Hmm I am on day 2 of getting linux working on this 2013 desktop computer.
step 1. Ubuntu 20.04 LTS will not install will not run live usb longer than 2 or 3 mouse clicks.
step 2. Puplinux fossa 9.5 cannot use as I have a hdmi monitor and cant see screen to make changes
step 3. Sparky linux (my old standby based on Ubuntu except lighter weight with more compatibility drivers) same problem as ubuntu cant install and locks up after 1 or 2 mouse clicks- using Mate desktop
Step 4. Garuda Linux(arch linux gamified for nvidia drivers) - installs and runs but sound is not working. Seems to be trying to use wrong sound card. Pipewire frozen. Uninstalled pipewire and installed pulseaudio. Pulseaudio runs but no sound and pulseaudio control locks at "connecting to pulseaudio server". So I cant use that to set the sound card channels. I am trying to figure out how to do that from terminal instead- so far no luck. Even though this seems to be a very common setup problem for many linux flavors.
This computer has 2 hdmi cards. on board AMD CPU with AMD integrated radeon graphics. This other is a Nvidia Geforce. Uses the Nvidia Geforce HDMI video fine - but audio is trying to use the integrated sound card.
Now I had a chance to install windows 7 on another computer system couple months back and had similar issues with hdmi sound and video. and it took me a while to fix it.
EDIT: its not using the radeon card either it is trying to use a Intel sound chip driver.