No sound under Debian Stable

Xeratul · 10-03-2011, 12:49 PM

Hello,

I would like to use Debian and use the ALSA package from the current Debian Stable.

However Alsa is messed up since there are several cards. How to tell Alsa that the HDA Intel is the first one, for every single boots/power on?

Code:

nd-page-alloc.
 0 [Live           ]
 1 [Intel          ]
 2 [default        ]
 3 [U0x46d0x807    ]
 4 [SAA7134        ]
root@magicdebian:/home/magicdebian/Desktop# alsa force-reload ; cat /proc/asound/cards  | grep "]:" | cut -d":"  -f1
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-hda-intel snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc (failed: modules still loaded: snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc).
Loading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-hda-intel snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc.
 0 [U0x46d0x807    ]
 1 [default        ]
 2 [Intel          ]
 3 [Live           ]
 4 [SAA7134        ]
root@magicdebian:/home/magicdebian/Desktop# alsa force-reload ; cat /proc/asound/cards  | grep "]:" | cut -d":"  -f1
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-intel snd-hda-codec snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-seq-midi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-hwdep snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc (failed: modules still loaded: snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc).
Loading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-intel snd-hda-codec snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-seq-midi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-hwdep snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc.
 0 [Live           ]
 1 [Intel          ]
 2 [default        ]
 3 [U0x46d0x807    ]
 4 [SAA7134        ]
root@magicdebian:/home/magicdebian/Desktop# alsa force-reload ; cat /proc/asound/cards  | grep "]:" | cut -d":"  -f1
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-hda-intel snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc (failed: modules still loaded: snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc).
Loading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-hda-intel snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc.
 0 [U0x46d0x807    ]
 1 [default        ]
 2 [Intel          ]
 3 [Live           ]
 4 [SAA7134        ]
root@magicdebian:/home/magicdebian/Desktop# alsa force-reload ; cat /proc/asound/cards  | grep "]:" | cut -d":"  -f1
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-intel snd-hda-codec snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-seq-midi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-hwdep snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc (failed: modules still loaded: snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-codec snd-hwdep snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc).
Loading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-emu10k1-synth snd-emu10k1 snd-ac97-codec snd-emux-synth snd-seq-virmidi snd-seq-midi-emul snd-util-mem snd-hda-codec-intelhdmi snd-hda-codec-realtek snd-hda-intel snd-hda-codec snd-usb-audio snd-usb-lib snd-seq-midi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-hwdep snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc.
 0 [Live           ]
 1 [Intel          ]
 2 [default        ]
 3 [U0x46d0x807    ]
 4 [SAA7134        ]

Any help would be greatly appreciated (no sound, no fun

under X11 )

Thank you !

cryingthug · 10-03-2011, 07:53 PM

Why not disable some modules to keep them from loading? Or you can remove some cards??

lugoteehalt · 10-03-2011, 09:49 PM

This sort of alsa thing tends to be a bit technical, how about: http://alsa.opensrc.org/MultipleCards.

the trooper · 10-04-2011, 09:57 AM

Try the following link for a useful guide to diagnosing sound problems:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=205449

Yes,it is Ubuntu orientated but should still be relevant.

kujirasan · 10-04-2011, 11:07 PM

use this to load your first preference at boot up.
echo "options snd-***** index=0" >> /etc/modprobe.d/local.conf
the ******* is the name of your card, you can get it by lspci command or arecord -l
and block the one that you don't want to use by

echo "blacklist snd-*******" >> /etc/modprobe.d/local.conf, however if you decided not to use the on-board one, be better to disable it from bios.

Xeratul · 10-10-2011, 01:52 AM

please find the modules

Quote:

Originally Posted by cryingthug

Why not disable some modules to keep them from loading? Or you can remove some cards??

lugoteehalt · 10-10-2011, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeratul

However Alsa is messed up since there are several cards. How to tell Alsa that the HDA Intel is the first one, for every single boots/power on?

http://alsa.opensrc.org/.asoundrc#Default_PCM_device any use??

Xeratul · 10-10-2011, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lugoteehalt

http://alsa.opensrc.org/.asoundrc#Default_PCM_device any use??

.asoundrc is user based solution.
The problem is for the whole box, all users.

Is there a better sound driver for Linux than the ALSA one?

Thank you

lugoteehalt · 10-11-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeratul

.asoundrc is user based solution.
The problem is for the whole box, all users.

Is there a better sound driver for Linux than the ALSA one?

Thank you

OSS is the most well know alternative. Some people think it preferable.

But before going down that line, which will be a bit of work, just try what I said for one user, no effort,

Code:

cat > ~/.asoundrc
pcm.!default front:External

(adjusted apropriately.)

If it does what you want then it can probably be put in the global alsa file, /etc/asound.conf it may be see the above link.

I have no idea if this will work it just sounds a good bet, you've got to be very relaxed and slightly irresponsible about these things. Obviously make sure it is possible to reverse what you've done.

It is easy to overlook things, for example: alsamixer, then F6 to cycle through the sound cards and make sure nothing is muted or is set at low volume, then, as root, alsactl store - alsa control store; this last does not always work. Also there is pulseaudio, which like anything like that can get distinctly weird.

Hope some help.

j_v · 10-17-2011, 02:51 AM

Have you tried installing and running the alsamixer? I use HDA Intel drivers on by box and couldn't get sound working until I unmuted and turned up the volume in alsamixer. You can also change which is the active sound card for alsa from alsamixer. YMMV, but it worked for me and I have 3 different cards with 2 different drivers.

Regards,
John

Xeratul · 10-17-2011, 11:06 AM

Thank you

However, I may come up with one question.
- what is the purpose of

Code:

alsa control store

if at boot:

card (0) should be card (3)
and (3) should be (0) ?

Ideally it should look like this :

Code:

 0 [Intel          ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
                      HDA Intel at 0xfb9f4000 irq 22
 1 [default        ]: USB-Audio - AK5370          
                      AKM              AK5370           at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.3, full speed
 2 [U0x46d0x807    ]: USB-Audio - USB Device 0x46d:0x807
                      USB Device 0x46d:0x807 at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.4, high speed
 3 [Live           ]: EMU10K1 - SB Live! [Unknown]
                      SB Live! [Unknown] (rev.10, serial:0x80671102) at 0xe880, irq 16
 4 [SAA7134        ]: SAA7134 - SAA7134
                      saa7134[0] at 0xfbeffc00 irq 17

but in practice, at every boots, it looks like :

Code:

 0 [Live        ]: 
 1 [default        ]:
 2 [U0x46d0x807    ]: 
 3 [Intel           ]:
 4 [SAA7134

~/.asoundrc is definitely not a multi-user solutions. It works and is perfect for some persons and geeks. My users are not geeks and still have difficulties using Linux (and may prefer windows).

If your reply is to use windows xp, please let's close the thread.

j_v · 10-17-2011, 03:32 PM

To better answer you, I will throw some reading your way:
http://alsa.opensrc.org/MultipleCards
This should be exactly what you are looking for. I hope it helps.

Regards,
John

lugoteehalt · 10-17-2011, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeratul

Thank you

However, I may come up with one question.
- what is the purpose of

Code:

alsa control store

if at boot:

card (0) should be card (3)
and (3) should be (0) ?

Ideally it should look like this :

Code:

 0 [Intel          ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
                      HDA Intel at 0xfb9f4000 irq 22
 1 [default        ]: USB-Audio - AK5370          
                      AKM              AK5370           at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.3, full speed
 2 [U0x46d0x807    ]: USB-Audio - USB Device 0x46d:0x807
                      USB Device 0x46d:0x807 at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.4, high speed
 3 [Live           ]: EMU10K1 - SB Live! [Unknown]
                      SB Live! [Unknown] (rev.10, serial:0x80671102) at 0xe880, irq 16
 4 [SAA7134        ]: SAA7134 - SAA7134
                      saa7134[0] at 0xfbeffc00 irq 17

but in practice, at every boots, it looks like :

Code:

 0 [Live        ]: 
 1 [default        ]:
 2 [U0x46d0x807    ]: 
 3 [Intel           ]:
 4 [SAA7134

~/.asoundrc is definitely not a multi-user solutions. It works and is perfect for some persons and geeks. My users are not geeks and still have difficulties using Linux (and may prefer windows).

If your reply is to use windows xp, please let's close the thread.

What I was trying to get at was to set the thing up as you wish with the command 'alsamixer'. Then fiddle about to get what you want. Then it is possible to store this fiddling so it will persist through boots: Use the command:

alsactl store

as the root user. This will usually work. It is telling the thing to store the alsa settings you have made.

Ditto the matter of .asoundrc. You are right that it is for a particular user. It does not matter in logic if it is geeky, all that matters is whether it works.

The system wide equivalent of .asounrc * as far as I know * is the file /etc/asound.conf. So just put the sound card you want as default as the first line in that. You may have to create the file. Try putting 'pcm.!default front:External' adjusted appropriately, without the quotes, according to the above post.

It is a bit since I've done this sort of thing. I'm assuming that card 0 is the default. In which case the line of least resistance seems to set the default as the Intel card. Then 'alsactl store' as root will usually save this through boots.