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How to disable power savings in Linux

rentaclaus

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2022
Messages
90
Likes
81
As power-saving is quite often the root cause of distortions or malfunctions in sound here my collection of possibilities to disable power-savings. All commands are for Ubuntu, you may have to change things according to your distribution.

Feel free to complete the possibilities...

1. Disable power saving in Pulseaudio

Edit /etc/pulse/default.pa and comment the following line:

load-module module-suspend-on-idle
by adding # in front

Result:

# load-module module-suspend-on-idle

Then restart the sound server.

"systemctl --user start pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket"

2. Disable power saving in Pipewire

copy alsa config script
"sudo cp -a /usr/share/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua /etc/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua"

edit /etc/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua

Line
--["session.suspend-timeout-seconds"] = 5, -- 0 disables suspend
gets
["session.suspend-timeout-seconds"] = 0, -- default is 5

restart wireplumber

"systemctl --user restart wireplumber"

3. Disable power saving for soundcard/USB

First check what you have

"cat /proc/asound/modules"

Output e.g.
0 snd_hda_intel
1 snd_usb_audio

Check if power-save is enabled

"cat /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save"
or
"cat /sys/module/snd_usb_audio/parameters/power_save"

if the output is 1, power saving is enabled

Check if disabling helps

"sudo echo 0 > /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save"
or
"sudo echo 0 > /sys/module/snd_usb_audio/parameters/power_save"

If distortions(noise, buzzing, crackling ...) are gone, make it permanent

execute
"cd /etc/modprobe.d"

create a new file named audio_disable_powersave.conf and open with text editor (e,g, nano)

"sudo nano audio_disable_powersave.conf"

insert (depending on souncard)

options snd_hda_intel power_save=0
or
options snd_usb_audio power_save=0

save

reboot
 

NiagaraPete

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Messages
2,185
Likes
1,953
Location
Canada

NiagaraPete

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Messages
2,185
Likes
1,953
Location
Canada
As power-saving is quite often the root cause of distortions or malfunctions in sound here my collection of possibilities to disable power-savings. All commands are for Ubuntu, you may have to change things according to your distribution.

Feel free to complete the possibilities...

1. Disable power saving in Pulseaudio

Edit /etc/pulse/default.pa and comment the following line:

load-module module-suspend-on-idle by adding # in front

Result:

# load-module module-suspend-on-idle

Then restart the sound server.

"systemctl --user start pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket"

2. Disable power saving in Pipewire

copy alsa config script
"sudo cp -a /usr/share/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua /etc/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua"

edit /etc/wireplumber/main.lua.d/50-alsa-config.lua

Line
--["session.suspend-timeout-seconds"] = 5, -- 0 disables suspend
gets
["session.suspend-timeout-seconds"] = 0, -- default is 5

restart wireplumber

"systemctl --user restart wireplumber"

3. Disable power saving for soundcard/USB

First check what you have

"cat /proc/asound/modules"

Output e.g.
0 snd_hda_intel
1 snd_usb_audio

Check if power-save is enabled

"cat /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save"
or
"cat /sys/module/snd_usb_audio/parameters/power_save"

if the output is 1, power saving is enabled

Check if disabling helps

"sudo echo 0 > /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save"
or
"sudo echo 0 > /sys/module/snd_usb_audio/parameters/power_save"

If distortions(noise, buzzing, crackling ...) are gone, make it permanent

execute
"cd /etc/modprobe.d"

create a new file named audio_disable_powersave.conf and open with text editor (e,g, nano)

"sudo nano audio_disable_powersave.conf"

insert (depending on souncard)

options snd_hda_intel power_save=0
or
options snd_usb_audio power_save=0

save

reboot
Thanks very useful.
 
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