Chromebook Acer R11 - CB3 - no sound

[bigpup]

smokey01 is good about putting stuff on his repository.

smokey01 repository
http://www.smokey01.com/

Click on the e-mail icon and send him a message about what you have.

That would be excellent, if you could work up a specific Linux kernel, for chromebooks!!

[bigpup]

Bionicpup64 8.0 has a program for changing the kernel.
Quickpet->Info->Change Kernel
Or
in a terminal

Code: Select all

change_kernels

Unpack the new kernel package.
Basically drag and drop the required file from the new kernel into the correct input slot.
Press OK.
It automatically replaces the installed kernel with the new one.
Reboot to use the new kernel.

This is the repository of Puppy kernels that are packaged the way that allows using this program.
https://ftp.nluug.nl/os/Linux/distr/pup ... e_kernels/
rockedge has some in his repository.
http://rockedge.org/kernels/

[peterw]

Hi bigpup and prell

Smokey01 has very kindly made the kernel and module files available on his server.
http://smokey01.com/software/kernel/hug ... 64.tar.bz2

I will describe how I changed my kernel to test it. I did not know about the programme that bigpup described.

I extracted (by clicking on the tar.bz2 file) to get the two files from the tar and renamed them so that kernel-modules.sfs-4.19.23-bionicpup64 becomes kernel-modules.sfs and vmlinuz-4.19.23-bionicpup64 becomes vmlinuz.
My bionic was a frugal install and I booted up a Puppy and in the bionic directory renamed the zdrv_bionicpup64_8.0.sfs and the vmlinuz by prefacing them with orig. I then added the files that you will have downloaded.
Bionic Puppy booted OK but I had to load my kernel_modules.sfs and in a reboot the extra max98090 was available.

I don't know if I have include the modules needed by all Chromebooks and if any are missing then let me know and it may be worth a recompile of the kernel if I am made aware of what is missing.

In ALSA Sound wizard you may have to select the sound card. If it is stuck on HDMI then try a connecting a TV. In other words, I don't know how it will perform since I do not have the affected Chromebooks to test it on.

I have followed up some of those reports about burnt out speakers. Gallium believe that it was a 3 % of the population problem and that it has gone away. They believe that it could happen before completing booting to the OS but most probably will not happen with the UEFI-ROM. Others think that it is an ALSA issue if the volume is set too high. One guy thought it was a kernel problem because it did not prevent it. From my point of view, I think that it is a hardware problem in that the sound chip should not be able to output so much power that it can burn out speakers. They should have a safe voltage supply to the chip or put zener diodes across the chip power-out to clamp the voltages to a safe level as a bodge. In any event users of the kernel are advised in ALSA to set the volume to a mid-point level.

[bigpup]

Thanks for offering a special kernel!!!
I tried it on my HP Chromebook 14 with bay trail processor.
No help for me.

Looking at info for GalliumOS on their web pages.
Seems they have to have kernels compiled for specific processors that are used in Chromebooks.

Even GalliumOS has sound problems on different Chromebooks

I found the download repository for GalliumOS kernels.
https://apt.galliumos.org/pool/main/l/
Notice they have ones for different processors.

peterw,
Looking at how these kernels are packaged. They are not packaged like Puppy kernels.
Looks like everything needed is here.
It is just scattered around in different deb packages.
Example:
Click on one of the kernels listed.
It shows several deb packages for download.
In Puppy, Uextract can be used to unpack the deb packages, to access their contents.

Do you want to try and make a kernel package out of this stuff for Puppy?


If prell is using the full Mrchromebox (UEFI) Full ROM.
One of these GalliumOS kernels will probably help him.

I am using the MrChromebox RW_LEGACY and sound is one of the things it is suppose to have trouble with.

[peterw]

Hi bigpup

Happy new year to you.

Don't think that Gallium repository will help us. There are .deb files that Bionic Puppy will install such as the firmware file but I am reluctant to do that since they have a different kernel, etc.

When using my kernel could you post:

cat /proc/asound/cards

and the file created by:
dmesg >> bigpuppeterw.txt

And do you know what sound chip you have got?

[prell]

I commend both of you for sticking with this issue, impressive.


@peterw

Yes, I only boot from USB. However, please note that Gallium is now installed on the Chromebook harddrive with sounds working. When I booted before from a live USB Gallium the sound worked as well. I am not sure where it boots from whether that makes a difference.

On the kernel change, and I hope I am not sounding repetitive, but if you are changing the kernel is this not the same as the original steps I posted which was on the redditt site?

That poster's solution was to modify the kernel and change it, then re-install the kernel.

I was hesitant because I thought I do not want to tamper with the kernel and then be left with no sound.

So I guess my question is if I install the kernel you modified, would that be modifying the core kernel for the Chromebook or is there a kernel on a USB if it is booted from a USB? Rudimentary question I know.


Also is there someway you can see the audio codecs through a command line?

@bigpup
you are correct, I am using FULL ROM for the Chromebook (no longer running ChromeOS, it has been removed completely). I didn't use LEGACY because ChromeOS would be outdated in a year and security updates stop at that point.


Overall if there is a solution then I think it would be great for the millions of people who have Chromebooks to use Puppy Linux as an alternative to ChromeOS.

[bigpup]

You are not understanding bios firmware and Linux kernel.
Bios firmware is internally in the computer. It basically powers up the hardware.
Linux kernel is in the operating system(OS) being used to run the computer.
Basically, it gives the OS the needed stuff for running and operating the hardware.



Sound on a Chromebook is the biggest issue for Puppy Linux.

If fixing sound can be figured out, that would be great for using Puppy on a Chromebook.

I was hesitant because I thought I do not want to tamper with the kernel and then be left with no sound.

So I guess my question is if I install the kernel you modified, would that be modifying the core kernel for the Chromebook or is there a kernel on a USB if it is booted from a USB? Rudimentary question I know.

The only kernel changing is for what kernel is being used by Puppy Linux. (Bionicpup64 8.0)
Only change the kernel in Bionicpup64 8.0

All Linux based operating systems(OS) use a Linux kernel.
The kernel is part of the OS.
The kernel has nothing to do with the computer bios or firmware.
Completely separate from each other.
Changing the kernel only affects how the OS is going to work.

Your Chromebook uses Mrchromebox (UEFI) Full ROM as it's bios.
I am using MrChromebox RW_LEGACY as the bios.
Again, the Linux kernel is not one of these. Nothing to do with the bios.
It is only part of the OS.

[bigpup]

Don't think that Gallium repository will help us. There are .deb files that Bionic Puppy will install such as the firmware file but I am reluctant to do that since they have a different kernel, etc.

I am not talking about using the GalliumOS kernel deb packages to just install into Bionicpup like a normal deb package does.

These kernel deb packages, have in them, all the stuff that is in a Linux kernel package.
Download them.
Unpack all of them, so you can pick and choose what to use.
Take parts from each one, to put together a kernel package, like Puppy uses.
Yes, when complete, you will end up with a completely different kernel, than the one now in Bionicpup.

Example:
If you used all the kernel deb packages listed for the galliumos 4.12.0 baytrail kernel.
Made it into a kernel package for Puppy.
galliumos-4.12.0-puppy chromebook.tar.bz2
What is in the kernel package will be this:

kernel-modules.sfs-4.12.0-galliumos-baytrail
vmlinuz-4.12.0-galliumos-baytrail

The vmlinuz is in one of the galliumos kernel deb packages.
Easy to get.

The stuff for the kernel modules sfs is in several of the galliumos debs.
That is the one I am not sure what needs to be in it.

[bigpup]

When using my kernel could you post:

cat /proc/asound/cards

and the file created by:
dmesg >> bigpuppeterw.txt

And do you know what sound chip you have got?

Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller [8086:0f04] (rev 0e)

cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [PCH ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel PCH
HDA Intel PCH at 0xd0914000 irq 92

bigpuppeterw.txt attached.
Had to put .gz on end of name so it would attach.
Remove .gz to turn it back into a text file.

[bigpup]

ChromeBooks and Linux
Are we having fun yet?

[peterw]

bigpup

Not really an expert but looking through your dmesg we see I have added Line numbers):
195 ACPI: Added _OSI(Linux-Lenovo-NV-HDMI-Audio)
But yours is a HP laptop? And googling the comment we see https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/ ... i/osi.html explains a little about that. And I found an explanation https://askubuntu.com/questions/175793/ ... tput-means.

"The ACPI tables (DSDT, SSDT) are provided by the BIOS. These ACPI tables allows the OS the control the hardware through an abstraction layer (ACPI). Manufacturers can use the ACPI _OSI method (Operating System Interfaces) to query the OS for certain capabilities.

Through this mechanism, ACPI can detect the OS (and version) and apply some quirks if necessary. This is especially useful for Windows machines as newer features of a machine may not be supported by older Windows versions. However, in Linux, the philosophy is that if a feature is not supported by the Linux kernel, exclusions should not be made by the BIOS manufacturer. Instead, the community (kernel developers) have to add code to support those features from newer machines.

In the past, some BIOS manufacturers removed features if they detect a Linux system. While a feature may not be supported at the time of the BIOS release, in the future, it could. Because of that, queries for "Linux" are ignored."


Later on we see:
592 input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input10
593 input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input11
565 input: PC Speaker as /devices/platform/pcspkr/input/input8
569 Error: Driver 'pcspkr' is already registered, aborting...
588 snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1b.0: bound 0000:00:02.0 (ops i915_audio_component_bind_ops [i915])590i915_audio_component_bind_ops [i915])
591 input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input10
592 input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=7 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input11

So I am wondering if you have picked up the wrong driver and you should blacklist the Lenovo HDMI module and see what happens. Don't know what one it will be and you will have to see what is loaded to do this.

[peterw]

Hi prell

When you say, "I don't have too much experience with Linux" you are doing well to get as far as you have got. On a scale of 0 to 10, I am only at about the 3/4 level and only know a little.

I most certainly do not want you to risk that Gallium install on the internal SSD. There is a kernel in it AND there is also a kernel on the USB stick and so when you boot from that it is independent of what is on the internal SSD. You can safely try options on the USB without doing anything to the internal SSD. If you want to try my kernel ONLY do it to the USB stick.

You have a USB stick with a UEFI capability. Let me know how you created it and I will look at ways to change the kernel in it.

I will post to the kernel compiling post asking them to include the max98090 chip to the configuration file. However, if that is picked up on it may be a while before Puppies come out with that feature.

[bigpup]

peterw,

That is some good info you found and are talking about.
I will look into it and report back later today.
Got stuff to do right now.
Life

I think I may have to go on and put the Mrchromebox (UEFI) Full ROM on my Chromebook.
Sound was not that big a problem to make me want to crack open the back cover and find the write-protect screw, so I could install Mrchromebox (UEFI) Full ROM.

However, now this sound thing is something I want to fix!!

[bigpup]

I am holding off removing the write-protect screw from my HP Chromebook 14g.
I tried it today and this scew is going to have to be drilled out. They have it locked in place with a lock washer and some glue.
The very, very, very, small screw driver slot, is totally stripped out, trying to unscrew it.

I have been looking at what is in a GalliumOS kernel that is supose to be for the hardware in this HP Chromebook 14 with intel processor.

I found this in GalliumOS kernel and not in the Bionicpup64 8.0 kernel.
lib/modules/4.12.0-galliumos-baytrail/kernel/sound/soc/
That soc directory is not in the Bionicpup kernel.

It contains basically a bunch of sound related files for the intel processor audio hardware.

Maybe, a Puppy Linux kernel package, with this stuff in it, would fix sound in Chromebooks.

Note:
I am no good at compiling kernel packages.

Example:

[peterw]

bigpup

Sorry to hear about your problems with the screw. To work on laptops you do need a good set screwdrivers so that you can pick one that snuggly fits the screw head and if I remember on my HP 14 Chromebook the cross slots are narrow. On mine it was not stuck down and came out easily. Let us know the model number of yours because without that it is difficult to see exactly what you are up against.

In particular if you pull the battery off to get at the screw you may need to reinstall Chrome so that you can get back at the terminal to install the ROM package. Have a think about that.

I will have a look at those packages that you mention.

As to compiling the kernel. I have had success and failures on that. In a very limited sample I have had more success by downloading the latest woof-ce, setting it up and going into the kernel directory where the kernel compiling kit is. I move that to a partition where there is lots of space and run it there.

[bigpup]

ozsouth, who has been offering some newly compiled kernels for Puppy, is working on some for Chromebooks.
Getting sound working is what is being worked on.

We are PMing each other and testing.

I will report if he is having any good results.

[prell]

@BigPup

Not sure if you were able to get the screw out. I had the same problem that the screw seemed small and wouldn't come out with the small set screwdriver or phillips.

What I did I used a larger size phillips, which is counter intuitive, but it worked as the larger size forced the shape of the screw. I kept using smaller tools and they in fact caused the screw to strip.

Not sure if that will help.

@peterw
I tried to use Bionic8 on a usb, had the same problem as before that the sound would not work but also now the keyboard does not. I am sure I got the keyboard to work prior but might have to try different versions.

Not sure what stage this is at but getting sound on Puppy seems to be a bigger challenge.

[bigpup]

Update:
ozsouth has come up with a kernel that now has the needed config setup and needed kernel modules for my Bay Trail processor ChromeBook.
We got to now having a sound device that has options in ALSA Mixer and Retrovol Mixer.
There are 50+ options to try.

So far, still no sound.

Sound device in ChromeBooks.
One thing we found. The kernel is going to have to be compiled and configured for specific processors used in ChromeBooks.

If you are lucky to have a ChromeBook, with a separate sound device, not tied to the processor, it will probably just work.

I am not having fun yet

[rcrsn51]

I have been down this rabbit hole myself.

My eventual conclusion was to use either the built-in bluetooth audio or get an external USB sound card adapter. Both methods work fine.

I once suggested this on the forum, but the idea was rejected as a kludge.

BTW, this is not a universal problem with Chromebooks. I had an Acer C720 Celeron 2957U (PEPPY) with standard Linux audio that worked fine.

[bigpup]

Good suggestion.

This does seem to have a lot to do with what hardware is actually providing sound.

Well, ChromeOS seems to have figured out how to make the speakers and headphones work.
Just finding out exactly what they do is the big question.

ozsouth was able to figure out what needed to be in the kernel to turn my byt-max98090 sound hardware on.
Just still something missing to get sound from speakers or headset.