death of the first (identical) laptop, they were both running the same version of Ubuntu, which has now been upgraded on the remaining laptop.

[dhaslam]

It is a regular problem with Linux that some things don't work but that applies to XP and Vista  just as much if not more.   The network card on the motherboard of my Linux Server doesn't work so it just means adding another one.  Sound cards are more difficult but you could use an external USB card.  If you do a search on "external USB sound card Linux"  you should find something that doesnt cost the earth.    You might also find an updated driver for the sound card. 

http://www.linux.com/articles/43494

[rhys]

Some things to try
Open System -> Administration -> Update Manager
I think this will pull in the latest build.
Also you could try disabling the autodetect bit you mentsioned earlier, and changing to ASLA if it'll let you

[mespilus]

If all else fails,
might one of these help?

http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/detail.asp?ProductID=3508&CategoryID=99&SubCategoryID=100

[wyleu]

lsmod is your friend.
You'll probably need to be running as root to use it but it will show you loaded modules on the system, and also whats using them.

[lightfoot]

lsmod is your friend.
You'll probably need to be running as root to use it but it will show you loaded modules on the system, and also whats using them.

Hi Wyleu,

Is there any chance that you could you talk me through it, as I'm not sure what you're on about......Sorry I did say I'm pant's at all this.

Cheer's,

Lightfoot.


PS, is this what you are on about.....if so what dose it all mean 

rachel@rachel-laptop:~$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
isofs                  36388  1
udf                    88612  0
ipv6                  267780  8
savage                 33920  2
drm                    82452  3 savage
af_packet              23812  2
rfcomm                 41744  2
l2cap                  25728  13 rfcomm
bluetooth              61156  4 rfcomm,l2cap
ppdev                  10372  0
speedstep_ich           6288  0
speedstep_lib           6532  1 speedstep_ich
cpufreq_powersave       2688  0
cpufreq_userspace       5284  0
cpufreq_stats           7104  0
cpufreq_conservative     8712  0
cpufreq_ondemand        9740  1
freq_table              5536  3 speedstep_ich,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
bay                     6912  0
toshiba_acpi           12100  0
sbs                    15112  0
sbshc                   7680  1 sbs
dock                   11280  1 bay
container               5632  0
iptable_filter          3840  0
ip_tables              14820  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               16132  1 ip_tables
sbp2                   24072  0
lp                     12324  0
orinoco_cs             16396  1
orinoco                42772  1 orinoco_cs
hermes                  8448  2 orinoco_cs,orinoco
pcmcia                 40876  1 orinoco_cs
parport_pc             36260  0
parport                37832  3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
irda                  203068  0
evdev                  13056  4
crc_ccitt               3072  1 irda
serio_raw               7940  0
video                  19856  0
output                  4736  1 video
yenta_socket           27276  5
rsrc_nonstatic         13696  1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core            40596  4 orinoco_cs,pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
battery                14212  0
ac                      6916  0
button                  9232  0
intel_agp              25492  1
agpgart                34760  2 drm,intel_agp
shpchp                 34452  0
pci_hotplug            30880  1 shpchp
iTCO_wdt               13092  0
iTCO_vendor_support     4868  1 iTCO_wdt
psmouse                40336  0
pcspkr                  4224  0
ext3                  136712  1
jbd                    48404  1 ext3
mbcache                 9600  1 ext3
sg                     36880  0
sr_mod                 17956  1
cdrom                  37408  1 sr_mod
sd_mod                 30720  3
ata_piix               19588  3
ata_generic             8324  0
pata_acpi               8320  0
ohci1394               33584  0
e100                   37388  0
mii                     6400  1 e100
ieee1394               93752  2 sbp2,ohci1394
libata                159344  3 ata_piix,ata_generic,pata_acpi
scsi_mod              151436  5 sbp2,sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
uhci_hcd               27024  0
usbcore               146028  2 uhci_hcd
thermal                16796  0
processor              36872  2 thermal
fan                     5636  0
fbcon                  42912  0
tileblit                3456  1 fbcon
font                    9472  1 fbcon
bitblit                 6784  1 fbcon
softcursor              3072  1 bitblit
fuse                   50580  3
rachel@rachel-laptop:~$