Sound issues on a MacbookPro running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS can be quite frustrating. This article will guide you through several methods to troubleshoot and fix these issues. The solutions range from reinstalling PulseAudio, modifying the alsa-base.conf file, to compiling and installing a specific driver for your MacbookPro. Let’s dive in.
To fix sound issues on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS for MacbookPro, you can try reinstalling PulseAudio, modifying the alsa-base.conf file, or compiling and installing a specific driver. These methods should help resolve most sound problems.
Reinstalling PulseAudio
PulseAudio is a sound server for POSIX and Win32 systems. It is a key component in managing the audio on your Ubuntu system. If you are experiencing sound issues, one of the first things to try is removing and reinstalling PulseAudio.
Open a terminal and enter the following commands:
$ sudo apt-get remove --purge pulseaudio
$ sudo apt-get install pulseaudio
$ mv ~/.config/pulse ~/.config/new_pulse_confThe sudo apt-get remove --purge pulseaudio command removes PulseAudio and its configuration files. sudo apt-get install pulseaudio reinstalls PulseAudio. The mv ~/.config/pulse ~/.config/new_pulse_conf command renames the PulseAudio user configuration directory, forcing the system to create a new one upon reboot.
After executing these commands, reboot your PC and check if the sound issue is resolved.
Modifying the alsa-base.conf File
If reinstalling PulseAudio doesn’t solve the problem, you can try modifying the alsa-base.conf file. This file is part of the ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) system and contains configuration settings for your sound card.
Open a terminal and enter the following command to edit the file:
$ sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.confThe sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf command opens the alsa-base.conf file in the nano text editor with root privileges.
In the file, look for a line that starts with “options snd-hda-intel”. Add “model=mbp101” to the end of that line. This tells the snd-hda-intel driver (the default Linux sound driver) to use the mbp101 model, which is designed for MacbookPro hardware.
Save the file and reboot your PC.
Compiling and Installing a Specific Driver
If neither of the above methods work, you can try compiling and installing a specific driver for your MacbookPro.
First, install the necessary packages. Open a terminal and enter the following command:
$ sudo apt-get install git build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)The sudo apt-get install git build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) command installs Git (a version control system), build-essential (a package that includes various tools necessary for compiling software), and the Linux headers for your current kernel.
Then, clone the driver repository from GitHub and navigate to the cloned directory:
$ git clone https://github.com/davidjo/snd_hda_macbookpro.git
$ cd snd_hda_macbookproFinally, run the installation script as root or with sudo and reboot your PC:
$ sudo ./install.cirrus.driver.shThe sudo ./install.cirrus.driver.sh command runs the install.cirrus.driver.sh script, which compiles and installs the driver.
Conclusion
The effectiveness of these solutions may vary depending on your specific hardware and software configuration. If none of the mentioned solutions work, it may be helpful to seek further assistance from the Ubuntu community or consult other reliable sources for troubleshooting MacbookPro sound issues on Ubuntu. Always remember to back up your data before making any major changes to your system.
To open a terminal in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T. Alternatively, you can search for "Terminal" in the applications menu and click on the Terminal icon.
PulseAudio is a sound server for POSIX and Win32 systems. It allows multiple applications to share the audio hardware, and provides advanced features such as per-application volume control and network streaming.
To edit a file using the nano text editor, you can open a terminal and enter the command sudo nano [file_path], where [file_path] is the path to the file you want to edit. This will open the file in the nano editor with root privileges. Use the arrow keys to navigate, make changes to the file, and save the changes by pressing Ctrl + O, then exit nano by pressing Ctrl + X.
Linux headers are files that define interfaces between the Linux kernel and user-space libraries and programs. They are necessary for compiling and building kernel modules, such as drivers. When installing a specific driver or compiling software from source, you need the Linux headers for your current kernel version to ensure compatibility and successful compilation.
If you need further assistance with Ubuntu or any specific issue, you can visit the Ubuntu Forums where you can post your question and interact with the community. Additionally, you can also explore other reliable sources such as the official Ubuntu documentation, online tutorials, and forums dedicated to Ubuntu and Linux support.
