Add kernel-7 audio diagnostics and verify SOF/UCM completeness
- Add alsa-ucm-conf to installed packages.list (already in live-desktop.list) - Create KERNEL7_AUDIO_XPS9700.md with comprehensive audio diagnostics guide - Document kernel parameter choices and SOF/SoundWire fix approach in build scripts - Includes boot-time dsp_driver=3 test procedure for XPS 9700 kernel 7 compatibility
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# Kernel 7 Audio Troubleshooting for Dell XPS 17 9700
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## Symptom
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On the Niri live ISO booting kernel 7, audio shows only HDMI devices and "Dummy Output" in `wpctl status`. Internal speakers and headphone jack do not appear.
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## Root Cause
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The XPS 17 9700 is a Dell SoundWire platform requiring **SOF + SoundWire** for internal audio on modern Linux kernels. The issue is **not** PipeWire misconfiguration. Common causes are:
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1. Kernel driver stack selection issue (wrong path selected at boot)
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2. Missing or mismatched SOF firmware/topology
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3. Missing or mismatched `sof-soundwire` UCM profiles
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4. A kernel SoundWire regression
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## Diagnostic Steps
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### 1. Verify the driver stack is loading
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Boot into the live ISO and check which driver is active:
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```bash
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# Should show SOF driver for internal audio
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lsmod | grep -E '^sof|^snd_sof'
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# Should show the SoundWire machine driver
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lsmod | grep -E 'sof_sdw|sof.*mach'
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# Check kernel logs for SoundWire errors
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sudo dmesg | grep -Ei 'soundwire|sdw|sof.*error|topology.*-22'
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```
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### 2. Test explicit SOF driver selection
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If internal audio is missing, the kernel's auto-detection may have selected the wrong path. At the GRUB/boot menu, edit the kernel command line and add:
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```
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snd-intel-dspcfg.dsp_driver=3
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```
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This explicitly forces SOF (value `3`) for the audio stack. Options are:
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- `0`: auto (kernel's default)
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- `1`: legacy HDA
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- `3`: SOF (correct for this laptop)
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- `4`: AVS
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Then boot and re-check:
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```bash
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wpctl status
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```
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### 3. Verify package completeness
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Ensure the live image has the required audio support packages:
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```bash
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xbps-query -l | grep -E '^ii.*sof-firmware|alsa-ucm-conf|alsa-utils'
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```
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Expected output should include:
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- `sof-firmware` (Sound Open Firmware binaries and topology)
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- `alsa-ucm-conf` (Use Case Manager profiles for `sof-soundwire`)
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- `alsa-utils` (ALSA utilities and initial mixer state)
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### 4. Check PipeWire/WirePlumber state
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Once the kernel exposes the internal audio devices (they should appear in `wpctl status`), verify PipeWire is reading them correctly:
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```bash
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# List all devices seen by PipeWire
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pw-cli ls Device
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# Check WirePlumber's ALSA monitor for errors
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journalctl -u wireplumber.service -n 50
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# Manually re-scan if needed
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pw-cli list-objects Module | grep monitor
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```
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## If It Still Fails
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### Check for a kernel regression
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Recent kernel versions 6.9 and 6.10 had SoundWire regressions affecting XPS-series Dell laptops. These were fixed in:
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- 6.9.x (fixed in 6.9 stable releases)
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- 6.10.11+
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If kernel 7.x shows the same symptoms, check the [SOF upstream issues](https://github.com/thesofproject/linux/issues) for similar reports.
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### Compare against a known-good kernel
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If kernel 7 still fails with `dsp_driver=3`:
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1. Boot with the fallback kernel 6 (available in the Niri live ISO GRUB menu)
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2. Test audio on kernel 6
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3. If audio works on kernel 6 but not kernel 7, there is likely a kernel-7-specific regression
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Report findings to:
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- [SOF upstream](https://github.com/thesofproject/linux/issues)
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- [Void Linux](https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages)
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### Manual ALSA routing (for microphone issues)
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If speakers work but the internal microphone does not, manually set the mic input mux:
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```bash
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amixer --card 1 set 'rt715 ADC 24 Mux' 'DMIC3'
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```
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Then persist the state:
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```bash
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sudo alsactl store
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```
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## References
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- [ArchWiki: Dell XPS 17 (9700)](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dell_XPS_17_(9700))
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- [ArchWiki: Sound Open Firmware](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Sound_Open_Firmware)
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- [SOF upstream issue 4999: 6.8.9→6.9.0 regression](https://github.com/thesofproject/linux/issues/4999)
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- [Kernel docs: intel-dsp-config](https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/sound/hda/core/intel-dsp-config.c)
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- [XPS 9700 Ubuntu fix guide](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1270442/no-sound-on-xps-17-9700)
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## Live ISO Packages
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The mainline-niri Niri live ISO includes:
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- `sof-firmware`: Intel SOF binary and topology files
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- `alsa-ucm-conf`: ALSA Use Case Manager profiles, including `sof-soundwire`
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- `pipewire` and `wireplumber`: Session and policy management
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- `linux-mainline`: Kernel 7.x with SOF support
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- `linux`: Kernel 6.x fallback entry in GRUB
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The build ensures both kernels are available to test audio driver behavior across kernel versions.
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