Upgrade from MX19 to MX 23 - No Sound! [Solved]

[Nokkaelaein]

MX 23 uses PipeWire now, not PulseAudio. Did you install MX 23 fresh? Or did you manually upgrade from 19 to 23?
If it was an upgrade it could be possible that all the PipeWire stuff wasn't fully configured or the 'pipewire-setup-mx' package was not pulled in which ensures a proper setup.

A side note, if someone who is contemplating an in-place upgrade (with the required chops to do it) happens to reads this: when/after doing a manual upgrade like that, MX 23 totally works without PipeWire, even if that is the default audio solution on the official ISOs now. Having done a manual upgrade, I specifically did not want PipeWire, and it hasn't been pulled into the master version of my install, ever. I've installed the system on metal from ISOs produced from that master version, and used it on laptops and desktops alike; the sound works everywhere, both in consumer grade software and professional audio applications. It uses Pulseaudio for the former, and JACK for the latter (when not using direct ALSA). PA works both launched individually and launching a PA JACK sink. Just mentioning this so that it's clear there is no inherent "PipeWire required, otherwise software doesn't have sound on MX" kind of thing in MX 23.

[RJP]

Pipewire is conflicting with pulseaudio, so one of them must be removed. To see them install status

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy pipewire

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy pulseaudio

If removing pipewire, also pipewire-bin need to remove.


Soudcard test:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
#
# RJP 14.2.2025  audio card test script
# Packages alsa and yad must be installed
# 15.2.2025 Test with all options as all choises
# 23.3.2025 basic an full test together
aplay -l | awk -F \: '/,/{print $2}' | awk '{print $1}' | uniq > /tmp/adevice-full.txt
AUDIO=$(/tmp/adevice-full.txt)
choose=$(cat /tmp/adevice-full.txt | \
yad --list --text="Choose audio device" --title="Choose audio device" --height=500 --width=600 --center \
--column="")
--button=Exit:1
cat "$choose" 2> /tmp/audio2.txt
cat /tmp/audio2.txt | awk '{print $2}' > /tmp/audiodevice
cat /tmp/audiodevice | sed 's/^.//' > /tmp/audiodevice3
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice3 > /tmp/audiodevice4
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice4 > /tmp/audiodevice5
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice5 > /tmp/audio.txt
#
yad --center --width=300 --height=100 --text-align=center --title=$"Basic test" --text="Test selected card"
if [ $? = 0 ];
then
x-terminal-emulator -e "aplay -D plughw:CARD=$(cat /tmp/audio.txt) /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Noise.wav" & \
#
# Message if audio was running or not
#
sleep 0,5 && (ps -ef|grep -v grep|grep aplay >/dev/null && echo "If you heard noise, the card is the right. You can close this message" || echo "if you did not heard noise, you probably has the wrong audio device. You can close this message") > /tmp/message.txt
yad --center --width=700 --height=200 --text-align=center --title=$"Basic test info" --text="INFO: $(cat /tmp/message.txt)"
#
fi
sleep 1
rm /tmp/audio2.txt /tmp/adevice.txt /tmp/audiodevice3 /tmp/audiodevice4 /tmp/audiodevice4 /tmp/audiodevice5 /tmp/audio.txt 

aplay -L | grep :CARD > /tmp/adevice-full.txt
AUDIO=$(/tmp/adevice-full.txt)
choose=$(cat /tmp/adevice-full.txt | \
yad --list --text="Choose audio device" --title="Choose audio device" --height=500 --width=600 --center \
--column="")
--button=Exit:1
cat "$choose" 2> /tmp/audio2.txt
cat /tmp/audio2.txt | awk '{print $2}' > /tmp/audiodevice
cat /tmp/audiodevice | sed 's/^.//' > /tmp/audiodevice3
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice3 > /tmp/audiodevice4
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice4 > /tmp/audiodevice5
sed 's/.$//' /tmp/audiodevice5 > /tmp/audio.txt
#
yad --center --width=300 --height=100 --text-align=center --title=$"Full test" --text="Test selected card"
if [ $? = 0 ];
then
x-terminal-emulator -e "aplay -D $(cat /tmp/audio.txt) /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Noise.wav" & \
#
# Message if audio was running or not
#
sleep 0,5 && (ps -ef|grep -v grep|grep aplay >/dev/null && echo "If you heard noise, the card is the right. You can close this message" || echo "if you did not heard noise, you probably has the wrong audio device. You can close this message") > /tmp/message.txt
yad --center --width=700 --height=200 --text-align=center --title=$"Full test info" --text="INFO: $(cat /tmp/message.txt)"
#
fi
sleep 1
rm /tmp/audio2.txt /tmp/adevice.txt /tmp/audiodevice3 /tmp/audiodevice4 /tmp/audiodevice4 /tmp/audiodevice5 /tmp/audio.txt 

[rob2cv]

I'm going to jump in here with this. Assuming that audio worked fine with MX 19, I think that you should use MX Package Installer (MXPI) to install the AntiX 4.19 kernel, reboot and at the Grub screen select Advanced Options and then mark the 4.19 kernel as the boot choice for this session. Does sound now work?

j2mcgreg,
Thanks for the suggestion. Those were my exact thoughts too!
I already tried this (see post #9) but the sound still did not work.

[rob2cv]

Pipewire is conflicting with pulseaudio, so one of them must be removed. To see them install status

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy pipewire

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy pulseaudio

If removing pipewire, also pipewire-bin need to remove.

RJP thanks for the suggestion. Here is the output:

Robert@mx:~
$ apt-cache policy pipewire
pipewire:
Installed: 1.0.0-1~mx23+1
Candidate: 1.0.0-1~mx23+1
Version table:
*** 1.0.0-1~mx23+1 500
500 https://mirrors.ukfast.co.uk/sites/MX_a ... es/mx/repo bookworm/main amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
0.3.65-3+deb12u1 500
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 Packages
Robert@mx:~
$ apt-cache policy pulseaudio
pulseaudio:
Installed: (none)
Candidate: 16.1+dfsg1-2+b1
Version table:
16.1+dfsg1-2+b1 500
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 Packages
Robert@mx:~
$ ^C
Robert@mx:~
$

I'm totally lost with the sound card test you suggested though???
Do I just copy and paste those lines of code into the terminal?

[RJP]

You can copy sound card test into the Terminal without #!/bin/bash , or you can make a script from that test. Command

Code: Select all

inxi -A | grep Server

tells the active audio server.

If inxi -A | grep Server returns nothing, then plain alsa is in use. Sounds are working with plain alsa too if pipewire or pulseaudio has not on.

[rob2cv]

You can copy sound card test into the Terminal without #!/bin/bash , or you can make a script from that test. Command

Code: Select all

inxi -A | grep Server

tells the active audio server.

If inxi -A | grep Server returns nothing, then plain alsa is in use. Sounds are working with plain alsa too if pipewire or pulseaudio has not on.

Here is the output:

Robert@mx:~
$ inxi -A | grep Server
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active
Robert@mx:~
$

PipeWire is in use then...

[rob2cv]

Today, I went to a local PC repair shop and bought a secondhand PCI sound card. I fitted the new card but it did not show up at all. The vendor wasn't sure whether it worked or not.
Whilst I had the case open, I carefully cleaned out the layer of dust and fluff that was covering most of the components with an air duster, a soft brush and vacuum cleaner.

I carefully cleaned my original sound card, which was covered in dust, and replaced it in the PC.
When I switched the machine back on sound through the headphones worked straight away without any further intervention!

I don't know why that would happen but I'm very glad that it has.
Thanks to all who offered help, I now know much more about all the audio settings that I would otherwise have done.
(-:

[Eadwine Rose]

Great to hear! Please click the checkmark in the top right of the post (to the left of the username/user image) that holds the solution to mark the topic solved, thanks :)

[CharlesV]

Today, I went to a local PC repair shop and bought a secondhand PCI sound card. I fitted the new card but it did not show up at all. The vendor wasn't sure whether it worked or not.
Whilst I had the case open, I carefully cleaned out the layer of dust and fluff that was covering most of the components with an air duster, a soft brush and vacuum cleaner.

I carefully cleaned my original sound card, which was covered in dust, and replaced it in the PC.
When I switched the machine back on sound through the headphones worked straight away without any further intervention!

I don't know why that would happen but I'm very glad that it has.
Thanks to all who offered help, I now know much more about all the audio settings that I would otherwise have done.
(-:

VERY interesting ... I wonder if just removing and replacing the sound card was "the fix" ... maybe it was just not snug in the seat?

Either way, very glad to hear you have it working!

[AVLinux]

Haha,

I take a leaf blower to my PC every few months whether it needs it or not (*it always needs it).. My dogs instantly come running to lick my face as I grunt and groan on my knees under the Desk to dislodge the tower..

#1 Enemy is PEBKAC #2 Enemy is dust...