[Feature request] Blacklist pcspkr by default
Following a discussion about an issue that doesn't affect everyone (fortunately!), but is irritating when you have it. Here's the thread: https://forum.manjaro.org/t/proposal-remove-beep-sound/73651
My request here is to add a configuration file in manjaro-hotfixes package. The new file would be installed in /etc/modprobe.d/
, would be called manjaro-blacklist.conf
and would have the following content to begin with:
#Disable the PC speaker to stop having annoying beeps
blacklist pcspkr
I suggest putting this file in /etc/modprobe.d instead of /usr/lib/modprobe.d/ so users can edit the configuration of this blacklist file easily. Add backup=('etc/modprobe.d/manjaro-blacklist.conf')
so that the file doesn't get overwritten in future updates of manjaro-hotfixes if it get modified in the future.
The goal of blacklisting this kernel module is to remove the annoying, loud and screeching beeps you get with some computers that still have a PC speaker (or buzzer) when, for example:
- You press backspace while there's no string typed yet;
- In XFCE, you want to shutdown/reboot/etc. your computer.
For people who aren't affected by the issue, blacklisting pcspkr has no effect. Most people affected by the issue either disable the PC speaker themselves or ask for help in the forum about how to do it. At that point, if most people having the issue just ends up disabling the PC speaker, considering how quick the fix can be implemented (five minutes at worst), I think we should just make it the default for all Manjaro editions.
The fix I am suggesting has a global effect (which means that it'll fix the issue everywhere, not just within a graphical session for example) and is a method recommended in the Arch Wiki. It is also the solution that was implemented in Ubuntu around 10 years ago, related to this bug ticket (#77010). The content of /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
in Ubuntu has the following content:
# ugly and loud noise, getting on everyone's nerves; this should be done by a
# nice pulseaudio bing (Ubuntu: #77010)
blacklist pcspkr
It is not the first time measure to disable pcspkr has been requested. See this thread for example: https://forum.manjaro.org/t/manjaro-should-blacklist-the-pc-speaker-to-prevent-unpleasant-beeps/26947
It is also a source of recurring support thread too, here's some examples that appeared in the last few months. https://forum.manjaro.org/t/strange-beep-sound-when-using-backspace-and-log-out/60341 https://forum.manjaro.org/t/bios-beeps-everywhere-i-need-noob-proof-advice-how-to-disable-systemwide/71700 https://forum.manjaro.org/t/solved-i-hear-beep-sound-in-terminal-when-there-is-no-any-symbol-and-i-press-backspace/66169 https://forum.manjaro.org/t/the-beep-sound/63327
The manjaro-blacklist.conf file could be reused later in case blacklisting devs needs to blacklist more modules for all Manjaro editions in the future.