No sound, Kanotix or Knoppix HDD installation
 

Running Kanotix 2005-3. C-Media PCI CMI 8738-MC6 (model 55 sound card, or on board CMI 8738 sound). Sound works when running OS from CD, but after Debian type installation to HDD, no sound. Ran alsamixergui, activated inputs. In KMix, speakers and inputs are activated. Alsa screen shows ID of sound card and shows it connected at 0xd800, IRQ 11.
Spent much time in past years trying to solve this in Knoppix without any success.
Maybe this time someone who has mastered it will see the thread and respond.

Does this help?
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...44#post1676444

The most likely problem is that you haven't added your user to the audio group.

That seems like a good suggestion, but I would have expected an error message saying I lack permission. Haven't found a way to change permissions in Debian. Also haven't found a sound group. Was able to change permissions when using SuSE, but this seems very different--fewer graphic interfaces into the mysterious internal workings of Linux.

Heh, a nice popup saying 'oops you can't hear me' ??? :)

Open a terminal or console, su to root
# groupadd audio
(this should already exist)
# usermod -aG audio username
# chown root:audio /dev/audio /dev/dsp /dev/mixer

You may have to logout/login for it to work (???)

This, of course assumes that root can use audio.
(ie. everything else works properly)

Trying my best to carry out your recommendation, but not off to a good start. However, in your line "#usermod -aG audio username" , the "a" character is extraneous. Could it be a typo? I entered it a second time without the "a", and then got no error message returned. I think that's when it told me the audio group exists. Don't know if that's supposed to mean "success!", or "there's already an audio group, you dummy!"

Trying to execute your chown line yields "file or directory does not exist" messages. Will try to change the items individually to determine if a particular one is the problem. For now, where are groups designated or defined? Is "sound" also a group? In executing chown, does the system automatically seek out designated files at all levels down to the lowest subdirectories? If eventually I seem to execute ownership changes successfully, where can I look to verify they were made? Hope I don't wear out your patience, but I'm determined to get over the hurdles and gain some understanding. I haven't had much luck learning from various Linux books and references. Like every math textbook, they seem to be great references for those who have already mastered the subject matter or are incredibly gifted.

However, in your line "#usermod -aG audio username" , the "a" character is extraneous. Could it be a typo? I entered it a second time without the "a", and then got no error message returned.
Not a typo. From usermod manpage:
If the user is currently a member of a group which is not listed, the user will be removed from the group. This behaviour can be changed via -a option, which appends user to the current supplementary group list.
ie. the -aG option adds username to audio without removing username from all the other groups

I think that's when it told me the audio group exists. Don't know if that's supposed to mean "success!", or "there's already an audio group, you dummy!"
I doubt that you got this message from the usermod command, but you _should_ have received it after the groupadd command IF audio was already setup. From that point of view, the message means 'redundant command, thanks for typing'.

Trying to execute your chown line yields "file or directory does not exist" messages. Will try to change the items individually to determine if a particular one is the problem.
Now we seem to be getting somewhere. These device nodes probably don't exist because the driver module for the sound card isn't loaded. Try:
# modprobe snd-cmipci
and then see if the device nodes exist:
ls -l /dev/audio /dev/dsp /dev/mixer

For now, where are groups designated or defined?
In /etc/group, which can be modified directly, but it's better to use the commands designed to do the job (in most cases). Find out what they are with
# apropos group
Try 'man group' for information on the format of this file.

Is "sound" also a group?
I doubt it, but there's no reason you couldn't create that group. 'audio' is pretty standard AFAIK.

In executing chown, does the system automatically seek out designated files at all levels down to the lowest subdirectories?
Try 'man chown', see the -R option.

If eventually I seem to execute ownership changes successfully, where can I look to verify they were made?
# ls -l /dev/audio
crw-rw---- 1 root root 14, 4 2005-10-15 01:29 /dev/audio
# chown root:audio /dev/audio
# ls -l /dev/audio
crw-rw---- 1 root audio 14, 4 2005-10-15 01:29 /dev/audio

Hope I don't wear out your patience, but I'm determined to get over the hurdles and gain some understanding.
ref: my signature + baby girl ;)

I haven't had much luck learning from various Linux books and references. Like every math textbook, they seem to be great references for those who have already mastered the subject matter or are incredibly gifted.
I think using many sources is best. Books can in many cases give you shortcuts, methods, and interpretations which may not have occurred to you
otherwise, but to be honest, these days I think time is better spent on learning how to use a search engine properly AND the documentation already installed on the system!

Here are a few commands for you to checkout (ie. look at their manpages)

updatedb
locate
info

In addition to manpages and info docs, there are quite often gzipped text documents and html files lying around, most probably under /usr/share/doc/

to read a gzipped document (eg. Readme.gz) try 'zless Readme.gz' or 'zcat Readme.gz'

Have fun!

Sound is now working. Many thanks for your help and thoughtful answers.

Tasmania--beautiful land, and then there are those devils!

Glad to help.
Yes, Tassie is very beautiful. As for devils, listen to and watch this little darling!
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/devil.html

ps. if the sound modules is not being loaded automatically,
you may want to make sure it loads each time you boot with:
# echo "snd-cmipci" >> /etc/modules
This command echoes the module name to STOUT and then
appends ('>>') that output to the file.

A few other handy commands
cat
less
more
tail

eg.
# less /var/log/messages
allows you to scroll and search
# tail -f /var/log/messages
allows you to watch the log in real-time

Wow! I get my question answered without even asking it. Awesome help, guys!

Hi, I'm having problems with sound on my debian sarge os.

It looks like alsa is already compiled into the kernel.
I've tried removing and re-installing alsa-base and alsa-utils.

the problem is that /dev/dsp etc. aren't installed.

any idea where I can get them from and how to install them?

Much appreciated for your time

See http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...98#post1908098 above

Your device nodes most probably don't exist because the sound module for your
card hasn't been loaded.
Execute
$ lspci | grep Multimedia
to find out the name of your sound card.

eg:
$ lspci | grep Multimedia
0000:00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
Find the name of the sound module for this card:
$ locate via | grep snd | grep modules | grep $(uname -r)
/lib/modules/2.6.12-1-k7/kernel/sound/pci/snd-via82xx.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.12-1-k7/kernel/sound/pci/snd-via82xx-modem.ko

Load it with:
# modprobe snd-via82xx
(ie. as root)

No errors should mean that it loaded correctly, check with:
$ lsmod | grep snd_via
Device nodes should now also exist:
$ ls -l /dev/audio /dev/dsp /dev/mixer

Everything is cool apart from the device nodes not being created

this is my lsmod | grep snd_via output

snd_via82xx 29540 1
snd_ac97_codec 69988 1 snd_via82xx
snd_pcm 98728 2 snd_cmipci,snd_via82xx
snd_page_alloc 11752 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
gameport 4704 2 snd_cmipci,snd_via82xx
snd_mpu401_uart 7968 2 snd_cmipci,snd_via82xx
snd 57156 12 snd_cmipci,snd_opl3_lib,snd_hwdep,snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_r awmidi,snd_seq_device

Don't know if it makes a difference but I don't have the snd-via82xx-modem.ko file.

I've also go the snd-cmipci module in my kernel from above.
Any ideas. Might they be located somewhere else, I've read Debian can put things in strange places?

hmmm

Are you sure you have a VIA-motherboard with onboard sound?
Please post the output of
$ lspci

Ignore the "missing" snd-via82xx-modem.ko
If you don't have a CMI sound card then remove snd-cmipci
# rmmod snd-cmipci

Ive got a Packard Bell Laptop so 99% sound is onboard
Specs are here:

http://support.packardbell.com/uk/my...mNr=pb21m00601

Under sound it says:

Realtek ALC655 Audio System

but the drivers are by via, I assume therefore that I also need via drivers?

This is my lspci output

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 0204
0000:00:00.1 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 1204
0000:00:00.2 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 2204
0000:00:00.3 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 3204
0000:00:00.4 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 4204
0000:00:00.7 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 7204
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI bridge [K8T800 South]
0000:00:0a.0 Network controller: RaLink: Unknown device 8201 (rev 01)
0000:00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
0000:00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
0000:00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
0000:00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
0000:00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. Intel 537 [AC97 Modem] (rev 80)
0000:00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 74)
0000:00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 NorthBridge
0000:00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 NorthBridge
0000:00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 NorthBridge
0000:00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 NorthBridge
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 3108 (rev 01)

How do I know if I've got a CMI sound card?
Cheers
Hugh