No sound from guests in Windows Vista host

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 13. Dec 2008, 11:25

Hi! I've just recently installed Virtualbox and I've been fooling around for a bit, but I can't seem to get the sound working. I've enabled the sound in the Settings in the Virtualbox menu but still nothing is happening.

I'm currently using Ubuntu 8.10 as a guest under a Windows Vista (32-bit) host.

Does someone have any idea on what the problem is and how to fix this?

Thanks in advance,

Devilly

http://www.virtualbox.de/wiki/User_FAQ · Post by **stefan.becker** » 13. Dec 2008, 15:54

First post chhosen audio settings for the guest.

wsmaal · Post by **wsmaal** » 13. Dec 2008, 21:42

I have the same problem but then with XP host and Xubuntu 8.10 guest (netbook NC10)

Enable Audio
Host Audio driver I can only choose
Windows Directsound and Null audo driver

Audio controller I can choose
ICH AC97 and Soundblaster 16

I have made all possible combinations but the audio doesn't work
(I compiled Alsa too)

http://www.virtualbox.de/wiki/User_FAQ · Post by **stefan.becker** » 14. Dec 2008, 10:20

Correct must be:
- Enable Audio
- Windows Directsound and Null audo driver
- ICH AC97

All other combinations dont work.

After starting with this settings you must use the distros tool for detect sound card, dont know that for ubuntu.

After that control the mixer in the guest, turn all switches to max.

wsmaal · Post by **wsmaal** » 14. Dec 2008, 16:06

stefan.becker wrote:Correct must be:
- Enable Audio
- Windows Directsound and Null audo driver
- ICH AC97

All other combinations dont work.

After starting with this settings you must use the distros tool for detect sound card, dont know that for ubuntu.

After that control the mixer in the guest, turn all switches to max.

Enable Audio, Windows DirectSound & ICH AC97..

After switching from Xubuntu 8.10 (detect sound card isn't peace of cake) to Ubuntu (8.10), the audio problem is solved from the box

Even the headphone works, which is a problem when you install Ubuntu directly on the HD of the Samsung netbook NC10...

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 15. Dec 2008, 15:30

It just won't work. Het recognizes the soundcard and all, but I just don't hear a thing.

http://www.virtualbox.de/wiki/User_FAQ · Post by **stefan.becker** » 15. Dec 2008, 20:28

Have you checked the miser in the guest os?

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 15. Dec 2008, 20:40

Well, I have no idea what a miser is so I can't answer that question. I looked for the meaning on google and maybe it's just me but I couldn't find a good answer.

http://www.virtualbox.de/wiki/User_FAQ · Post by **stefan.becker** » 15. Dec 2008, 20:58

Sorry, write error.

I mean "mixer". Check the Sound Control in the Guest, turn all switches to maximum.

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 15. Dec 2008, 21:08

That at least explains why I didn't know what you meant. ^^

But I had already done that. All the switches are on maximum and after that didn't work I checked all possible checklist-items. That didn't help either.

Post by **Sasquatch** » 15. Dec 2008, 22:16

Devilly wrote:That at least explains why I didn't know what you meant. ^^

But I had already done that. All the switches are on maximum and after that didn't work I checked all possible checklist-items. That didn't help either.

What Audio setting do you have on the VM? Is it DirectSound or NullAudio? You need the DirectSound, as the NullAudio sends the audio to outer space, instead of your sound card.

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 16. Dec 2008, 18:24

Sasquatch wrote:
Devilly wrote:That at least explains why I didn't know what you meant. ^^

But I had already done that. All the switches are on maximum and after that didn't work I checked all possible checklist-items. That didn't help either.
What Audio setting do you have on the VM? Is it DirectSound or NullAudio? You need the DirectSound, as the NullAudio sends the audio to outer space, instead of your sound card.

That fixed it, thanks! Also thanks to the other(s) trying to help!

Now I'm going to try to get rid of that annoying administrator stuff to install the Guest Additions. ^^

Post by **Sasquatch** » 16. Dec 2008, 22:08

It's all described in the manual. If you read it, you didn't have to open a topic

.

Devilly · Post by **Devilly** » 17. Dec 2008, 10:06

Sasquatch wrote:It's all described in the manual. If you read it, you didn't have to open a topic .

I'm sorry....

A little question off-topic: I used the 'sudo' command to run the Guest Additions but the manual says you should use 'sh .' Does it really matter which one you choose? I just want to know that because mine also works great (and I have no experience at all with Linux).

Post by **Sasquatch** » 17. Dec 2008, 21:17

The Guest Additions need to be installed with Super User privileges. Using sudo does that. The manual suggests sh because that is used to run a shell script (sh stands for shell). Some users prefer to use bash instead of sh, but they do essentially the same.

You only need sh if the file does not have an execution bit set, or use a different shell. Even if you would use sh, you still need to run it with SU privileges, so a sudo sh <additions file> would work too. But a simple sh <additions file> would not, if you are not root.