[WORKAROUND FOUND] Samsung Chromebook Pro with LMDE Installation Audio Not Fixed

[cu-glas]

Describe the bug
As it says on the tin. I ran the script as instructed and rebooted the Chromebook. Despite this, audio is still not working. I will give more details if needed, but that's pretty much the long and short of it. I've retried the script about three times now.

Boardname
CAROLINE Board

Logs
Log output attached.
debug-logs-Caroline-2024-12-25_20h14m.tar.gz

[cu-glas]

I did finally get this working. Turns out the custom kernel (6.6.58-chrultrabook or something like that) was the issue. Changing the kernel to a 6.11 kernel, don't remember the specific one, and running the script again without letting it set up the custom kernel fixed the problem after a reboot. I'm not going to close this issue because this is still a problem. The kernel that the audio script installs seems to be broken on at least CAROLINE boards and potentially others. This warrants further investigation and if the custom kernel is causing these issues it shouldn't be recommended by this script or installed by it until the issue is resolved.

[Porroe]

@cu-glas which kernel did you use? I reinstalled and tried to change kernel but had no success with 6.11.10-1-bpo12+1

[cu-glas]

I don't remember and unfortunately cannot check as I gave it away as a gift. If that kernel isn't working, try others. If multiple aren't, it might be another issue.

[TheBrycigan]

After about a year, I brushed the dust off my old Caroline and tried to get Arch Linux back on it. I started with upgrading firmware from mrchromebox. This puts my firmware version at 2408.1. I can't seem to get audio working on this device. I've tried reinstalling Arch Linux with different kernels from the archives. I tried 6.9.7-arch1-1 and 6.8.8-arch1-1 to no avail. I remember this being as easy as running the script. Maybe there is an issue compounded by a firmware change in coreboot?

Would anyone mind sharing their firmware and kernel version on the Samsung Chromebook Pro (Caroline) and whether audio is working? I'd be interested in other Skylake devices too.

[morninglark]

I've tried multiple combinations of distros and kernel versions on my Samsung Chromebook Pro [Caroline], all to no avail. Something seems to have broken the setup-audio script on Caroline.

[WeirdTreeThing]

Can you all generate debug logs and send them

[cu-glas]

@Porroe @morninglark @TheBrycigan You mentioned changing the kernel but what you didn't mention and what I needed to do even after changing the kernel is re-running the audio script. Make sure to not let the script change your kernel again. Also, the bug report that I mentioned this problem in (#185) has a solution in the post that has helped a few people. Might be worth a look. Other than that, just make a report with your own logs. Might be a new issue that needs fixing unrelated to this one.

[norgaston]

Hello, I have the same audio problem with a PRIMUS (Lenovo Thinkpad C14). I have tried some things I read here, without success. I am attaching the file so you can help me if possible. Thank you

debug-logs-Primus-2025-01-25_19h49m.tar.gz

[WeirdTreeThing]

Primus is a completely different device, make a new issue.

[morninglark]

@WeirdTreeThing Sure. I went with a reinstall of PopOS because I know the kernel is a newer one. Ran the setup-audio script a couple times with a reboot between each, trying a couple different options. Nothing.

@cu-glas Thanks for asking the question. I should've given more details. Yes, I would install the kernel, reboot with the new kernel, and then run the setup-audio script while preventing the kernel from changing during the running of the setup-audio script.

Thanks for anything you got. I recognize the work you've put into all this and really appreciate it.

debug-logs-Caroline-2025-01-25_21h44m.tar.gz

[Porroe]

Hello, thanks to everyone for the help with this issue. I tried the following with no luck:

1. Fresh install of LMDE
2. Run script, choose not to install kernel
3. Reboot
4. No audio

After that, tried this:

1. Update kernel via sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports linux-image-amd64 linux-headers-amd64 and got Debian 6.12.9-1~bpo12+1 (2025-01-19)
2. Run script, choose not to install kernel
3. Reboot
4. No Audio

After that, tried the following:

1. Run script with --branch syntax-7, choose not to install kernel
2. Reboot
3. No Audio

Logs are attached:

debug-logs-Caroline-2025-01-27_21h37m.tar.gz

I appreciate all the help!

[morninglark]

I followed the instructions in #224 and managed to get the audio working. I believe that after you've run the audio script and rebooted, the devices will show up in the configuration tab of pavucontrol. I had to fiddle around with pavucontrol setting and the alsamixer, but figured it out by trial and error. Weirdly, it seems like the audio only works once pavucontrol has been started. So I wrote a script to start pavucontrol at login and then just close it. It's a workaround for sure, but it worked for me!

This is in popOS, with the following kernel: 6.9.3-76060903-generic

[TheBrycigan]

@cu-glas I ran the script just after installing Linux. The kernel did not change.

Edit: I just realized you were doing this on Debian. Arch doesn't involve a custom kernel. Perhaps this warrants a new issue?

[TheBrycigan]

@WeirdTreeThing

Arch Linux (6.8.8-arch1-1)
./setup-audio with no arguments
debug-logs-Caroline-2025-01-30_14h39m.tar.gz

[WeirdTreeThing]

Why is your kernel so old.

[WeirdTreeThing]

Incompatible syntax 7 in avs_dmic.conf
How are you on arch with packages this old?

[TheBrycigan]

@WeirdTreeThing I'm using an old version of Arch by pointing my mirrorlist to the archives. I did this to see if it would work since it doesn't seem to work with the latest kernel. I just remembered that your script probably loads ucm2 profiles... so maybe this was silly. I'll update and post a new debug.

[WeirdTreeThing]

btw I ran fedora with the latest kernel on my asus c302 which uses the same drivers and everything worked as expected.

[TheBrycigan]

Updated everything, rebooted, reran the script (got internal mic), rebooted, no dice. I'll try fedora at some point.

6.12.10-arch1-1
debug-logs-Caroline-2025-01-30_16h30m.tar.gz

[WeirdTreeThing]

Did you enable the debug modprobe config? Dmesg is overly verbose and is missing all of the important info.

[WeirdTreeThing]

So I see an issue with the speaker codec UCM, pushing a fix right now.

[WeirdTreeThing]

In theory the speakers should work now

[TheBrycigan]

That did it! I'm very grateful for your time and resources in maintaining this repo.

I didn't do anything with modprobe. Upgrading with pacman from such an old version seemed to break some things. It caused stability issues and probably dmesg spam. I did a fresh install before continuing.

Thanks again. Speakers are working on Caroline with Arch Linux. I would send a few bucks your way if I could find a way.

[WeirdTreeThing]

I'm very grateful for your time and resources in maintaining this repo.

Thanks!

I would send a few bucks your way if I could find a way.

There's a link at the bottom of the README