The kernel's DSP auto-select takes SOF on Gemini/Jasper Lake only when the NHLT table lists DMICs. The HP Chromebook "Meep" has none, so its DSP went to legacy snd_hda_intel, produced a codec-less "HDA Intel PCH" card and no sound. snd_intel_dspcfg.dsp_driver is read-only after boot, so it rides the kpart command line: every Chromebook booting this partition has a SOF-era DSP, and UEFI boots are untouched.