Microphone not working on hp spectre 360 `13 with Ubuntu 18.04

[DejanG]

I installed Ubuntu 18.04 on hp spectre 13 (2019 ) and the microphone is not recognized at all. I have tried to find a solution on the internet but not even one approach worked for me. I tried to set up pins on HDAretasking like here: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2414086 but without success.

1. At the top, change Codec to Realtek ALC285 (this is my codec)
2. On the right, check the box for "Show unconnected pins"
3. For pin 0x14, check "Override"
4. For pin 0x14, select "Internal speaker (LFE)"
5. For pin 0x1e, check "Override"

For pin 0x1e, select "Internal speaker"

I also tried with alsamixer, so I turned everything up and still nothing. Do you know what I could do to make mic working?

Thanks!

[IT_WinSec]

Hello @DejanG 

Welcome ! Tux greetings!

• Can you run Terminal, type uname -r and hit [ENTER]. Let me know the version, please

I am interested in the kernel version you use. You may have heard that the hardware support magic happens in the kernel with Linux >> https://www.howtogeek.com/213488/how-to-install-hardware-drivers-on-linux/

Disclaimer - I will try to help you but note that your device is not officially tested/certified to be used with Linux. It is designed for Windows OS.

Looking forward to your reply

[DejanG]

Thank you for such a quick answer. After typing uname -r I got:

5.3.0-40-generic

also, I added:
options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=alc285-hp-x360 >> /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

Can I provide some additional information for you?

[IT_WinSec]

Sure, feel free to add any additional information you find useful/helpful.

You have probably just recently installed Ubuntu and it has updated its kernel to the latest. Kernel 5.3 is kind of very very new, too fresh...

The long term support (LTS) kernel for Ubuntu 18 is 4.15

I can suggest you try and experiment with different kernels and different versions -try with version 4.15 first.

Try to create a USB media with Ubuntu 18.04 - LTS release 1 which has 4.15 in it

You may get it from >> http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/18.04.1/

or 64-bit >> http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/18.04.1/ubuntu-18.04-desktop-amd64.iso

Boot from that USB media, check the kernel version with uname -r  and test if the microphone will work with kernel 4.15

Let me know the results.

[DejanG]

Hi after searching for a while I found out https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HP_Spectre_x360_-_13-ap0xxxx#Audio which describes my version of laptop and problems that it has with Audio. I am not sure still which modules I need to blacklist from these materials. They also said that all bugs with mic and some other things are in this patch https://github.com/gled-rs/linux-hp_ap0xxx and that actually it became the part of the official kernel 5.4.1. So I tried to install kernel 5.4.1 following the instruction from https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/compiling-linux-kernel-26.html?fbclid=IwAR3fiMRBJDvVZpKC8BP6kAMbSfOsB....

What I did wrong?

As the latest stable is 5.5.10. I tried to download it and everything went well until I reached 

$ sudo make install

from the previous link. At that moment it said:
Error! The dkms.conf for this module includes a BUILD_EXCLUSIVE directive which does not match this kernel/arch. This indicates that it should not be built. ...done.
Once I tried to restart my computer it failed to even boot, because I screwed up the kernel. Luckily I was able to do boot from recovery mode... I will try again to install 5.4.1. Do you have some better ideas?

[WojoW]

Just checked Hp Spectre x360 13" Ubunty Live 20.04 and internal microphone finally works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @WojoW 

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for your update - this is good to know.

In order to always provide latest and greatest hardware support for latest stuff, Ubuntu may want users to update their kernels too often and sometimes new kernels which be non-LTS may come up.

You may decide to hold/freeze your existing kernel version only to avoid any kernel update potentially causing issues with the microphone.

You can freeze any package including kernel packages by typing this in the Terminal

sudo apt-mark hold <package_name>

for example

sudo apt-mark hold linux-image-generic linux-headers-generic

At any time (or like once in 3-6 months), you may unhold it with this command

sudo apt-mark unhold <package_name>

update it to the latest version and then hold the new package again. In case you experience issues with the new kernel, you may revert back to the previous one >> https://starlabs.kb.help/guides/booting-with-a-previous-kernel/

Hope this helps! 😊

[WojoW]

Checked the following on Ubuntu Live 20.04 LTS and HP Spectre x 360 13" purchased march 2019

Camera works

Mike works

Speakers work

Headphones work

Touch Screen, touch pad work

Penn works

Bluetooth works - very easy setup for BT mouse

Printer installs automatically

Have not checked Tablet and fingerprint reader to log in

[DejanG]

I have just made live USB with Ubuntu 20.04 and I noticed that resolution is wrong, there is dummy output for sound and no microphone. If I install Ubuntu 20.04, do you think these issues will disappear?

I also installed the latest stable kernel 5.6.14 on Ubuntu 18.04 and there is still no microphone. Should I do something additional to make it work?

[WojoW]

Hp Spectre x360 13" purchased in March 2019 w/audio Intel Corporation Cannon Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller (rev 30). Microphone was not working on Ubuntu 16.04 and 18.04. I checked with Ubuntu Live 20.04 first and the internal mike finally worked. I have made fresh installation of Ubuntu 20.04. Internal microphone works as well. Before U-20.04 I used external mike from earphones. This was working but just a small inconvenience. I have dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 20.04. Kernel 5.4.0-29-generic.