No sound (dummy output) on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with external speakers

Question

I'm running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on a Dell Inspiron 530. I purchased some external speakers that were working just fine with my machine, but for some reason, now I'm only getting Dummy Output as an output device. I've tried everything included in this post to try and fix the problems with no luck. I've also tried both the front and back port for the 3.5mm speaker output. Still nothing. Headphones also aren't recognized.

Here's my output from pacmd list-sources:

1 source(s) available.
  * index: 0
    name: <auto_null.monitor>
    driver: <module-null-sink.c>
    flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
    state: IDLE
    suspend cause: (none)
    priority: 1000
    volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
            balance 0.00
    base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
    volume steps: 65537
    muted: no
    current latency: 0.00 ms
    max rewind: 16 KiB
    sample spec: s16le 2ch 48000Hz
    channel map: front-left,front-right
                 Stereo
    used by: 0
    linked by: 0
    configured latency: 2000.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
    monitor_of: 0
    module: 13
    properties:
        device.description = "Monitor of Dummy Output"
        device.class = "monitor"
        device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"

my output for inxi -A

Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 82801I HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-40-generic 

and my output for lspci -v | grep -i audio

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Thanks. I've played around a little and could fake what you've got: a dummy monitor only. So I achieved that by playing around with the pavuControl, which is the GUI to pulse audio. If all profiles are turned off, you won't have any sound, so I've turned them on again:

Now my list-sources is much longer. So install pavucontrol, ignore the Gnome sound settings and try to fix your sound. Because your card should work.

In addition check if your pulseaudio is running:

systemctl --user status pulseaudio

and take a look at the logs:

journalctl | grep pulseaudio

Since the latter command displays the whole log, check the date, it might start from some months ago.

Answer 2

I fixed this on my father's computer (also a Dell Inspiron 530) via adding the following to the end of /etc/pulse/default.pa:

set-card-profile alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0 output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
set-sink-port alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo analog-output-lineout

This works around an issue -- on the first line -- where the card profile isn't properly set, and -- on the second line -- where the card defaults to headphones instead of speakers.