[GTALUG] New system audio problem

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Stephen <stephen-d at rogers.com>

| I have run Ubuntu 12.04 and earlier versions for a number of years on an MSI
| motherboard and an AMD 3200 cpu. It finally died.
| 
| I build a new system on a ASUS H97M-E motherboard with an Intel i5 and 16 gigs
| ram.
| 
| I just connected the hard drives from the old system, and was quite happy when
| the system booted and all seemed good.

This isn't 100% clear, but I assume that the version you are currently
running is 12.04.

| Audio is bad. Static and drops. This applies to *.flac files and online
| Youtube stuff.

| So I am thinking the audio driver is not a good fit for the new chip set.
| 
| Am I on the right track? Can I get Ubuntu to update to the proper driver?

Ubuntu adjusts which drivers it uses upon boot.  Unless you've wired in
some settings somewhere (eg. telling it to load certain modules or not
to load certain modules).

Sometimes mixer settings get mixed up.  Try creating a new user, log
in as that user, and see if sound works properly.  If so, some dot file
in your normal home directory has an inappropriate setting.

I assume that you have done a normal update procedure to get all
released updates to 12.04.  If not, I suggest doing so.

Perhaps 12.04LTS isn't aggressively supporting new hardware (I don't
know) because 14.04LTS is out.  Consider trying 14.04LTS from a live USB
stick -- that would allow you to test without disturbing your current
installation.  You could even try a newer release.  Or, say Fedora.

Good luck!