Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register

Quick Links


Categories

In this Discussion

› › Anyone knows why Debian 8 just keeps messing my parents' sound settings?
New on LowEndTalk? Please Register and read our Community Rules.

All new Registrations are manually reviewed and approved, so a short delay after registration may occur before your account becomes active.

Anyone knows why Debian 8 just keeps messing my parents' sound settings?

GM2015GM2015 Member
edited August 2015 in Help

As a test for myself to start shifting using linux more, my parents had an old install of microsoft xp and the system became unbearable, so I installed Debian Jessie 32bit on a 1GB Pentium 4 3Ghz system.

They mostly used for it browsing and skype.

I set up basic ssh remote access for myself, key based auth etc, then skype and all that jazz.

They called me a few days later that sound on the in-built microphone on their mini webcam doesn't work with skype.

Then I went in, install pavucontrol, tested echo service and I heard myself talking, considered it fixed.

They later call me again that it's not working anymore. No voice on the system or voice on skype either. I told them it worked for me.

So I again go in there, realise that pavucontrol didn't save any settings for me and it reverted back to the in-built whatever software it wanted and not the microphone on webcam.

I googled around to fix that for their desktop user, it worked after reboots. Sounds on, microphone worked on skype after boot. Great.

I come home and a few hours later it doesn't anymore.

I'm going to put back mcr xp back and stop them complaining.

I've had enough.

Went over.

Anyone why debian 8 loves fucking with me?

Parents are over 50s, no unix experience whatsoever.

debian 8 32 bit xfce

Comments

  • wychwych Member

    Why not try something more end user friendly? Ubuntu / Mint maybe?

  • GM2015GM2015 Member

    I'd like to, but I think I'll just put them back to their windows cages where they are comfortable.

    I've really no idea why debian goes back and messes up the settings I've put in place.

    wych said: Why not try something more end user friendly? Ubuntu / Mint maybe?

  • varwwwvarwww Member
    edited August 2015

    If they use it only for Skype and browsing, use a distro listed on http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-linux/ rather than leaving your parents with an insecure EOL Win XP installation. Maybe Ubuntu 12.04 or Debian 7

  • GM2015GM2015 Member

    Perhaps I'll put them on windows 7.

    They should get a similar experience to windows xp, I think.

    Windows 7 has a better caching feature, but I hope it won't crash their system all the time using skype and firefox.

    1 GB ram for a desktop is awful.

    They're getting a new pc around december so need something temporary.

    Deb 8 just doesn't fit their needs.

  • GM2015GM2015 Member

    Necro, but don't want to make a new thread for this question.
    Anyone have tips why iceweasel(firefox fork) keeps crashing on my parent's desktop?
    Intel pentium 4 3GHZ(I don't know why debian says it's dual core, I always thought it was 1 core only)
    1GB DDR2(I think) RAM
    OS Debian 8
    machine is about 10-12 years old

  • singsingsingsing Member

    GM2015 said: So I again go in there, realise that pavucontrol didn't save any settings for me and it reverted back to the in-built whatever software it wanted and not the microphone on webcam.

    I have little experience with PulseAudio.

    I always configure software (e.g., Skype) to output to ALSA instead of PulseAudio. ALSA has a command-line tool "amixer" to change volumes, which can be invoked from /etc/rc.local. Then everything is usually in order.

    GM2015 said: Anyone have tips why iceweasel(firefox fork) keeps crashing on my parent's desktop? Intel pentium 4 3GHZ(I don't know why debian says it's dual core, I always thought it was 1 core only) 1GB DDR2(I think) RAM

    1GB RAM is barely enough for that nowadays, and only if you are very careful with the configs.

    Thanked by 1GM2015
  • catalystiumcatalystium Member

    What about using an older distro that takes less ram? e.g Puppy Linux

    Thanked by 1GM2015
  • budi1413budi1413 Member

    @GM2015 said:
    Necro, but don't want to make a new thread for this question.
    Anyone have tips why iceweasel(firefox fork) keeps crashing on my parent's desktop?
    Intel pentium 4 3GHZ(I don't know why debian says it's dual core, I always thought it was 1 core only)
    1GB DDR2(I think) RAM
    OS Debian 8
    machine is about 10-12 years old

    It's Pentium 4 with hyperthreading.

    Thanked by 1GM2015
  • Ole_JuulOle_Juul Member

    I'm still scratching my head over the choice to use Debian for such an application. It seems like a lot of work - which is fine if you're feeling particularly confident and have time. I'm pretty sure Mint will run on that machine.

    Thanked by 1GM2015
  • singsingsingsing Member

    Ole_Juul said: It seems like a lot of work - which is fine if you're feeling particularly confident and have time. I'm pretty sure Mint will run on that machine.

    Which is clearly a lot less work, because, unlike Debian, Mint isn't just an amalgamation of fussy FOSS software that needs to be configured to work.

    Thanked by 1GM2015
  • doughmanesdoughmanes Member

    Throw away the Pentium 4 unless a heater is needed or if you hate your parents that bad

  • singsingsingsing Member

    doughmanes said: Throw away the Pentium 4 unless a heater is needed or if you hate your parents that bad

    My vote is keep it until it dies. That system needs additional RAM much more badly than additional compute power.

  • pcfreak30pcfreak30 Member

    @GM2015 said:
    As a test for myself to start shifting using linux more, my parents had an old install of microsoft xp and the system became unbearable, so I installed Debian Jessie 32bit on a 1GB Pentium 4 3Ghz system.

    They mostly used for it browsing and skype.

    I set up basic ssh remote access for myself, key based auth etc, then skype and all that jazz.

    They called me a few days later that sound on the in-built microphone on their mini webcam doesn't work with skype.

    Then I went in, install pavucontrol, tested echo service and I heard myself talking, considered it fixed.

    They later call me again that it's not working anymore. No voice on the system or voice on skype either. I told them it worked for me.

    So I again go in there, realise that pavucontrol didn't save any settings for me and it reverted back to the in-built whatever software it wanted and not the microphone on webcam.

    I googled around to fix that for their desktop user, it worked after reboots. Sounds on, microphone worked on skype after boot. Great.

    I come home and a few hours later it doesn't anymore.

    I'm going to put back mcr xp back and stop them complaining.

    I've had enough.

    Went over.

    Anyone why debian 8 loves fucking with me?

    Parents are over 50s, no unix experience whatsoever.

    debian 8 32 bit xfce

    Use linux mint MATE and be done with it. Its ubuntu without unity and a windows style workflow. Should not have issues with sound as pulse audio is used and ive never had issues needing a manual editing of setup. Debian always fucked up sound to where i have to hack it.

    I use skype and a ton of other things. I watch movies/TV all the time. My only issue is a shitty analog headset :).

    Dont use debian directly without being an expert.

  • GM2015GM2015 Member

    I'm trying to get into the mindset of doing something is the best way of learning it. Since debian seems to be the os aligning with my ideals, that's why I like it. So using it is a way of learning linux and debian.

    Anyway, I posted sometime ago to the cestpit that it was fixed. Last time, they pulled the jack out somehow/for some reason and that was their problem. http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/comment/1248134/#Comment_1248134

    pcfreak30 said: Use linux mint MATE and be done with it. Its ubuntu without unity and a windows style workflow. Should not have issues with sound as pulse audio is used and ive never had issues needing a manual editing of setup. Debian always fucked up sound to where i have to hack it.

    I use skype and a ton of other things. I watch movies/TV all the time. My only issue is a shitty analog headset :).

    Dont use debian directly without being an expert.

  • GM2015GM2015 Member

    http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/comment/1248134/#Comment_1248134

    

Had this issue solved http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/61798/anyone-knows-why-debian-8-just-keeps-messing-my-parents-sound-settings by some mysterious stranger at my parents's house.

Apparently, the genuine ingenuity of my parents enabled the jack plug to disappear from its plugged-in status to be in the State of Unplugged.

Hence, the smarter than yours' truly stranger have seen the issue by investigating the murder case of the Home Sound and pointed the issue being the Jack 'The Perpetrator' fleeing to the State of Unplugged.

By deporting the Jack 'The Perpetrator' from the State of Unplugged to his former of the State of Plugged-in, Mr. Home Sound has been found resurrected from his grave. Perhaps, the Lord Debian is still with us and salvation from the Softmicros might be at hand.

The Home Justice department considered the case closed and the matter solved, for now.
Sign In or Register to comment.