No Sound in Clear Linux current

[butterflycollector]

Hello,

I have a problem (which I also had a few years ago) - there is no sound in Clear Linux (latest version as of the moment: clr-live 6.12.8-1530). Previously it turned out that the driver for my sound card was disabled in the kernel, but a developer enabled it and it used to be fine. Currently, I test with the live version, as from my previous experience if it has sound, so does the installed version and vice versa. Both speakers make no sound with the speaker test in Gnome Settings -> Sound. Youtube plays videos without sound.

My sound card is Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5 (PCIe) - a fairly common and rather good one. It worked fine in my previous version of Clear Linux (from 2023). My motherboard is ASUS Maximus z790 Dark Hero. I have no exotic / strange hardware. In windows everything is fine.

In the sound settings the Output Device is correctly set to Line Out / Speaker - HDA Creative. The Output meter (for sound level) moves as if there is sound. The volume is way above 0. In alsamixier nothing is muted and all levels are well above 0. The gnome sound bar is fine.

my uname -a is
Linux clr-live 6.12.8-1530.native #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Jan 3 14:35:55 PST 2025 x86_64 GNU/Linux

pavucontrol detects the card correctly and the sound bar is moving when sound is supposed to come out of the speakers.

aplay -L :

null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
front:CARD=PCH
Front output / input
surround21:CARD=PCH
2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=PCH
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=PCH
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=PCH
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=PCH
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=PCH
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, HDMI 1
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=2
HDA NVidia, HDMI 2
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
HDA NVidia, HDMI 3
HDMI Audio Output
sysdefault:CARD=Creative
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
Front output / input
surround21:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Creative,DEV=0
HDA Creative, CA0132 Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
sysdefault:CARD=Audio
USB Audio, USB Audio
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
Front output / input
surround21:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Audio,DEV=0
USB Audio, USB Audio
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
iec958:CARD=Audio,DEV=1
USB Audio, USB Audio #1
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output

lsmod|grep snd gives

snd_seq_dummy 12288 0
snd_hrtimer 12288 1
snd_seq 110592 7 snd_seq_dummy
snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl 12288 0
snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl 24576 1 snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
snd_sof_intel_hda_generic 36864 2 snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
soundwire_intel 73728 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof_intel_hda_common 180224 3 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_soc_hdac_hda 24576 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink 36864 3 soundwire_intel,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof_intel_hda 20480 2 snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof_pci 24576 3 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_sof_xtensa_dsp 12288 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_sof 380928 5 snd_sof_pci,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_sof_utils 16384 1 snd_sof
snd_soc_acpi_intel_match 118784 3 snd_sof_intel_hda_generic,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
snd_soc_acpi 16384 2 snd_soc_acpi_intel_match,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_soc_avs 204800 0
snd_soc_hda_codec 28672 1 snd_soc_avs
snd_hda_ext_core 36864 6 snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink,snd_sof_intel_hda
snd_soc_core 417792 6 snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_hda_codec,soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda
snd_compress 28672 2 snd_soc_avs,snd_soc_core
snd_pcm_dmaengine 16384 1 snd_soc_core
ac97_bus 12288 1 snd_soc_core
snd_hda_codec_ca0132 143360 1
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 98304 1
snd_usb_audio 520192 1
snd_hda_intel 65536 4
snd_intel_dspcfg 40960 5 snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_intel_sdw_acpi 16384 2 snd_intel_dspcfg,snd_sof_intel_hda_generic
snd_usbmidi_lib 53248 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_hda_codec 204800 7 snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_hda_codec_ca0132
snd_ump 32768 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_rawmidi 57344 2 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_ump
snd_seq_device 16384 3 snd_seq,snd_ump,snd_rawmidi
snd_hda_core 147456 10 snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_soc_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_ext_core,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda,snd_hda_codec_ca0132
mc 90112 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_hwdep 20480 2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 208896 15 snd_soc_avs,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec,soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_compress,snd_soc_core,snd_sof_utils,snd_hda_core,snd_hda_codec_ca0132,snd_pcm_dmaengine
snd_timer 49152 3 snd_seq,snd_hrtimer,snd_pcm
snd 139264 27 snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_usb_audio,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof,snd_timer,snd_compress,snd_soc_core,snd_ump,snd_pcm,snd_hda_codec_ca0132,snd_rawmidi
soundcore 12288 1 snd

output from alsa-info.sh
alsa-info.txt

output from sudo dmesg|grep snd
dmesg_snd.txt

output from sudo dmesg|grep sound
dmesg_sound.txt

output from sudo dmesg|grep -i creative
dmesg_creative.txt

output from journalctl
jctl.txt

sudo dmesg | grep firmware gives

[ 0.000000] Command line: initrd=\EFI\org.clearlinux\freestanding-00-early-ucode.cpio initrd=\EFI\org.clearlinux\freestanding-i915-firmware.cpio.zst initrd=\EFI\BOOT\initrd.gz console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8 cryptomgr.notests init=/usr/bin/initra-desktop initcall_debug intel_iommu=igfx_off kvm-intel.nested=1 no_timer_check noreplace-smp page_alloc.shuffle=1 rcupdate.rcu_expedited=1 rootfstype=ext4,btrfs,xfs,f2fs tsc=reliable rw rootwait
[ 0.031477] Kernel command line: initrd=\EFI\org.clearlinux\freestanding-00-early-ucode.cpio initrd=\EFI\org.clearlinux\freestanding-i915-firmware.cpio.zst initrd=\EFI\BOOT\initrd.gz console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8 cryptomgr.notests init=/usr/bin/initra-desktop initcall_debug intel_iommu=igfx_off kvm-intel.nested=1 no_timer_check noreplace-smp page_alloc.shuffle=1 rcupdate.rcu_expedited=1 rootfstype=ext4,btrfs,xfs,f2fs tsc=reliable rw rootwait
[ 5.435083] calling firmware_class_init+0x0/0x140 @ 1
[ 5.435088] initcall firmware_class_init+0x0/0x140 returned 0 after 3 usecs
[ 7.991671] calling firmware_memmap_init+0x0/0x40 @ 1
[ 7.991684] initcall firmware_memmap_init+0x0/0x40 returned 0 after 11 usecs
[ 15.953905] snd_hda_intel 0000:05:00.0: Direct firmware load for ctefx-desktop.bin failed with error -2
[ 16.054733] snd_hda_intel 0000:05:00.0: Direct firmware load for ctefx.bin failed with error -2

BTW, this sound card is "external", meaning on a PCIe slot.

I believe that 2 years ago the problem was in the directive CONFIG_SND_HDA_CODEC_CA0132_DSP for the kernel, which had to be enabled and after a developer did it everything in the next version of Clear Linux was fine. I hope that now it is still as simple as that.

Best Regards and Thank You in advance,
Dobromir

[bwarden]

[ 15.953905] snd_hda_intel 0000:05:00.0: Direct firmware load for ctefx-desktop.bin failed with error -2
[ 16.054733] snd_hda_intel 0000:05:00.0: Direct firmware load for ctefx.bin failed with error -2

At first glance, I see that the driver is failing to load the firmware files ctefx.bin and ctefx-desktop.bin. For some historical reason, they're probably installed under /usr/lib. Can you try moving them to /usr/lib/firmware and rebooting, and reply whether it works? If you're using the actual live image, not the ISO, you should be able to modify the filesystem.

[butterflycollector]

Hello bwarden,

Thank You !!! :D

It works now.

Best Regards,
Dobromir