No sound input device in Zorin but works from Mint live USB

Hardware Support
1

Hi All

I installed Zorin 18 core last week on my Acer laptop and all is good except sound - No input device and only Dummy output shown. The same thing happens if I boot from the Zorin live USB. Oddly though if I boot from a Linux Mint live USB the sound works fine. I've tried about 20 suggestions on the forum to no avail. Pulse audio system tray also shows no inputs.

I wondered if it's possible to somehow get whatever drivers are in Mint into my Zorin install as I like the look of Zorin and would prefer to stick with it.

The system is seeing the soundcard as you can see here - it's just not using it!

Thanks

System:
Host: Steve-Aspire-4820T Kernel: 6.14.0-37-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64
Desktop: GNOME v: 46.0 Distro: Zorin OS 18 noble
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Acer product: Aspire 4820T v: V1.25
serial:
Mobo: Acer model: JM41_CP serial: BIOS: INSYDE
v: 1.25 date: 03/16/2011
Audio:
Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
driver: snd_hda_intel
API: ALSA v: k6.14.0-37-generic status: kernel-api
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.5 status: active

2

I read in another thread that an Z18 update included kernel 6.17 (was 6.14 as you have stated).
Have you used the Software Updater to see if there are any outstanding OS Updates for you?

EDIT: I have since read that Linux Mint 22.2 and 22.3 ship with kernel 6.14.
Is that what you find when you boot LM?

3

Welcome to the Forum!

When You are in Pulse Audio what Output Options do You have?

4

Hi. The only output option I have is Dummy Output. I've just done a syetem update and still have the same problem. This is the version I'm on:

System Details Report

Report details

  • Date generated: 2026-02-06 10:34:50

Hardware Information:

  • Hardware Model: Acer Aspire 4820T
  • Memory: 8.0 GiB
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 M 370 Ă— 4
  • Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics (ILK)
  • Disk Capacity: 250.1 GB

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: V1.25
  • OS Name: Zorin OS 18 Core
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • Windowing System: X11
  • Kernel Version: Linux 6.17.0-14-generic
5

Thanks, yes there were some updates which I've applied and rebooted but sadly it's not made any difference. As I say the odd thing is that a Mint live USB gives me sound but the Zorin live USB doesn't. My system:

System Details Report

Report details

  • Date generated: 2026-02-06 10:34:50

Hardware Information:

  • Hardware Model: Acer Aspire 4820T
  • Memory: 8.0 GiB
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 M 370 Ă— 4
  • Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics (ILK)
  • Disk Capacity: 250.1 GB

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: V1.25
  • OS Name: Zorin OS 18 Core
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • Windowing System: X11
  • Kernel Version: Linux 6.17.0-14-generic
6

Okay, let's try the Following:

Open the Terminal and type sudo nano /etc/default/grub to work on the GRUB Config File. Then You should see a white Textblock:

grafik
grafik1832Ă—340 21.6 KB

Add snd_hda_intel.dmic_detect=0 to the Line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT so that it looks like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash snd_hda_intel.dmic_detect=0"

(Don't forget the Quotation Marks!)

Then press ctrl+o to save the Change, Enter to confirm and ctrl+x to exit and come back to the normal Terminal Overview. There type sudo update-grub to make affect the Change. Don't forget that! Without it, it will not work. Then reboot.

7

Websearch using searchterm "Acer Aspire 4820T No sound Ubuntu 24.04"
found: Bug #2132118 “regression - Audio not available on Acer Aspire 48...” : Bugs : linux package : Ubuntu
which leads to: Making sure you're not a bot! (ignore the link title, it is a bot test before bug report can be viewed.)

I don't know if that helps or maybe gives a steer in right direction.

What I have read so far seems confusing, with some finding success with completely different kernels.

Does your alsamixer work? In terminal type:

alsamixer

then hit F6 to list/select soundcard. Post a screenshot.

8

Thanks for the suggestion but I'd tried this previously. My Grub file currently reads:
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null || ec>

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash snd_hda_intel.dmic_detect=0"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

9

Thanks, if I type alsamixer I just get this:

ALSA lib confmisc.c:855:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
ALSA lib conf.c:5204:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_inum returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:422:(snd_func_concat) error evaluating strings
ALSA lib conf.c:5204:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_concat returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1342:(snd_func_refer) error evaluating name
ALSA lib conf.c:5204:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:5727:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib control.c:1570:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL default
cannot open mixer: No such file or directory

10

Can You type aplay -l please?

11

Hi, yes, this is what I get:
aplay: device_list:277: no soundcards found...

12

Okay, try sudo lshw -C multimedia

13

This time I get:
sudo lshw -C multimedia
[sudo] password for steve:
*-usb:0
description: Video
product: 1.3M WebCam
vendor: XPA851G0E
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@1:1.1
version: 0.09
capabilities: usb-2.00
configuration: driver=uvcvideo maxpower=500mA speed=480Mbit/s
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1b
bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
version: 05
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
resources: irq:27 memory:d4400000-d4403fff

14

Hi zabadabadoo, I think you may be onto something with these links which led me to this post Making sure you're not a bot!

When I checked the Linux Mint live USB I was using (the one where sound works) it was using Mint 21 and kernel 5.15. I downloaded the latest Mint 22.3 using the 6.14 kernel and it was broken again. As my Zorin kernel is 6.17 that could be the root of the issue.
Is it possible to roll back my Zorin kernel to 5.15 to see if it gets the soundcard working?
Thanks

15

You can use the mainline installer tool to install kernel 5.15.

After the installation reboot and in grub menu select "advanced options" to select the kernel 5.15 to boot from.

2 Likes
16

Thanks - sound is now working. I actually rolled back to kernel 6.9 and that has sorted it. So my current setup is:

System Details Report

Report details

  • Date generated: 2026-02-07 16:10:46

Hardware Information:

  • Hardware Model: Acer Aspire 4820T
  • Memory: 8.0 GiB
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i3 M 370 Ă— 4
  • Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics (ILK)
  • Disk Capacity: 250.1 GB

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: V1.25
  • OS Name: Zorin OS 18 Core
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • Windowing System: X11
  • Kernel Version: Linux 6.9.0-060900-generic
1 Like
17

Thanks to all involved for your help.

2 Likes
18

Since my last post I've been trying other kernels on my Acer Aspire 4820T. I'm now running kernel 6.15.11 which works fine. But if I move to kernel 6.16 the soundcard is not recognised again. I'll stick with 6.15.11 unless a later kernel gets the soundcard working again.

3 Likes
19

Yes. Just lock in a kernel that works for you.
Do you want to move "Solution" marker to your last post #17 ref kernel 6.15.11, or leave it at post #15 showing 6.9.0 ?
Either way, change of kernel fixed it for you now, (until something better comes along).

1 Like