im running slackware 10.0 with my soundblaster extigy using custom drivers which work fine for all sound apps other than games. i can hear music and movies but as soon as i open UT2K4 or Americas Army the console gives me this message


~#ut2004
open /dev/[sound/]dsp: Device or resource busy

then this part comes up after i close the game out but i think it's just a display message telling me that i have something in my config that cant be read

Xlib: extension "Xig-SUNDRY-NONSTANDARD" missing on display ":0.0"
`#

but i just want to know why i get no sound in the game.

also i installed the sound drivers after installing the games. and the sound worked in the games for a short time after i installed the drivers

If you're running a sound daemon like ARTS in KDE, then I suggest that you disable it. If you're running under Gnome, then you might try disabling the ESD.

The sound daemons don't allow applications that try to directly access the sound hardware.

I am running Arts so i ended artsd from the kde system monitor but i still get no sound.

Go to KDE Control Center.

Sound and Multimedia -> Sound System

Check whether the auto-suspend is enabled and that the time limit is small.

it was set to 60 seconds, i now have it set to 5 seconds

If i change that setting or disable the sound system completely would i need to restart the X server before the efeects would take place?

Does sound work in the game now?

PS. I had the same problem as you had. After using any media apps in KDE, it took a long time for /dev/dsp to unblock. So I use a small time limit for the auto-suspend.

no it's still not working, would i need to restart the x server before it would take effect?

Try restarting the sound server alone. BTW. what driver are using? Alsa or OSS?

im running OSS because the drivers im using are a hacked version of the standard OSS drivers and dont work at all with alsa

How would i restart the sound server?

KDE control center

Sound & Multimedia -> Sound System.
Uncheck the 'Enable sound system.' Apply.
Then recheck the 'Enable sound system.' Apply.

still no luck

woutld the app Kget cause the sound system to not release control of the sound?

If you can do this. Try it.

Logout of KDE.
Reboot into a failsafe X terminal.

Then type ut2004 and play the game. Tell me if sound works. If it doesn't then it's an issue with the drivers rather than the sound server in KDE.

And yes, you can also try rebooting your system first. Sometimes the /dev/dsp doesn't get released due to some background apps running.

the terminal shows me a splash screen, tells me no dynamic gl support in video drivers, and crashes.

i just went into ut2k4 and set the audio to low sound quality and the sound mysteriously started working. but this does not help in the other game Americas Army.

Ok reboot the system. Return into KDE and try again.

This problem is very similar to the problem I had before. Usually rebooting the system restores sound in UT2004 even if /dev/dsp is blocked sometimes.