Yet again I'm having some strange sound issues, this time with slackware 10. Random static like sounds coming out the speakers as well as normal sound, it stops if i switch sound system between ALSA and OSS , and then comes back. I remember I think I fixed this by using the i810_audio module instead of the snd-intel8x0 one that's being used now. My question is where in te config for te 2.6 kernel can I include this module, I can't seem to find it anywhere. Thanks.

make menuconfig

Device Drivers --->
Sound --->
<*> Sound card support
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture --->
<*> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
<*> Sequencer support
< > Sequencer dummy client
<*> OSS Mixer API
<*> OSS PCM (digital audio) API[*] OSS Sequencer API
<*> RTC Timer support
PCI devices --->
<*> Intel i8x0/MX440, SiS 7012; Ali 5455; NForce Audio; AMD768/8111
Open Sound System --->
< > Open Sound System (DEPRECATED)

I have all of those things included already, although the driver itself and the OSS Mixer and OSS PCM.. are modules because it would not even detect my sound card when they were included.

If you want to use OSS instead of alsa then you need to prevent alsad (the alsa daemon) from starting up on boot*, and add the following line to your /etc/modules.conf :

alias sound i810_audio

* Someone else will have to tell you how to do this, I don't know. I use the Mandrake Control Centre but I don't know what the actual config file is.

Play around with the mixer settings.This worked for me,I use aumix.

you should have it if you're using a default/official kernel - you can put a line:

/sbin/modprobe i810_audio

into /etc/rc.d/rc.modules, and make /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa non-executable

if I modprobe i810_audio it says it cannot find the module, I am using the 2.6.7 kernel from kernel.org. Any ideas? Speakers are going crazy with static + high pitched sounds on top of regular sound now :s

Also, I did chmod -x /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa and it still seems to load alsa on boot..

the 2.6 kernel series use ALSA.. OSS is now old and oboslite.
however, it is still i the kernel, so if you want it... recompile your kernel wil OSS sound support.

Tried several recompiles with various combo's of ALSA and OSS settings as modules and compiled in, but ALSA still seems to want to load. How do I actually make OSS load if i've disabled ALSA (chmod -x /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa) loading? Note that even with disabling ALSA the i810_audio module is still non-existant.

i believe the alsa module is snd-intel8x0, not the i810_audio. don't know if that will help, but, i hope it does.
good luck.

That's what I thought, but I cannot seem to get OSS to load / work / do anything

ok,, first off, do not use a combination of ALSA and OSS. use one OR the other.
in your case, do not compile ALSA at all.

second, before you run the 'make modules_install' move your old modules, you are probably just compiling over the top of your old modules, ALSA is being loaded, because although you didnt compile it in the recent compiles, its still there from the first install / compile.... mv '/lib/modules/2.6.<version> /lib/modules/backup'

now comment out all references to ALSA in /etc/modules or /etc/modules.conf or hwtaever its called.

when you are compiling the kernel, make sure that you have actually selected the i810_audio driver... just clicking OSS audio snt enough, you need to select what drivers to compile too, you are obviously missing this part.

now boot your new kernel... there will be now ALSA since you moved the old modules filder.

you may get errors about loading also if there is anything else relating to it in the startup scripts.. like setting volume of whatever.

now... modprobe i810_audio.

simple as that.

can i ask you... have you ever sucessfully compiled a kernel before ?

Yes, plenty of times. If it was as easy as you make out then I'd be done already :) The problem is that the i810_audio module can never be found, even when I have compiled OSS, no ALSA, and selected drivers - there is no driver named i810_audio in the config which is where I am lost. And before a new compile I do make mrproper so there are no modules left over or anything like that.

Edit: Ok scratch that, That time I was being stupid, found it, just got to hope it fixes my problem now. Thanks guys.

lol... found it then ?
all working now ?

yeah, its not called intel-blah-blah-blah... its called somthing else, and that sumthing alsa also supports blah blah blah and inteli810

Seems to be ok, I never really understood why the alsa driver caused my speakers to create static and high pitched sounds at random, odd :)