I'm completely new to Linux. How do I install ALSA. Documentation is pretty confusing? My redhat kernel is 2.4.20-8. how do i install it. please provide a steps

I seem to have to re-compile ALSA whenever I recompile the kernel or install one from my distro. I've set up a script that does it all for me, see below, in the script I have a directory called /production/ALSA which contains the files -

alsa-driver-1.0.3.tar.bz2, alsa-lib-1.0.3b.tar.bz2, alsa-utils-1.0.3.tar.bz2

these files have been downloaded from the ALSA site which I think is www.alsa.org

the cs4236 refers to my card you will have to determine which is the best parameter to use.

The script just assumes everything will work! The last line I've just added it's not been tested so I don't know whether it will work.



#!/bin/sh

/bin/rm -R /usr/lib/alsa-driver*
/bin/rm -R /usr/lib/alsa-lib*
/bin/rm -R /usr/lib/alsa-utils*

cp /production/ALSA/alsa* /usr/lib

cd /usr/lib
bunzip2 alsa-driver*
tar -xf alsa-driver*
cd /usr/lib/alsa-driver*
./configure --with-cards=cs4236 --with-sequencer=yes;make;make install

./snddevices

cd /usr/lib
bunzip2 alsa-lib*
tar -xf alsa-lib*
cd /usr/lib/alsa-lib*
./configure;make;make install

cd /usr/lib
bunzip2 alsa-utils*
tar -xf alsa-utils*
cd /usr/lib/alsa-utils*
./configure;make;make install

amixer set 'PCM' 60 unmute
amixer set 'Master Digital' 60 unmute
alsactl store

if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa ]; then exec /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa start; fi
~

i'm even uncapable of recompiling a kernel or any program like this. Is there an easier way like extracting it and afterwards running it?

I'm just totally confused there are these ALSA driver, library, tools, firmware, and OSS Compatibility Library but which is which? Should I download everything? And how am I gonna install them?

Download the latest versions of

alsa-lib
alsa-driver
alsa-utils

into a directory of your choosing.

Determine what sound card you have.

Locate the instructions on the www.alsa.org site for your soundcard. Post it to this site just in case anyone else has had success on your card or has had problems.

Regards

For red hat stock kernels there's probably an rpm yon can get somewhere.

And using a RedHat RPM would probably be a better idea for a couple of reasons.

Try http://freshrpms.net.

To aikempshall:

seen your script but the last line is obscure to me:

[...CUT...]
if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa ]; then exec /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa start; fi
~

What does it do?

...means that if /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa exists and is executable to the user it should be executed (with "start" as argument to the script).


Håkan

ok I'll try.