Z15 Core - No sound after software update

I have been keeping my software up-to-date by regularly using software updater.
Since updates to Linux in the past couple of days, I now hear a loud click though my speakers on startup, I think coincident with appearance of mouse cursor. Then the click happens again on login, coincident with appearance of mouse cursor. Certainly didn't happen before the updates.
Anyone else noticed this, or know what is causing it?

Edit: Ah. It is worse. I have no sound. (I have changed the title of this post accordingly as was "pops and clicks")

Edit2: I have been doing a bit of testing. Note I have a traditional dual boot Win/Zorin configuration.
If I boot the default Zorin, I have no sound, as checked using settings speaker test function.
If I boot using advanced options and choose Linux 4.18.0-25-generic, then sound is OK.
Seems like something gone adrift with Linux 5.0.0-23-generic as far as my sound is concerned.
Any ideas how I can get sound with the latest version, as it is a pain having to select older version during boot sequence?
NB. The sound chip in my laptop is Realtek ALC262.

If I boot using advanced options and choose Linux 4.18.0-25-generic, then sound is OK.
Seems like something gone adrift with Linux 5.0.0-23-generic as far as my sound is concerned.
Any ideas how I can get sound with the latest version, as it is a pain having to select older version during boot sequence.

I will be first to ask the dumb question: Would rolling back to the older kernel (4.18) be so bad? You already got the security updates...

@Aravisian,
Thanks for your reply. Note I have altered the title of this post since.
Roll back to 4.18 would be a option if:
1. I knew how to do that.
2. But it would get updated again if I blindly accepted updates offered by software updater.
Wondering if 5.0.support to Realtek AL262 will follow.

...more testing:

~$ aplay -l
lists my sound device OK.

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC262 Analog [ALC262 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

If I run alsamixer and F6 to change from "- default" to "0 - HDA Intel" then sound works fine under Linux kernel 5.0. (until restart).
Just can't understand why it is not being picked up as default.

Roll back to 4.18 would be a option if:
1. I knew how to do that.

We can fix that!

2. But it would get updated again if I blindly accepted updates offered by software updater.
Wondering if 5.0.support to Realtek AL262 will follow.

Good point...


Well... ok... I found this with a bit of searching:
https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/06/f ... ue-in.html
In that article, he mentioned this solution:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/914463/ ... untu-16-04

That may work for some, but did not for him.

He said that what did work for him is as follows:
He says, first, check out to see if the snd_hda_intel kernel module is in use. For this you can run:

Code:

lsmod | grep snd_hda_intel

If you do get output for snd hda intel, his next step is to run this (Only once, because it will add the line each time you run it)

Code:

echo "options snd-hda-intel model=generic" | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

He instructs to then Reboot and your sound should be back. ...If it works...

Thanks for your research and reply. I was also checking out some ubuntu forum threads last night.
The difference is many see only "Dummy Device", I am not seeing that specifically listed in my sound settings.
The items you have linked to are interesting and possibly be of help. I will read them again later and may try something if relates to my issue of zorin not choosing correct default device since kernel update.

Edit: By the way, I just did aplay -L command. I am not sure about first 4 lines: re default..PulseAudio and null Discard ...etc.
The aplay-L listing is same whether I boot with kernel 5.0 or 4.18. Only difference is I get a pop through speakers when mouse cursor appears under 5.0 and no sound, wheras no pop and sound under 4.18.

Edit2: After more testing: If I do default Zorin boot (kernel 5.0) get pop, when cursor appears. Now found that if I go to sound settings and click the volume slider and move it around, I get another pop through speakers. If I then do the speaker test, then sound playback is OK!
So sound can be got to work under linux kernel 5.0, but only after messing with volume control.
Hope this is a bug and something that will be fixed in a future software update.
my aplay -L listing below:

~$ aplay -L
default
Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
PulseAudio Sound Server
sysdefault:CARD=Intel
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Front speakers
surround21:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
2.1 Surround output to Front and Subwoofer speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC262 Analog
Hardware device with all software conversions

My situation has not changed. Whether it was 4.18 or 5.0.0-23 - my sound appears after each alternate boot! (Creative Soundblaster Audigy Rx.

@Swarf,
I read other post about sound problem but was in relation to VM and not direct installation.
After much testing and loads of restarts today, I have now found that sound can usually be activated by going to sound settings and then toggling between listed Output Devices 1) Speakers and 2) Line Out. This is usually accompanied by a click/pop sound from the speakers. Speaker test then confirms sound eminating from the inbuilt L&R speakers. However, headphone does not seem to work.
This is all very flaky and reminiscent of driver issues with Win10. I thought I had got away from that sort of problem with Zorin and was true until the software update last week.
Did I see that someone had sound with Ultimate but not with Core?

Edit: That last comment of mine above got me thinking. So I went into Software and decided to instal Audacity. I ran Audacity and checked output using both WAV and MP3 files from CD's. All Good. Restarted Zorin using default (linux kernel 5.0) and only heard a faint click early in the boot sequence and no clicks as before when mouse cursor appears before and after login. Sound settings speaker test worked first time, no toggling of devices or other magic tricks needed. Did another Zorin default restart and same result of sound from speakers (also faint sound through headphones when inserted). So I am hoping that continues. I will post here again if it all subsequently goes pear shaped.

If I run alsamixer and F6 to change from "- default" to "0 - HDA Intel" then sound works fine under Linux kernel 5.0. (until restart).
Just can't understand why it is not being picked up as default.

While you're in there, scroll to the right until you get to the Automute option and make sure it is Disabled.

@carmar,
Yes, I checked AutoMute = Disabled on alsamixer after seeing that mentioned in the other thread about no sound in VM situations.
As you will see from my edited post above, I think I may have fixed my no sound problem. But will only celebrate after it has worked consistently for a few days and reboots etc.

Hi, my issue is slightly different - if I have the nvidia hdmi connected then I suspect I would get sound but I specifically wanted VGA connection so as not to bother with the monitor speakers. I get a faint pop at start if speakers are going to work with one bar on sound icon on desktop, and loud pop on speakers if sound is not going to be present. I chose Sound Blaster for old times sake and also reading between lines on posts on askubuntu - the main issue for me like others using Audigy cards is that the people that wrote the emulation software for Sound Blaster Cards in Linux only now write updates for the Mac emulation software!

Since I added Audacity to my Z15 Core (linux kernel 5.0), I have my speakers sound back working on my laptop. i.e. back as before the OS software update.
So me adding the Audacity music app must have fixed or reapplied something that was broken by the software update.
I have continued to implement further regular software updates since then and have not suffered any sound or other faults. So fingers crossed, system will now continue to function as it should.
My only comment is that sound level is very feint if headphones are connected instead of speakers, even when volume override 100% is used. But I don't normally use headphone so can live with that. Sound settings does acknowledge insertion of headphones ok.

Received linux kernel 5.0.0-25 via software updater yesterday.
Pleased to report this kernel update did not result in "no sound", so I am still a happy bunny.

You will love this.
I incurred a sound problem again after another Zorin software update. This time my right speaker was silent, but left speaker sounding OK. Tested using settings/sound/test speakers.
I dug out my notebook from when this happened last time and went through the same routine. Sadly, no improvement.
As I have dual-boot, I then decided to see if problem also occurred under Windows XP. Answer=yes. Oh ****, me thinks. It could be hardware.
I then gave the laptop a sharp tap near the speaker. Yay! hardware fixed. Sound now stereo in Windows.
Restarted to Zorin and sound again stereo.
I do not advise anyone with a HDD to go thumping their 12yr old computers when things go wrong, but in this case it worked.