Kernels and chromebooks, Oh MY!

[clm1919]

@bigpup
apologies for "going ahead" - i was trying to get as much info out before heading to work. I'm on a short break and will try to do as you asked when i can, and get back to you. Even if this takes a while i will try to do it step-by-step per your instructions from here on out, i PROMISE!!!

TY TY TY!

[bigpup]

If you right click on the tray speaker icon and see a list of items to check.

What you want to check is the device you have selected in the output devices listing.
The one that you selected to use by clicking the green check button.

I told you this Pulse Audio settings program is a confusing mess.

Example:
In my setup.
In output devices tab I have selected built-in Audio analog stereo (my hardware is this device) with port set to line out (plugged in) I have headset plugged into computer.
In the tray speaker right click drop down listing I have selected analog stereo output

[bigpup]

I am starting to think the built-in-audio-pro is a software device and not an actual hardware device.

To make sure we are not pissing into the wind.

Pup-Sysinfo ->Devices ->Audio

Does it list anything?
If yes.
You can copy from it and past into a post what it gives for info.

Something there could be a clue.

[mikewalsh]

I had found this a while back on the intel website (my cpu is the n3350)
audo-firmware-blah-blah-n3350-processor-on-yocto-project

I'm not sure what the phrase "on-yocto-project" means but the *zip file has a *tar and some documentation. There are some *.bin files in the "driver" folder.... and some *.blob files (dunno what those are).

@clm1919 :-

Just FYI, the "Yocto Project" - an "embedded" OS - is what BarryK has based his popular EasyOS around:-

https://www.yoctoproject.org/

Take a look at the Project's releases page, here:-

https://docs.yoctoproject.org/migration ... index.html

....and then take a gander at the forum sub-section for EasyOS:-

viewforum.php?f=63

Have a quick scan through the first half-dozen or so pages there. Recognise any of those release names?

------------------------------------

I did, a few weeks back. I stumbled onto the Project's web-site totally by accident, through following a link from another forum I belong to.....because it was such an "unusual" name. Those release names? They're all mountain passes, geographically located in the UK's stunningly beautiful 'Lake District' National Park in central Cumbria, here in the North-west of Britain.

I posted about this in the EasyOS forum, here:-

viewtopic.php?t=12052

....reminiscing about some of my 'adventures' up there when on holiday in the Lake District, almost 40 years ago.....

------------------------------------

My point being this:-

If this Intel stuff you've discovered has been designed to work with the Yocto Project, then there's an outside chance you MAY get on better with audio if you give EasyOS a try. It's only a suggestion, like, but.....what have you got to lose?

It must at least be worth a look, no? And if you DO decide to take a look, you've got the reassurance of knowing that its developer is none other than the original, gen-u-ine 'PuppyMaster'.......the very same guy that kicked all this off, over 20 years ago. If Barry can't help here, then I really don't know who can...

Mike.

[clm1919]

@bigpup

I am starting to think the pro audio is a software device and not an actual hardware device.

To make sure we are not pissing into the wind.

Pup-Sysinfo ->Devices ->Audio

Does it list anything?
If yes.
You can copy from it and past into a post what it gives for info.

Something there could be a clue.

this seemed easiet to do while i'm working with my student (she's doing some trig problems ATM)

NOTE: this is from the live_USB - no saves - just default stuff. The ONLY change is that i did apt update and installed barrier so i could control it from my other laptop.

▶—— Audio Devices ——◀

Multimedia audio device [0401] Intel Corporation Celeron N3350/Pentium N4200/Atom E3900 Series Audio Cluster [8086:5a98] (rev 0b)
• Kernel Driver snd_hda_intel
• Memory Used 56.00 KB
• Path /lib/modules/6.1.94/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-intel.ko
• Description Intel HDA driver

[bigpup]

That is a good clue.

That does seem to indicate the sound hardware is found and turned on to use.

Here in Puppy Linux, we are all like an old dog, with a bone.

We just will not let it go, until we find the solution!

[clm1919]

my next student hasn't arrived so i have a few minutes. I don't expect that you are waiting around for my response. but just in case you see this while i'm at work...

what would be most helpful right now?

screenshots of the audio controls?
cut & paste the rest of the output from the PuppySysInfo?

woops,she's here. It's MATH TIME!

[bigpup]

First make sure nothing on the keyboard could be turning off internal speakers.
Puppy Linux has never tried to override that by default on laptops.

Go to what I told you on using the sound setup.

See if any of it gets you a working sound output.

My Chromebook gives me better sound with a headset plugged in.
Not even trying to use internal speakers.

Maybe that would make something change, about offered output devices, to select to use.

I am going now, but will check back in a few hours today.

[clm1919]

@bigpup

Home from work with food. Just booted the chromebook with microSD card.

***note*** the things i did earlier were using the Live_USB with no save file (i had forgotten the SD card at home....it has music on it I was listening to on my OTHER <unmodified>chromebook while testing things.)

First make sure nothing on the keyboard could be turning off internal speakers.

My chromebook keyboard has volume control and brightness keys instead of Function keys (and no"fn" key like my other laptops have had). but these don't seem to do any of those things under puppy or Deb12 - for example the "refresh" key (which would be F3) doesn't refresh a webpage. The volume control keys don't do anything under Deb12.

Classic linux combo's I remember like alt+ctrl+f2(right arrow) or alt+f2(right arrow) still work.

Go to what I told you on using the sound setup.

If you right click on the tray speaker icon and see a list of items to check.

the pop up just say's "preferences"

I opened the preferences/volume control

Click on the Output Devices tab.

Are any devices listed?

The same "Dummy output" / No output devices available

--->when i go to the last tab (configuration) "built-inAudio" is there, but the profile is set to "OFF"
The Profile options in the pull-down menu are:

ProAudio

Correct select that.

*selected*

This is where I'm at.

just a note - when i now right click on the volume tray option there are now a list of check boxes, and "pro audio" seems to be checked/selected"

Haven't eaten in 12 hours - food time.

[clm1919]

so yesterday was a very long day - and today starts early (for me) but also ends early (for me)- AND I get to work from home and don't have to commute. So hopefully I can spend some time on projects in the early afternoon EST.

while reviewing my student-notes and prepping for my morning students I decided to try something that i could do pretty much do on auto-pilot (and because i kind of wanted to play with the ventoy_USB).

I booted both the HP14G5 chromebook AND my other linux laptop (win10/deb12/puppy) with the ventoy-stick with several different distro/desktop combos - just to see which machines would play a youtube video or mp3 file "out-of-the-box"

12 reboots and tests later: sound check one-two--FIVE!

when i'm done tutoring for the day I'll come back and see if i can follow more of bigpup's suggestions from yesterday.

sorry @bigpup i just kind of passed out after eating last night.

[clm1919]

@bigpup

The output devices tab.
In the built-in-audio-pro listed
It does or does not have a port entry under it?

none of the three "built in audio pro" rows shows a port

At far right, Is the green check mark clicked on one time by you, only one time? Sorry it gives no indication you did this or not.
This selects it as default device to use.
Also make sure the mute button is not selected. (looks like speaker with a red X). If selected, it kind of grays out the other buttons, and the listing.

There are green check marks on all three Audio Pro options but only the top one is "selected".
The mute button isn't selected (not muted)

Look on the keyboard for something that could be used to turn speakers off/on.
If something is there try using it to turn them on.

i tapped all three "volume control" buttons (mute/-/+)

Then restart the preferences selection and see if Output Devices ->built-in-audio-pro has now a port entry with maybe speakers in it.

no port entry appeared.

*note* - under debian the chromebook reported several "ports" but the only one that worked was just "speakers".
-Iinstead of Audio Pro the options were just "default" or "off"
-By the sound board icon there was the name "Celeron N3350/Pentium N4200/Atom E9000 series Audio Cluster"

[bigpup]

To compare with my Chromebook using BookwormPup64 10.0.7

Do you see anything like this?
.

Screenshot.jpg (28.35 KiB) Viewed 1397 times

.
.

[bigpup]

This is your reported info from Pup-Sysinfo

▶—— Audio Devices ——◀

Multimedia audio device [0401] Intel Corporation Celeron N3350/Pentium N4200/Atom E3900 Series Audio Cluster [8086:5a98] (rev 0b)
• Kernel Driver snd_hda_intel
• Memory Used 56.00 KB
• Path /lib/modules/6.1.94/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-intel.ko
• Description Intel HDA driver

My ChromeBook is also an HP 14 but older version than yours.
This is from My ChromeBook:

▶—— Audio Devices ——◀

Audio device [0403] Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller [8086:0f04] (rev 0e)
• Kernel Driver snd_hda_intel
• Memory Used 56.00 KB
• Path /lib/modules/6.1.94/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-intel.ko
• Description Intel HDA driver

So they are both the same as to driver and modules.

I am starting to think, some ChromeBook setting in the kernel config, needs to be activated, specifically for Your ChromeBook

[clm1919]

[

audio_config_pup.jpeg (27.39 KiB) Viewed 1384 times

now to figure out how to take a screenshot from the Deb12 (I like m-paint)

i wonder if there is an equivalently elegent tool like Pup-Sysinfo on the Deb 12 install

I'd like to see it's output re:

▶—— Audio Devices ——◀

Audio device [0403] Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller [8086:0f04] (rev 0e)
• Kernel Driver snd_hda_intel
• Memory Used 56.00 KB
• Path /lib/modules/6.1.94/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-intel.ko
• Description Intel HDA driver

[clm1919]

under deb12

audio_debian.png (26.42 KiB) Viewed 1383 times

[clm1919]

I am starting to think, some ChromeBook setting in the kernel config, needs to be activated, specifically for Your ChromeBook

there is another volume control panel in Deb 12 - it lists the audio card as "sof-bxtda7219max"

it's not there "out-of-the-box" - it was installed by the script along with the custom kernel.

[clm1919]

@wizard
I really, really, REALLY hope this isn't just spam - but, as a wise man once said

Sometimes you just gotta bang rocks

wizard

so banging the magic "grep" and "lsmod" rocks i got this under Debian12:

~$ lsmod | grep snd
snd_soc_sst_bxt_da7219_max98357a 28672 6
snd_soc_intel_hda_dsp_common 16384 1 snd_soc_sst_bxt_da7219_max98357a
snd_soc_hdac_hdmi 45056 1 snd_soc_sst_bxt_da7219_max98357a
snd_sof_probes 24576 0
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 94208 1
snd_soc_dmic 12288 1
snd_sof_pci_intel_apl 12288 2
snd_sof_intel_hda_common 249856 1 snd_sof_pci_intel_apl
soundwire_intel 81920 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink 36864 2 soundwire_intel,snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_intel_hda 24576 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_pci 24576 2 snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_pci_intel_apl
snd_sof_xtensa_dsp 16384 1 snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof 425984 4 snd_sof_pci,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_probes,snd_sof_intel_hda
snd_sof_utils 16384 1 snd_sof
snd_soc_avs 217088 0
snd_soc_hda_codec 28672 1 snd_soc_avs

....and it goes on.....

I haven't (yet) run the script that installs the "SOF" driver this time around under puppy - because last time that I still didn't get sound (and soon after i somehow broke grub, or x11 or something....I blame the remote desktop software i was trying out...and uninstalled...)

Trying to be more methodical this time - but i really seems (to my limited understanding) there's nothing special about the firmware or drivers, the magic is in WeirdTreeThings kernel - at least for THIS MODEL of chromebook (Apollolake/SNAPPY)

I have a working Lenovo ThinkPad 11e/Yoga Chromebook (G3) (Braswell/ULTIMA) - and it's past it's EOL - so the only way (I know of) to try linux on it is the complete firmware replacement (no ChromeOS restore for mere mortals). And i'm loathe to try it on the only chromebook I use as a chromebook.

[wizard]

@clm1919

Lenovo ThinkPad 11e/Yoga Chromebook (G3)

I have two 11e's from about the same year (2014), if yours has access to the Playstore you can install Firefox Android which will help keep it relevant. Otherwise, there is probably still a way to install mrchromebox RW_Legacy firmware which keeps your ChromeOS.

wizard

[clm1919]

@clm1919

Lenovo ThinkPad 11e/Yoga Chromebook (G3)

I have two 11e's from about the same year (2014), if yours has access to the Playstore you can install Firefox Android which will help keep it relevant. Otherwise, there is probably still a way to install mrchromebox RW_Legacy firmware which keeps your ChromeOS.

wizard

@wizard Thanks for the firefox tip! I'll have to try it.

I have already run the mrchromebox script and the legacy firmware option is grey-out.
It boots to screen where i have to press ctrl-D to boot into ChromeOS. I set it to boot from USB and ctrl-U works, but of course ignores anything other than a chromeOS restore USB. I'm fine with that - it's sitting next to me now in "tent-mode" playing media and keeping my google-sheets work schedule on screen (so i don't forget i have to work this evening

currently playing around with OpenOS on the HP14G5 (darn you @mikewalsh - I can't resist shiny rocks)

SQUIRREL!!!!

[wizard]

@clm1919

I have already run the mrchromebox script and the legacy firmware option is grey-out.

If you have already done a full bios firmware on your 11e it's to late. However, the code for using RW_Legacy has been archived on a couple of sites. One of my 11e's is RW_Legacy, the other is full bios firmware.

Just did a Acer CB3-532 that is EOL and set it up as RW_Legacy from an alternate site.

If you haven't done our 11e, then you should start a new topic here:
viewtopic.php?p=127491&hilit=cb3+532#p127491

wizard

[clm1919]

@clm1919

I have already run the mrchromebox script and the legacy firmware option is grey-out.

If you have already done a full bios firmware on your 11e it's to late.

I just ran the script - the legacy option was greyed out in the menu- so i stopped there - it's just a normal chromebook that boots into "developer mode" first now.

However, the code for using RW_Legacy has been archived on a couple of sites.

One of my 11e's is RW_Legacy, the other is full bios firmware.

ROCKS!!!!!!!!

Just did a Acer CB3-532 that is EOL and set it up as RW_Legacy from an alternate site.

If you haven't done our 11e, then you should start a new topic here:
viewtopic.php?p=127491&hilit=cb3+532#p127491

More directed homework Beats wandering the forest of infinite knowledge aimlessly - TY TY!

@wizard

[clm1919]

From this day forth I shall refer to the HP14g5 4gb/16gb (Apolo Lake/SNappy) only as: PITA

[bigpup]

@clm1919

On the HP 14g5 using BookwormPup64 10.0.7

In a console(terminal) type this and press enter.

Code: Select all

alsamixer

Make an image of what it shows using menu ->Graphics ->Take a Shot program.
In the program main window.
select Window option.
Click take a shot at the bottom.
The mouse pointer will turn into this: +
Place it on the terminal(console) screen and left mouse button click.

That will make an image file of just the console screen you can attach to a post.

Maybe something in alsamixer could help you or be a clue.

[clm1919]

@bigpup - would it be worth comparing with my Yoga_Puppy's configuration?

alsamixer_output_PITA_Puppy.png (46.38 KiB) Viewed 1286 times

[bigpup]

In alsamixer turn all of those down in level, but I think more is needed.

If you click on F6 (:select sound card) is anything listed other than Pro Audio stuff?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In reading about others with this same issue in Chromebooks with apolo lake

They seem to get it working by having additional firmware installed.

So try this.

In a console(terminal) enter this and press enter.

Code: Select all

apt update

then when that completes.

Code: Select all

apt install firmware-sof-signed

You will need to be running BookwormPup64, with a save file or folder, so this added software will be saved to use.

Reboot making sure save is updated.

Now see if anything changes in the Volume Control ->Configurations tab.

This is a start.
There may be a need to add a specific configuration file.
But first see if this is all that is needed.

[clm1919]

I don't recall updating the firmware (specifically), and i didn't run "the script" on this install.

But I do run apt update / apt upgrade semi ritually on all my Linux installs. (it's a Debian habit that was beaten into me 20+ years ago)

Code: Select all

[quote]# apt install firmware-sof-signed
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
firmware-sof-signed is already the newest version (2.2.4-1).
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.[/quote]

[clm1919]

In alsamixer turn all of those down in level, but I think more is needed.

If you click on F6 (:select sound card) is anything listed other than Pro Audio stuff?

I had closed alsamixer - so i did the 2nd part of your post...1st

I turned all levels down to 50 (just green)

When i hit F6/screen-dim the only entries are:

• default

• default:0 HDA Intel PCH

• and "enter device name..."

default has a "-" on the left margin / same line

[bigpup]

OK.

Try making and adding this config file.

In Rox file manager navigate to /etc/modprobe.d/
right click in an open area and select new ->blank file
Name this file inteldsp.conf

Now left click on the file inteldsp.conf to open it in a text editor (Geany).

Add these line entries in it.
options snd-intel-dspcfg dsp_driver=3
options snd-sof-pci fw_path="intel/sof"

Save change and close text editor program.

Should now have in /etc/modprobe.d/ the config file inteldsp.conf

Now reboot making sure save is updated with the change.

See if anything changes in the Volume Control ->Configuration.

Any help?

[clm1919]

I think there are more HDMI options than there were before - but i'm not 100% sure.

no other change i could see.

AudioConfig_PITA_Puppy.png (372 KiB) Viewed 1263 times

[bigpup]

So you did what I posted and are sure you did it correctly?

I am not trying to be hard on you.
I just know, like me many times in the past, it is easy to not do something correctly, when it is this kind of adding to and editing stuff.

What is at the top of that list?

That image looks like the top of the list is cut off.

For testing sounds use the files in /usr/share/sounds/

Those should always work if sound is working.

Why do I feel this is one of those slap your forehead kind of moments!
There is just some little something needed not yet done.