# soundcard Realtek ALC236 not working (no sound output)



## blossomx (Jul 24, 2021)

Hello, 
i am find difficult to make my soundcard can make sound, i read the handbook but not working so well (i am attached image screenshot the soundcard default). i am using Laptop Lenovo Legion i5 8300H gtx 1050 mobile


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## bsduck (Jul 24, 2021)

Make pcm0 default, pcm1 is a recording-only device so it isn't going to output any sound: `sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=0`
If the system automatically chose pcm1 for you, let it know it's wrong by putting `hw.snd.default_unit=0` in /etc/sysctl.conf

Then use `mixer` to check and adjust output levels.

Be aware there are currently problems about PulseAudio getting pulled as a dependency of many packages such as your Plasma desktop and enabled without asking (see this topic if you're interested in the details).

I can't tell from the icon if your sound applet is audio/plasma5-plasma-pa or audio/kmix. Make sure to use plasma-pa if you use PulseAudio and KMix if you don't. As an alternative to KMix you can also try audio/dsbmixer.

If you still have no sound, try disabling PulseAudio in Plasma's autostart settings.


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## Alexander Mishin (Aug 21, 2021)

blossomx said:


> Hello,
> i am find difficult to make my soundcard can make sound, i read the handbook but not working so well (i am attached image screenshot the soundcard default). i am using Laptop Lenovo Legion i5 8300H gtx 1050 mobile


In my case it was Realtek ALC662. I cured the problem by run `sysctl dev.hdac.1.polling=1`.
If it helped put that code to /etc/sysctl.conf for apply it every boot:

```
dev.hdac.1.polling=1
```

*hdac.1* as Your screenshot reads


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