Jun062011

How can I enable sound on a Dell XPS 15 laptop running Ubuntu 10.04?

Navneet asks:

I own a Dell XPS 15 laptop. I have Ubuntu 10.04 installed, but I am not able to hear sound. I have updated Linux, but still I am not able to hear the sound. How can I troubleshoot it? Please tell me. :)


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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000334095711 Jeffery Fabish

    I have the same laptop! I had an issue with my sound in Ubuntu 10.04 using Bose Companion 2 extern’s, which ended up being a driver issue (that I was unable to get in Ubuntu). If it is a driver issue and the driver your trying to obtain is not in Ubuntu’s proprietary software package, you’ll most likely be out of luck until the developers work on a driver for your sound card.

    Driver Issue -
    The problem is most likely a missing driver. You should first go to the top and click on the hardware icon in your tray (or go to system – administration – additional drivers). Do you see your sound card there? If so, click it and at the bottom right choose “activate” and reboot. If your sound card isn’t there, it’s either already in use (which is good) or not available for Ubuntu. If this is the case (such as mine was), try using Linux Mint instead. Linux Mint is almost exactly like Ubuntu, but with more multimedia abilities (including way more proprietary drivers). Linux Mint: http://www.linuxmint.com/ Running the live version should be fine in this case, we simply want to know if another distribution has this driver.

    Muted –
    Is your sound currently muted? Does the sound not work on all applications, or just one? If it’s all, go to the top at the volume panel and make sure it’s not muted (if it’s not muted, it will say “mute” being that it’s not yet muted).

    Hardware Issue –
    To test if it’s a hardware issue, connect your speakers to another PC to see if they work (preferably Windows, as most manufacturers develop for that O.S). Make sure all the cords are properly pluged in and tight, if there are any status lights, are they nominal?

    Update -
    Update Ubuntu to see if it finds any outdated or currupt software/drivers. To do so, System – Administration – Update Manager, preferably update all applications/drivers that are on the list.

    Read documentation about Debugging Sound Problems in Ubuntu: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingSoundProblems

  • Anonymous

    Installing Ubuntu on a Dell XPS M1530
    Check this site
    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InstallingUbuntuOnADellXPSM1530

    Double-click the volume control icon in the top right of the screen.
    —Select Edit / Preferences.
    —Add “Digital” and “Digital Input Source” to the list of visible tracks.
    —On the Options tab, select “Digital Mic 1″ for “Digital Input Source”.
    —On the Recording tab, set the volume for the microphone.
    Remove alsa-base and alsa-utils using the following Terminal command:
    sudo apt-get remove alsa-base alsa-utils

    Install Realtek Linux driver (2.6) 5.16rc12 which you can get here:
    http://www.realtek.com/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=24&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

    Extract alsa-driver, alsa-lib, alsa-utils:
    Change directory to the location where you downloaded the Realtek drivers.
    alsa-driver:
    sudo ./configure –with-cards=hda-intel –with-card-options=hda-codec-realtek
    sudo make
    sudo make install
    alsa-lib:
    sudo ./configure
    sudo make
    sudo make install
    alsa-utils (dependencies ncurse, gettext):
    sudo ./configure
    sudo make
    sudo make install
    Run command alsaconf and reboot system.
    After rebooting, please retest sound output using both headphones and speakers.

    Solution is based on the following old thread:
    https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/alsa-driver/+question/93857

    • Pirateds

      A many many many thanks to you, it worked like a charm..:)

      • Anonymous

        Glad that fixed your problem, thanks for the feedback.

  • http://www.makeuseof.com/answers Tina

    Navneet,

    were you able to solve the sound problems on your laptop with the help provided above? Please let us know!

  • Subhrajyotiroy

    noo.. it persists

  • Prakriti

    thank you so much! It worked!!! 

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