riftaway7-code
diff --git a/src/config_editor.py b/src/config_editor.py
@@ -205,7 +205,12 @@ def set_igpu_platform_id(cfg: dict, hex_str: str) -> None:
     "ALC282":  [(25, "most laptops"), (27, "alt")],
     "ALC283":  [(66, "most laptops"), (13, "alt")],
     "ALC289":  [(87, "most laptops"), (93, "alt")],
+    "ALC280":  [(3, "most laptops"), (5, "alt"), (28, "alt")],
+    "ALC292":  [(28, "most laptops"), (12, "alt"), (15, "alt")],
+    "ALC293":  [(28, "most laptops"), (44, "alt"), (3, "alt")],
     "ALC1220": [(7, "most desktops"), (11, "alt"), (16, "Gigabyte")],
+    "ALC1150": [(1, "most desktops"), (7, "alt"), (11, "alt")],
+    "ALC700":  [(33, "most desktops"), (35, "alt"), (66, "alt")],
     "ALC887":  [(7, "most desktops"), (11, "alt"), (17, "alt")],
     "ALC892":  [(7, "most desktops"), (12, "alt"), (15, "alt")],
     "ALC897":  [(11, "most desktops"), (66, "alt")],

diff --git a/src/hackmate.py b/src/hackmate.py
@@ -1443,7 +1443,8 @@ def _show_results(self, profile: HardwareProfile) -> None:
         if profile.dgpu_name:
             lines.append(f"  dGPU      {profile.dgpu_name} [{profile.dgpu_vendor}]")
         lines += [
-            f"  Audio     {profile.audio_name}  /  codec: {profile.audio_codec}  →  layout-id {layout}",
+            f"  Audio     {profile.audio_name}  /  codec: {profile.audio_codec}  →  layout-id {layout}"
+            "   (mic or output wrong? try another layout-id in Edit Config)",
             f"  Ethernet  {profile.ethernet_name or 'None'}",
             f"  WiFi      {profile.wifi_name or 'None'}",
             f"  SMBIOS    {profile.smbios_model}",
@@ -1452,10 +1453,12 @@ def _show_results(self, profile: HardwareProfile) -> None:
         ]
         from hardware import hardware_warnings
         warnings = hardware_warnings(profile)
-        if profile.audio_codec and not alc_layout_is_known(profile.audio_codec):
+        if not alc_layout_is_known(profile.audio_codec):
+            which = f"codec \"{profile.audio_codec}\"" if profile.audio_codec else "your audio codec"
             warnings.append(
-                f"layout-id {layout} for codec \"{profile.audio_codec}\" is an unconfirmed default, "
-                "not a verified match — if you get no audio, try other layout IDs from "
+                f"couldn't identify {which} — AppleALC is included with a generic "
+                f"layout-id {layout}, which may not match. if you get no audio, try "
+                "other layout IDs for your board from "
                 "https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs"
             )
         for w in warnings:

diff --git a/src/hackmate_gui.py b/src/hackmate_gui.py
@@ -642,7 +642,8 @@ def _show_results(self, profile: HardwareProfile):
         if profile.dgpu_name:
             lines.append(f"  dGPU      {profile.dgpu_name} [{profile.dgpu_vendor}]")
         lines += [
-            f"  Audio     {profile.audio_name}  /  codec: {profile.audio_codec}  →  layout-id {layout}",
+            f"  Audio     {profile.audio_name}  /  codec: {profile.audio_codec}  →  layout-id {layout}"
+            "   (mic or output wrong? try another layout-id in Edit Config)",
             f"  Ethernet  {profile.ethernet_name or 'None'}",
             f"  WiFi      {profile.wifi_name or 'None'}",
             f"  SMBIOS    {profile.smbios_model}",
@@ -651,10 +652,12 @@ def _show_results(self, profile: HardwareProfile):
         ]
         from hardware import hardware_warnings
         warnings = hardware_warnings(profile)
-        if profile.audio_codec and not alc_layout_is_known(profile.audio_codec):
+        if not alc_layout_is_known(profile.audio_codec):
+            which = f"codec \"{profile.audio_codec}\"" if profile.audio_codec else "your audio codec"
             warnings.append(
-                f"layout-id {layout} for codec \"{profile.audio_codec}\" is an unconfirmed default, "
-                "not a verified match — if you get no audio, try other layout IDs from "
+                f"couldn't identify {which} — AppleALC is included with a generic "
+                f"layout-id {layout}, which may not match. if you get no audio, try "
+                "other layout IDs for your board from "
                 "https://github.com/acidanthera/AppleALC/wiki/Supported-codecs"
             )
         for w in warnings:

diff --git a/src/kexts.py b/src/kexts.py
@@ -208,6 +208,19 @@ class KextEntry:
 }
 
 def get_alc_layout(codec: str) -> int:
+    """Best-guess AppleALC layout-id for a codec.
+
+    Prefers the curated "most laptops / most desktops" pick from
+    config_editor.AUDIO_LAYOUTS — those are vetted for working *input* as well
+    as output. ALC_LAYOUTS below is just every numerically-valid layout for the
+    codec, and its first element is often a partial one (output works, mic
+    doesn't), which is exactly the "speaker fine, mic dead" class of bug.
+    """
+    from config_editor import AUDIO_LAYOUTS
+    up = codec.upper()
+    for key, layouts in AUDIO_LAYOUTS.items():
+        if key in up and layouts:
+            return layouts[0][0]
     for key, layouts in ALC_LAYOUTS.items():
         if key.lower() in codec.lower():
             return layouts[0]
@@ -404,15 +417,14 @@ def add(*names: str):
         if profile.cpu_vendor == "amd":
             add("SMCAMDProcessor")
 
-    codec = profile.audio_codec.lower()
-    alc_supported = any(k.lower() in codec for k in ALC_LAYOUTS)
-    if alc_supported or not codec:
+    # AppleALC ships on every non-legacy build. Unlike VoodooHDA it is inert
+    # when it can't match the codec (it never causes a boot failure), so there
+    # is no downside to always injecting it — and detection frequently yields
+    # only a generic string ("Realtek", "High Definition Audio") with no
+    # ALCxxxx, which previously left the EFI with no audio kext at all.
+    # CodecCommander (EAPD sleep fix) is handled by AppleALC on modern systems.
+    if not legacy:
         add("AppleALC")
-    # VoodooHDA is not safe to prelink from an installer EFI on modern macOS.
-    # Upstream's Big Sur+ workflow installs it into /Library/Extensions after
-    # macOS is running, so leave explicitly unsupported codecs unconfigured
-    # here instead of turning a missing-audio issue into a boot failure.
-    # CodecCommander (EAPD sleep fix) is handled by AppleALC on modern systems
 
     if profile.platform == "laptop":
         if tp == "rmi":

diff --git a/tests/test_config_safety.py b/tests/test_config_safety.py
@@ -35,12 +35,20 @@ def test_supported_codec_uses_applealc(self):
         self.assertIn("AppleALC", names)
         self.assertNotIn("VoodooHDA", names)
 
-    def test_unknown_codec_does_not_inject_voodoohda(self):
+    def test_unknown_codec_still_ships_applealc_but_never_voodoohda(self):
+        # AppleALC is inert when it can't match the codec, so injecting it is
+        # strictly better than an EFI with no audio kext at all. VoodooHDA must
+        # never be prelinked from an installer EFI.
         names = self._selected_names("Conexant CX20751")
 
-        self.assertNotIn("AppleALC", names)
+        self.assertIn("AppleALC", names)
         self.assertNotIn("VoodooHDA", names)
 
+    def test_generic_realtek_string_still_ships_applealc(self):
+        # Windows detection falls back to the literal "Realtek" when it can't
+        # read the exact codec — that must not drop AppleALC.
+        self.assertIn("AppleALC", self._selected_names("Realtek"))
+
     def test_missing_codec_keeps_safe_applealc_default(self):
         names = self._selected_names("")
 

diff --git a/tests/test_kexts.py b/tests/test_kexts.py
@@ -148,6 +148,15 @@ def test_generic_realtek_string_is_not_confirmed(self):
     def test_unrecognized_alc_model_is_not_confirmed(self):
         self.assertFalse(alc_layout_is_known("ALC1200"))
 
+    def test_layout_uses_the_curated_pick_not_the_first_valid_id(self):
+        # config_editor.AUDIO_LAYOUTS is vetted for working input too; the raw
+        # ALC_LAYOUTS lists are just every valid id and their first element is
+        # often output-only ("speaker fine, mic dead").
+        self.assertEqual(get_alc_layout("ALC295"), 28)          # not 11
+        self.assertEqual(get_alc_layout("ALC255"), 71)          # not 3
+        self.assertEqual(get_alc_layout("ALC1220"), 7)          # not 1
+        self.assertEqual(get_alc_layout("Realtek ALC257"), 21)  # not 11
+
 
 class OpenCoreDebugBuildTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_fallback_url_points_at_debug_not_release(self):