[Solved] Upgraded from Debian 11 to 12, sound no longer working

[Joebob]

I did an in-place upgrade from Debian 11.11 to 12.7. One issue that occurred was no sound devices being seen in KDE anymore. I dual boot, and the sound continues to work in Windows, so this is not a hardware issue. My user is in the audio group. I removed ~/.config/pulse but that did nothing; it was regenerated and I rebooted, still no sound. Aplay will list the desired device, but it will not play the test file. I would like the audio to play from the Realtek ALCS1200A device. Looking at https://wiki.debian.org/ALSA#Wrong_card_used_by_default I'm not sure what entries I would use to specify the device order, or if that's even what I would need to do to fix it. Some command output that may be helpful:

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joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$  cat /proc/asound/cards 
 0 [NVidia         ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0xf7080000 irq 110
 1 [Generic        ]: HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
                      HD-Audio Generic at 0xf7a00000 irq 112
 2 [C920           ]: USB-Audio - HD Pro Webcam C920
                      HD Pro Webcam C920 at usb-0000:0b:00.3-4, high speed
joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HP ZR2440w]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [DELL S2522HG]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALCS1200A Analog [ALCS1200A Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ inxi -SAGxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-25-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GA102 [GeForce RTX 3080 Lite Hash Rate] driver: nvidia
    v: 535.183.01 arch: Ampere bus-ID: 09:00.0
  Device-2: Logitech C920 PRO HD Webcam type: USB
    driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus-ID: 5-4:5
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X:
    loaded: nvidia gpu: nvidia resolution: 1: 1920x1200~60Hz 2: 1920x1080~60Hz
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 535.183.01 renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX
    3080/PCIe/SSE2 direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GA102 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 5-4:5
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: ASRock
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 0b:00.4
  Device-3: Logitech C920 PRO HD Webcam type: USB
    driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-25-amd64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 0.3.65 status: active
  Server-2: PulseAudio v: 16.1 status: off (using pipewire-pulse)
joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Right.wav
Playing WAVE '/usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Right.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono
ALSA lib pcm_pulse.c:758:(pulse_prepare) PulseAudio: Unable to create stream: Timeout

aplay: set_params:1416: Unable to install hw params:
ACCESS:  RW_INTERLEAVED
FORMAT:  S16_LE
SUBFORMAT:  STD
SAMPLE_BITS: 16
FRAME_BITS: 16
CHANNELS: 1
RATE: 48000
PERIOD_TIME: 125000
PERIOD_SIZE: 6000
PERIOD_BYTES: 12000
PERIODS: 4
BUFFER_TIME: 500000
BUFFER_SIZE: 24000
BUFFER_BYTES: 48000
TICK_TIME: [0 0]

[sunrat]

Use code tags for terminal text, errors etc. please. Fixed it for you this time.

Sound can be tricky with multiple devices so one solution may not work while others might.
Try going into the Configuration tab of pavucontrol and set the HDMI device to Off.

Both the devices use snd_hda_intel driver so you can't specify default using that. Did you try the second option in that wiki link?
Create a file /etc/modprobe.d/sound.conf with this content:

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options snd_hda_intel index=1,0

^This one usually works for me.

Default card may also be set by pressing F6 in alsamixer which is part of alsa-utils package.

Edited: correct filename is sound.conf, not just sound as previously written..

[Joebob]

Try going into the Configuration tab of pavucontrol and set the HDMI device to Off.

There were no devices listed on any tab. This squares with KDE's volume control reporting "No output or input devices found."

Both the devices use snd_hda_intel driver so you can't specify default using that. Did you try the second option in that wiki link?
Create a file /etc/modprobe.d/sound with this content:

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options snd_hda_intel index=1,0

^This one usually works for me.

I just attempted this and restarted. Same result for the playback, the only change was the output of:

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joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ cat /proc/asound/cards 
 0 [C920           ]: USB-Audio - HD Pro Webcam C920
                      HD Pro Webcam C920 at usb-0000:0b:00.3-4, high speed
 1 [NVidia         ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0xf7080000 irq 110
 2 [Generic        ]: HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
                      HD-Audio Generic at 0xf7a00000 irq 112

Default card may also be set by pressing F6 in alsamixer which is part of alsa-utils package.

Attempted this too, but no change. I am unclear on how to ensure that the selection I made was saved after exiting, so I am unsure if that took.

[sunrat]

@Joebob Sorry I made a slight error in my advice. The file in /etc/modprobe.d/ needs to be sound.conf not just sound. Any filename ending in .conf should work. I edited my previous post to show the correct name.
I just checked back in my system and realised this.

As your webcam is also detected as a sound card, you may need to include it in the file, so in /etc/modprobe.d/sound.conf :

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options snd_hda_intel index=1,0,2

or maybe:

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options snd_hda_intel index=1,2,0

In my defence, the wiki was wrong and said just to use sound as the filename. I just edited the wiki to correct.

[Joebob]

Thank you @sunrat but unfortunately renaming the conf file and including the webcam didn't work either. I did tell the webcam to use the snd-usb-audio driver as that's what the above inxi output appeared to tell me to use. After the reboot, here's what I have:

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joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound.conf 
options snd_hda_intel index=1,0
options snd-usb-audio index=2

joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [Generic        ]: HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
                      HD-Audio Generic at 0xf7a00000 irq 112
 1 [NVidia         ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0xf7080000 irq 110
 2 [C920           ]: USB-Audio - HD Pro Webcam C920
                      HD Pro Webcam C920 at usb-0000:0b:00.3-4, high speed
                      
joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALCS1200A Analog [ALCS1200A Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HP ZR2440w]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [DELL S2522HG]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Right.wav
Playing WAVE '/usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Right.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono
ALSA lib pcm_pulse.c:758:(pulse_prepare) PulseAudio: Unable to create stream: Timeout

aplay: set_params:1416: Unable to install hw params:
ACCESS:  RW_INTERLEAVED
FORMAT:  S16_LE
SUBFORMAT:  STD
SAMPLE_BITS: 16
FRAME_BITS: 16
CHANNELS: 1
RATE: 48000
PERIOD_TIME: 125000
PERIOD_SIZE: 6000
PERIOD_BYTES: 12000
PERIODS: 4
BUFFER_TIME: 500000
BUFFER_SIZE: 24000
BUFFER_BYTES: 48000
TICK_TIME: [0 0]

pavucontrol still has nothing, as does KDE's volume control.

[sunrat]

Let's try for a bit more info.

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inxi -ACSxxz

You may need to install inxi.
And:

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apt list -i *pulse* *pipewire*

When I upgraded 11 > 12 it installed Pipewire and I had to remove it to get Pulseaudio back. Not sure if that's your issue, it should work anyway, but worth knowing.

[Joebob]

inxi:

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joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ inxi -ACSxxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-25-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 dm: SDDM Distro: Debian
    GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
CPU:
  Info: 6-core model: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 2
    rev: 0 cache: L1: 384 KiB L2: 3 MiB L3: 32 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2390 high: 3924 min/max: 2200/4208 boost: enabled cores:
    1: 2200 2: 1965 3: 2200 4: 2105 5: 3764 6: 2197 7: 1961 8: 1963 9: 3924
    10: 2105 11: 2200 12: 2105 bogomips: 86401
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GA102 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    pcie: bus-ID: 5-4:5 chip-ID: 046d:08e5 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 09:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:1aef
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: ASRock
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 0b:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487
  Device-3: Logitech C920 PRO HD Webcam type: USB
    driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-25-amd64 status: kernel-api with: apulse
    type: pulse-emulator
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 0.3.65 status: active with: pipewire-pulse
    status: active
  Server-2: PulseAudio v: 16.1 status: off (using pipewire-pulse)

Looks like they're both installed.

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joebob@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~$ apt list -i *pulse* *pipewire*
Listing... Done
apulse/stable,now 0.1.13-2 amd64 [installed]
libcanberra-pulse/stable,now 0.30-10 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libkf5pulseaudioqt3/stable,now 1.3-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libkpipewire5/stable,now 5.27.5-3 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpipewire-0.3-0/stable,now 0.3.65-3+deb12u1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpipewire-0.3-modules/stable,now 0.3.65-3+deb12u1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpulse-mainloop-glib0/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpulse0/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libpulse0/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 i386 [installed,automatic]
libpulsedsp/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pipewire-bin/stable,now 0.3.65-3+deb12u1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pipewire-pulse/stable,now 0.3.65-3+deb12u1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pipewire/stable,now 0.3.65-3+deb12u1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pulseaudio-module-gsettings/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pulseaudio-utils/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
pulseaudio/stable,now 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 amd64 [installed,automatic]

root@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~# aptitude search pipewire | grep ^i
i A libkpipewire5 - KDE's Pipewire libraries - libkpipewire5 library
i A libpipewire-0.3-0 - libraries for the PipeWire multimedia server
i A libpipewire-0.3-modules - libraries for the PipeWire multimedia server - modules
i A pipewire - audio and video processing engine multimedia server
i A pipewire-bin - PipeWire multimedia server - programs
i A pipewire-pulse - PipeWire PulseAudio daemon

root@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~# aptitude search pulse | grep ^i
i  apulse - PulseAudio emulation for ALSA
i A libcanberra-pulse - PulseAudio backend for libcanberra
i A libkf5pulseaudioqt3 - Pulseaudio bindings library for Qt
i A libpulse-mainloop-glib0 - PulseAudio client libraries (glib support)
i A libpulse0 - PulseAudio client libraries
i A libpulse0:i386 - PulseAudio client libraries
i A libpulsedsp - PulseAudio OSS pre-load library
i A pipewire-pulse - PipeWire PulseAudio daemon
i A pulseaudio - PulseAudio sound server
i A pulseaudio-module-gsettings - GSettings module for PulseAudio sound server
i A pulseaudio-utils - Command line tools for the PulseAudio sound server

FWIW, the packages.dpkg file I took when upgrading had a few of those packages listed as installed already, and sound was working prior to that upgrade with them installed:

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$ grep pipewire packages.dpkg
libpipewire-0.3-0:amd64                         install
libpipewire-0.3-modules:amd64                   install
pipewire:amd64                                  install
pipewire-bin                                    install

[sunrat]

OK so you have both Pipewire and Pulseaudio installed. This has been shown to be a problem in other topics on the forum.
I looked back through my apt history and found I did this after upgrading 11 > 12:

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apt purge pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber

Then reboot.
It's a big hammer but hopefully it works.

That said, I have Pipewire working well in a separate Trixie install. That was a fresh install a while ago. I vaguely recall have to jump through some hoops there, maybe removing pulseaudio. You could try that instead if you're game (make a system backup first) but pipewire in Stable is ancient so you'd have to install the latest version from Backports. There is a metapackage called pipewire-audio which should remove pulseaudio and install the required pipewire packages. Use the Backports version if you wish to try that - https://packages.debian.org/bookworm-ba ... wire-audio

[Joebob]

I removed pipewire. Specifically:

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root@DESKTOP-300RKCR:~# aptitude remove pipewire
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libpipewire-0.3-modules{u} pipewire pipewire-bin{u}
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 3 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 4,809 kB will be freed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 pipewire-pulse : Depends: pipewire (= 0.3.65-3+deb12u1) but it is not going to be installed
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1)     pipewire-pulse [0.3.65-3+deb12u1 (now, stable)]



Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] Y
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libpipewire-0.3-modules{u} pipewire pipewire-bin{u} pipewire-pulse{a}
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 4 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 4,857 kB will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Y
(Reading database ... 353994 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing pipewire-pulse (0.3.65-3+deb12u1) ...
Removing pipewire:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1) ...
Removing pipewire-bin (0.3.65-3+deb12u1) ...
Removing libpipewire-0.3-modules:amd64 (0.3.65-3+deb12u1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.11.2-2) ...

Wireplumber was not installed. No other dependencies were removed, thankfully. Rebooted, and KDE's volume control listed devices, sound comes through in Youtube videos.

Thank you for your assistance.

[sunrat]

Wireplumber was not installed. No other dependencies were removed, thankfully. Rebooted, and KDE's volume control listed devices, sound comes through in Youtube videos.

Thank you for your assistance.

Glad I could help. Solution was not clear until I realised you had both Pipewire and Pulseaudio and I remembered having a similar issue.

Thanks for marking solved, it may help others.