How to make HDAJackRetask work in Ubuntu 20.04?

Question

I am trying to use HDAJackRetask to fix some audio issues. However when I pick some overrides, tell the program to "Install boot override" and reboot I notice no changes and if I open HDAJackRetask again I see no overrides.

This happens on two different laptops running Ubuntu 20.04 with Kernels 5.4.2-050402-generic and 5.4.0-42-generic.

In journalctl I find this, which I guess might be the reason why this isn't working:

Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16195]: 0x12 0x411111f0
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16197]: 0x13 0x40000000
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16199]: 0x14 0x90170151
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16201]: 0x17 0x90170180
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16203]: 0x18 0x411111f0
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16205]: 0x19 0x03a11040
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16207]: 0x1a 0x411111f0
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16209]: 0x1b 0x411111f0
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16211]: 0x1d 0x40600001
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16213]: 0x1e 0x411111f0
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16215]: 0x21 0x03211020
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux hdajackretask.desktop[16217]: 1
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux kernel: snd_hda_codec_realtek ehdaudio0D0: hda-codec: reconfiguring
Jul 21 23:36:08 carlos-linux kernel: snd_hda_codec_realtek ehdaudio0D0: The codec is being used, can't reconfigure.

Does anybody know how to get this to work?

Answer 1

It works for me renaming pulseaudio (autospawned parameter does not work):
sudo mv /usr/bin/pulseaudio /usr/bin/pulseaudiodisabled
killall pulseaudio
then apply the HDAjackretask modification without reboot (you have to run alsamixer and unmute and raise master volume after apply ).
Close alsamixer before testing another setting.
As pulseaudio is disabled, play sound with audio program using alsa (speaker-test, mplayer, vlc...)

then if errors persists , find which program blocks audio: sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*

If ok, install boot override , reboot, and test.
if it is still ok, re-enable pulseaudio :
sudo mv /usr/bin/pulseaudiodisabled /usr/bin/pulseaudio
pulseaudio