I am using Ubuntu 18.04 on Dell Vostro 15 laptop. The Sound Settings surprisingly doesn't find any audio device. Here is a screenshot:
Here are the outputs of :-
lspci -nnk | grep -A3 Audio
00:03.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT HD Audio Controller [8086:0a0c] (rev 0b)
Subsystem: Dell Haswell-ULT HD Audio Controller [1028:065c]
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 8 Series USB xHCI HC [8086:9c31] (rev 04)
--
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 8 Series HD Audio Controller [8086:9c20] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell 8 Series HD Audio Controller [1028:065c]
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 8 Series PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:9c10] (rev e4)
aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC3234 Analog [ALC3234 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
sudo pactl list short sinks
Failed to create secure directory (/run/user/0/snap.pulseaudio/pulse): No such file or directory
0 alsa_output.pci-0000_00_03.0.hdmi-stereo module-alsa-card.c s16le 2ch 44100Hz SUSPENDED
1 alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo module-alsa-card.c s16le 2ch 44100Hz SUSPENDED
Because of this reason, I can't use any driver for sound. It is always mute.
What to do ???
There are a few options in here https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/06/fix-no-sound-dummy-output-issue-in.html. Option #1 worked for me when I had a similar issue in 19.10.