[arch-general] No user sound - only root has access alsamixer on virtualbox?

[Armin K.]

On 02/02/2014 03:14 AM, David C. Rankin wrote:
> Guys,
> 
>   I've run into a problem with sound on a new archlinux guest install on
> virtualbox (v4.36). Only root can see/access the sound system. From the asla
> page, I've tried 'alsactl init' and I've also tried adding user to the audio
> group as mentioned in old forum pages, but still only root sees sound. The guest
> is a fully updated Arch install (with updates through today) Here are the details:
> 
> As user:
> 
> 19:46 valhalla:~> alsamixer
> cannot open mixer: No such file or directory
> 
> 19:51 valhalla:~> cat /proc/asound/cards
>  0 [I82801AAICH    ]: ICH - Intel 82801AA-ICH
>                       Intel 82801AA-ICH with STAC9700,83,84 at irq 11
> 
> 19:53 valhalla:~> lsmod | grep snd
> snd_intel8x0           23757  0
> snd_ac97_codec         89404  1 snd_intel8x0
> ac97_bus                 878  1 snd_ac97_codec
> snd_pcm                63880  2 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0
> snd_page_alloc          5978  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
> snd_timer              14946  1 snd_pcm
> snd                    44598  4 snd_ac97_codec,snd_intel8x0,snd_timer,snd_pcm
> soundcore               4386  1 snd
> 
> 20:00 valhalla:~> aplay -l
> aplay: device_list:268: no soundcards found...
> 
> 20:00 valhalla:~> aplay -L
> null
>     Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
> pulse
>     PulseAudio Sound Server
> default
>     Default ALSA Output (currently PulseAudio Sound Server)
> 
> As root:
> 
> [20:01 valhalla:/home/david] # alsamixer  (works fine)
> No protocol specified
> xcb_connection_has_error() returned true
> 
> [20:02 valhalla:/home/david] # aplay -l
> **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
> card 0: I82801AAICH [Intel 82801AA-ICH], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel 82801AA-ICH]
>   Subdevices: 1/1
>   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
> 
> [20:02 valhalla:/home/david] # aplay -L
> null
>     Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
> pulse
>     PulseAudio Sound Server
> default
>     Default ALSA Output (currently PulseAudio Sound Server)
> sysdefault:CARD=I82801AAICH
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     Default Audio Device
> front:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     Front speakers
> surround40:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
> surround41:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
> surround50:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
> surround51:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
> iec958:CARD=I82801AAICH,DEV=0
>     Intel 82801AA-ICH, Intel 82801AA-ICH
>     IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
> 
>   I have since removed the user from audio group since it didn't help. I cannot
> find a solution. Any thoughts?
> 

Seems like you installed pulseaudio but you aren't running it.
pulseaudio usually runs as normal user and not as root user - that's why
root uses "raw alsa", and normal user uses "alsa through pulseaudio".

-- 
Note: My last name is not Krejzi.