[Quieter2, Intel Geminilake HDMI, Digital Out, HDMI] Pulseaudio fails to detect card

[Stuart Langridge]

Sound worked fine on this MeLe Quieter2 PC.
An automatic system upgrade happened.
A day later I got the software updater popup showing that there were updates to install, and I installed them.
Then sound didn't work.

Both the automatic update and the manual update involved kernel, hardware, driver stuff, so I do not know which may be responsible.

I know the sound worked at some point before 2022-02-03.

The automatic update on 2022-02-03 installed some kernel/hardware/driver packages:

peter@comeback:~$ grep "\ installed\ " /var/log/dpkg.log | egrep '^2022-02-03'
2022-02-03 06:52:54 status installed linux-libc-dev:amd64 5.4.0-97.110
2022-02-03 06:53:17 status installed linux-hwe-5.13-headers-5.13.0-28:all 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1
2022-02-03 06:53:17 status installed linux-headers-5.13.0-28-generic:amd64 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1
2022-02-03 06:53:17 status installed linux-headers-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 5.13.0.28.31~20.04.15
2022-02-03 06:53:19 status installed linux-image-5.13.0-28-generic:amd64 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1
2022-02-03 06:53:22 status installed linux-modules-5.13.0-28-generic:amd64 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1
2022-02-03 06:53:24 status installed linux-modules-extra-5.13.0-28-generic:amd64 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1
2022-02-03 06:53:24 status installed linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 5.13.0.28.31~20.04.15
2022-02-03 06:53:24 status installed linux-generic-hwe-20.04:amd64 5.13.0.28.31~20.04.15
2022-02-03 06:54:02 status installed linux-image-5.13.0-28-generic:amd64 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1

Another automatic update on 2022-02-04 installed some updates to those:

peter@comeback:~$ grep "\ installed\ " /var/log/dpkg.log | egrep '^2022-02-04'
2022-02-04 06:46:37 status installed linux-headers-5.11.0-46-generic:amd64 5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1
2022-02-04 06:46:45 status installed linux-hwe-5.11-headers-5.11.0-46:all 5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1
2022-02-04 06:46:53 status installed linux-modules-extra-5.11.0-46-generic:amd64 5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1
2022-02-04 06:47:01 status installed linux-image-5.11.0-46-generic:amd64 5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1
2022-02-04 06:47:01 status installed linux-modules-5.11.0-46-generic:amd64 5.11.0-46.51~20.04.1
2022-02-04 06:47:12 status installed libmysqlclient21:amd64 8.0.28-0ubuntu0.20.04.3
2022-02-04 06:47:13 status installed libc-bin:amd64 2.31-0ubuntu9.2

Finally a manual update (prompted by Software Updater in a GUI window) installed more low-level updates (and a bunch of userspace updates too):

2022-02-05 10:52:48 status installed google-chrome-stable:amd64 98.0.4758.80-1
2022-02-05 10:52:49 status installed ubuntu-drivers-common:amd64 1:0.9.0~0.20.04.4
2022-02-05 10:54:37 status installed linux-firmware:all 1.187.25
2022-02-05 10:54:37 status installed openssh-client:amd64 1:8.2p1-4ubuntu0.4
2022-02-05 10:54:37 status installed gdb:amd64 9.2-0ubuntu1~20.04.1
2022-02-05 10:54:38 status installed python3-commandnotfound:all 20.04.5
2022-02-05 10:54:38 status installed syncthing:amd64 1.19.0
2022-02-05 10:54:38 status installed liblightdm-gobject-1-0:amd64 1.30.0-0ubuntu4~20.04.2
2022-02-05 10:54:39 status installed python3-update-manager:all 1:20.04.10.10
2022-02-05 10:54:39 status installed gdbserver:amd64 9.2-0ubuntu1~20.04.1
2022-02-05 10:54:43 status installed ubuntu-advantage-tools:amd64 27.5~20.04.1
2022-02-05 10:54:43 status installed evolution-ews:amd64 3.36.5-0ubuntu1.1
2022-02-05 10:54:44 status installed lightdm:amd64 1.30.0-0ubuntu4~20.04.2
2022-02-05 10:54:45 status installed openssh-sftp-server:amd64 1:8.2p1-4ubuntu0.4
2022-02-05 10:54:48 status installed openssh-server:amd64 1:8.2p1-4ubuntu0.4
2022-02-05 10:54:48 status installed command-not-found:all 20.04.5
2022-02-05 10:54:48 status installed update-manager-core:all 1:20.04.10.10
2022-02-05 10:54:49 status installed systemd:amd64 245.4-4ubuntu3.15
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed man-db:amd64 2.9.1-1
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed dbus:amd64 1.12.16-2ubuntu2.1
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed menu:amd64 2.1.47ubuntu4
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed bamfdaemon:amd64 0.5.3+18.04.20180207.2-0ubuntu2
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed desktop-file-utils:amd64 0.24-1ubuntu3
2022-02-05 10:54:56 status installed mime-support:all 3.64ubuntu1
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed hicolor-icon-theme:all 0.17-2
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed gnome-menus:amd64 3.36.0-1ubuntu1
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed update-manager:all 1:20.04.10.10
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed libglib2.0-0:amd64 2.64.6-1~ubuntu20.04.4
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed libc-bin:amd64 2.31-0ubuntu9.2
2022-02-05 10:54:57 status installed ufw:all 0.36-6ubuntu1
2022-02-05 11:14:10 status installed libnm0:amd64 1.22.10-1ubuntu2.3
2022-02-05 11:14:10 status installed gir1.2-nm-1.0:amd64 1.22.10-1ubuntu2.3
2022-02-05 11:14:13 status installed network-manager:amd64 1.22.10-1ubuntu2.3
2022-02-05 11:14:13 status installed dbus:amd64 1.12.16-2ubuntu2.1
2022-02-05 11:14:13 status installed libc-bin:amd64 2.31-0ubuntu9.2
2022-02-05 11:14:14 status installed systemd:amd64 245.4-4ubuntu3.15
2022-02-05 11:14:18 status installed man-db:amd64 2.9.1-1

I believe that something in this list broke the sound output.

Symptoms:
In Sound Settings and in pavucontrol there is now only a "Dummy Output" entry in Outputs; there should be a "Digital Output (HDMI)" or similar.
(The computer is connected to a monitor by HDMI; this has not failed, or I would not be able to see anything!)
In pavucontrol in "configuration" it says "no cards available for configuration".

Numerous websites suggested adding the following to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:

options snd-hda-intel model=generic
options snd-hda-intel dmic_detect=0

I have tried this and restarted. This makes the HDMI output appear successfully, and according to the VU meter in pavucontrol it thinks that sound is playing when I play sounds in Firefox, Chrome, or Rhythmbox, but importantly there is no actual sound coming from the monitor. (This monitor is the same one as before when sound works, and the HDMI connection has not been touched.)

I have also tried blacklisting snd_soc_skl by adding "blacklist snd_soc_skl" to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and that didn't help either.

I have attached the information from ALSA Information Script v0.5.1 (this probably duplicates the stuff that ubuntu-bug attaches, but there may be useful extras.)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: pulseaudio 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.13
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.13.0-28.31~20.04.1-generic 5.13.19
Uname: Linux 5.13.0-28-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.21
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/by-path', '/dev/snd/controlC0', '/dev/snd/hwC0D2', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D3p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D2p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D1p', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Sun Feb 6 08:43:52 2022
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-11-30 (67 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-MATE 20.04.3 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210819.1)
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
Symptom: audio
Symptom_Card: sof-hda-dsp - sof-hda-dsp
Symptom_Jack: Digital Out, HDMI
Title: [Quieter2, Intel Geminilake HDMI, Digital Out, HDMI] Pulseaudio fails to detect card
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/24/2021
dmi.bios.release: 10.1
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 10.1
dmi.board.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.board.name: Rev GMLR1 1.10
dmi.board.vendor: Fanless Mini PC
dmi.board.version: Default string
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.chassis.type: 35
dmi.chassis.vendor: Fanless Mini PC
dmi.chassis.version: Default string
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr10.1:bd07/24/2021:br10.1:svnFanlessMiniPC:pnQuieter2:pvrDefaultstring:rvnFanlessMiniPC:rnRevGMLR11.10:rvrDefaultstring:cvnFanlessMiniPC:ct35:cvrDefaultstring:sku10000:
dmi.product.family: Fanless Mini PC
dmi.product.name: Quieter2
dmi.product.sku: 10000
dmi.product.version: Default string
dmi.sys.vendor: Fanless Mini PC

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

Note also that when I ran ubuntu-bug and selected that there was an audio problem, I was asked which hardware I was having a problem with, and this window listed the same thing three times. I don't know if this is related, but it doesn't seem good.

× _ [] Apport

What hardware are you having a problem with?

(o) Digital Out, HDMI (sof-hda-dsp - sof-hda-dsp)
( ) Digital Out, HDMI (sof-hda-dsp - sof-hda-dsp)
( ) Digital Out, HDMI (sof-hda-dsp - sof-hda-dsp)
( ) It's not listed here

                                [ Cancel ] [ OK ]

Note also that this occurs while pavecontrol can't find any card at all.