exciting new pcmcia soundcard troubles

kayoss717 · 01-21-2006, 04:47 PM

I have an Inspiron 9100 and a SB Audigy2 ZS Notebook pcmcia sound card. If I have the card plugged in when I boot to Suse 10.0, the system freezes about halfway through the boot. If I unplug the card, the the computer reboots. If I let linux boot and then plug in the card, the system freezes, I unplug the card and the system reboots. I have no idea what is messing up, Thanks for your help

halvy · 01-23-2006, 12:52 PM

do you have hotplug installed

kayoss717 · 01-23-2006, 05:26 PM

Yes, hotplug is installed.

halvy · 01-24-2006, 01:44 AM

ok, what have you 'tried'..

r u sure the card(s) are compatible with linux.

r u sure the cards work (ie in another version of lin or win).

let us know..

kayoss717 · 01-24-2006, 12:46 PM

I have tried configuring the Card with Yast before plugging it in, and there are drivers for very similar cards, but it does not work. I know it works with windows, I have a Creative software EAX control,THX control panel Dolby digital 7.1 and DTS decoding all work with windows. In linux I have tried powering down the pcmcia slot, then inserting the card, but It still just freezes up. I have heard of people using it in linux, and read threads where other people have gotten the PCI card version of my card to work in their desktops (the SB Audigy2 ZS), so it follows that I am just missing something. Perhaps a screwed up pcmcia driver, or a sound module or something. Also, if I just try and use the built in speakers (standard AC97 drivers...) sound only comes out of the subwoofer in the battery, but not the front laptop speakers... i hve also tried installing the latest ALSA stuff, and that got the built in speakers to semi-function as stated, but no change in the PCMCIA slot.

halvy · 01-24-2006, 01:13 PM

maybe you need to look at either ndiswrapper ('raps window driver with a linux program, so it will run on linux).

or a card that is actually 'linux compatible'.

halvy · 01-24-2006, 03:11 PM

i just saw somewhere if you turn hotplugging off, it may actaully help (but you may need to have the card in when you boot)...

if you can turn it off 'just' for the pcmcia slot.. that may be better (unless you use hotplugging for other stuff, then just turn it off)

at least that will be a start.