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Ubuntu 16.04 (unity): sound disappeared all of a sudden.

The only unusual observation is xcb_connection_has_error in:

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
xcb_connection_has_error() returned true authentication.
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: VT1802 Analog [VT1802 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 2: VT1802 Alt Analog [VT1802 Alt Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
# aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
xcb_connection_has_error() returned true authentication.
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1029:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
aplay: main:722: audio open error: No such file or directory
# file /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
/usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav: RIFF (little-endian) data, WAVE audio, Microsoft PCM, 16 bit, mono 48000 Hz

I tried the suggestions in

no luck.

This is System76 gazelle; audio is

# lspci | grep Aud
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller (rev 06)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05)

I tried alsamixer to adjust volume on both cards (HDMA & PCH) to no effect.

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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I recently lost sound on a upgrade. I was able to get my sound to work by running the program "alsamixer" from the command line. My default sound card had changed. I reselected my sound card and checked that the volumes were adequate to get the sound working. You do not say what desktop you are using (gnome3,unity,xfce) so it hard to suggest a graphical method. In gnome3, the gui application found at settings/sound will allow to select your sound card and check your volume levels.

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  • Thanks; I edited the question: I use unity and alamixer does not help.
    – sds
    Jun 21, 2016 at 14:43
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Resetting User Configuration

For some reason, pulseaudio's user configuration files can become corrupt (unsynced?) in some way, and deleting them (and forcing fresh ones to be generated) fixes a no sound condition. After using the command below, log out/in.

Ubuntu 12.10/Quantal (and earlier)

$ rm -r ~/.pulse*; pulseaudio -k

Ubuntu 13.04/Raring (and later)

$ rm -r ~/.config/pulse; pulseaudio -k
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  • Please note that my problem is not user-specific. All users have the same problem. I will try it though, I have nothing to lose :-)
    – sds
    Jan 3, 2017 at 16:33
  • Tried it, no effect.
    – sds
    Jan 8, 2017 at 17:39

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