Sarge ... Kernel 2.6.8-2 ... Sound card (reported by alsaconf) ... Maestro ESS Technology ES1988 Allegro-1 (rev.12)

I've seen a question similar to this somewhere in the forums, but I can't find the thread. Sorry.

Sound does not work after boot. Running alsaconf fixes the problem until next reboot. When I run alsaconf, there is an error report that may shed some light on why it didn't work during the boot. (For the record, I did turn off all sound programs before running alsaconf) Here is the message:

"Terminating processes 3858, 3993, 4011, 4015, 4036 (failed: processes still using sound devices: 4054 (gnome settings - ))

"/etc/init.d/alsa: Warning: Processes still using sound devices : 4054 (gnome settings - ))

"Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-maestro3 snd-intel8x0m snd-ac97-codec snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc (failed: modules still loaded: snd-intel8x0m snd-ac97-codec snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc)."

alsaconf, then goes on to successfully install the Maestro card ... for this session.

I am setting this PC up for my son, who is not qualified to have root priviledges, so I need to get it fixed before he takes it back to school. Thank for any help.

To begin with, I must first confess that I don't know much about solving ALSA problems and, furthermore, I don't even use Gnome. That being said, the alsaconf message seems a bit puzzling to me. I'd understand if sound doesn't work after booting because all the necessary modules are not loaded but it appears that alsaconf tries to *unload* modules.

While we're waiting for better informed suggestions, you could perhaps run "lsmod |grep snd" before and after running alsaconf and compare the results to see if alsaconf loads any modules that weren't loaded during boot time. If this is the case, then you could try adding these missing modules to /etc/modules and then reboot to see if that helps.

Related thread that I want to keep track of while I work on this thing.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=309361

OK ... After boot, before running alsaconf:
# lsmod | grep snd
snd_maestro3 22824 0
snd_intel8x0m 18632 1
snd_ac97_codec 59268 2 snd_maestro3, snd_intel8x0m
snd_pcm_oss 48168 0
snd_mixer_oss 16640 2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 85384 3 snd_maestro3, snd_intel8x0m, snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer 23172 1 snd_pcm
snd 50660 7 snd_maestro3, snd_intel8x0m, snd_ac97_codec, snd_pcm_oss, snd_mixer_oss, snd_pcm, snd_timer
soundcore 9824 2 snd
snd_page_alloc 11144 2 snd_intel8x0m, snd_pcm

And ... After successfully running alsaconf:
# lsmod | grep snd
snd_maestro3 22824 2
snd_ac97_codec 59268 1 snd_maestro3
snd_pcm_oss 48168 0
snd_mixer_oss 16640 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 85384 3 snd_maestro3, snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 11144 1 snd_pcm
snd_timer 23172 1 snd_pcm
snd 50660 7 snd_maestro3, snd_ac97_codec, snd_pcm_oss, snd_mixer_oss, snd_pcm, snd_timer
soundcore 9824 1 snd

Aha! Some very distinctive differences there. In the thread I referenced in my last post here, the very last entry reads:

"...similar problem on my asus laptop having an AC97 integrated audio card ... Unloading the debian original i810_audio module from /etc/modules. ... [It] was preventing the loading of alsa modules at boot. Commenting it worked."

It appears that I have the same, or a very similar, problem. snd_intel8x0m is, for some reason, already loaded by the time ALSA comes along wanting to install the correct drivers.

So... how do I go about making sure that doesn't happen?

"Commenting it worked." ... Commenting it where?

Debian uses programs called discover and hotplug for automatic hardware detection during boot time. These programs detect your hardware and load the needed modules. It appears that ALSA doesn't need the snd_intel8x0m module, so you can prevent discover from loading it by adding the line to the end of /etc/discover.conf and adding snd_intel8x0m to /etc/hotplug/blacklist should prevent also hotplug from loading it.

Debian uses programs called discover and hotplug for automatic hardware detection during boot time. These programs detect your hardware and load the needed modules. It appears that ALSA doesn't need the snd_intel8x0m module, so you can prevent discover from loading it by ...

Rather than ALSA not needing snd_intel8x0m, perhaps it's this particular sound card that doesn't need it, or perhaps ALSA's install script for this driver lacks the correct means of handling it. I say that because I have another laptop with a different card that got the same installation with no problems.

At any rate, your solution, as usual, ended the problem. Thanks.

Is there a central place to look to see all the modules, drivers, etc, that are being loaded during the boot process?

Place? I guess that would be /proc/modules -- it's the file where the lsmod command gets its info from. If you want to view the messages that were printed on the screen while your computer booted, try the "dmesg | more" command.

I have similar problem as rickh

Sound does not work after boot. Running alsaconf fixes the problem until next reboot. No errors when running alsaconf.

Here is output of lsmod | grep snd
before and after running alsaconf

Hope:/home/wicks# lsmod | grep snd
snd_ice1712 64580 2
snd_ice17xx_ak4xxx 7808 1 snd_ice1712
snd_pcm 88708 2 snd_ice1712
snd_timer 28292 1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 13064 1 snd_pcm
snd_ak4xxx_adda 9472 2 snd_ice1712,snd_ice17xx_ak4xxx
snd_cs8427 13696 1 snd_ice1712
snd_ac97_codec 66768 1 snd_ice1712
snd_i2c 8832 2 snd_ice1712,snd_cs8427
snd_mpu401_uart 11776 1 snd_ice1712
snd_rawmidi 26916 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 11528 1 snd_rawmidi
snd 53220 13 snd_ice1712,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_ak4xxx_adda,snd_cs8427,snd_ac97_codec,snd_i2c,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_ rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 11232 1 snd

Hope:/home/wicks# lsmod | grep snd
snd_ice1712 64580 0
snd_ice17xx_ak4xxx 7808 1 snd_ice1712
snd_pcm 88708 1 snd_ice1712
snd_timer 28292 1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 13064 1 snd_pcm
snd_ak4xxx_adda 9472 2 snd_ice1712,snd_ice17xx_ak4xxx
snd_cs8427 13696 1 snd_ice1712
snd_ac97_codec 66768 1 snd_ice1712
snd_i2c 8832 2 snd_ice1712,snd_cs8427
snd_mpu401_uart 11776 1 snd_ice1712
snd_rawmidi 26916 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 11528 1 snd_rawmidi
snd 53220 10 snd_ice1712,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_ak4xxx_adda,snd_cs8427,snd_ac97_codec,snd_i2c,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_ rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 11232 1 snd

Any suggestions???

Thanx,
Carl

Are you sure about those before and after images ... and that the sound wasn't working before alsaconf, and that it was workinf afterward? I don't see any difference between the before and after outputs.

Yeah, I'm sure,
Every time, no sound upon boot, after running alsaconf OK. The only difference in the lsmod outputs is the number at the end of the first line. I think your output showed this change too.

The significant difference on mine was that after alsaconf ran, there was no longer a snd_intel8x0m module active

Maybe try 'alsactl store,' but based on your 'before' output, it appears that it was stored fine.

Me having the same problem. everything i logout/login/reboot sound just doesn't work anymore. after a alsaconfig everything works just fine.

It's Fu**** irritating. The skip snd_intel8x0m in the disconver.conf didn't work out. :/

let's hope someone finds the solution

o btw, i have soundstorm2 and i'm using udev

Did lsmod identify snd_intel8x0m as the problem? If so, did you do the 2nd part of the instruction,

I'm not sure whether this is a safe answer, or will even work, but why not set the alsaconf to run as a late process on boot up? It would mean that you wouldn't have to run the command, but its not a proper fix.

put the module in /etc/hotplug/blacklist doesn't work out, and from another reply... adding alsaconf as a part of the startup, that's like compiling a kernel at every bootup

okay, perhaps overreacting, but you know what i mean

if i have time, probably tomorrow, i'll take a look at other options .. thansk a lot anyway