help diagnosing sound card

todd_seiler · 10-01-2004, 05:30 PM

I recompiled my kernel (2.6.8) for support with ALSA and the Vortex 2 card
I have the diamond monster mx300 (vortex 2)
I didn't compile them as modules. When i go to the alsa site (don't remember what it is), it states that it needs sound core compiled into the kernel and what not...
I just don't have any sound what so ever.... Here is a clip from startup......

Oct 1 15:17:04 none privoxy: Oct 01 15:17:04 Privoxy(1073856224) Info: loading configuration file '/etc/privoxy/config':
Oct 1 15:17:04 none kernel: input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard on isa0060/serio0
Oct 1 15:17:04 none kernel: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.4 (Mon May 17 14:31:44 2004 UTC).
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: PCI: Found IRQ 10 for device 0000:00:0d.0
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: PCI: Sharing IRQ 10 with 0000:00:11.0
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: Vortex: init.... <6>done.
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: Activating latency workaround...
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: vortex latency is 0xff
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: bridge config is 0x10
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: ALSA device list:
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: #0: au8830 at 0xe7f80000 irq 10
Oct 1 15:17:05 none kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 2
Oct 1 15:17:05 none privoxy: privoxy startup succeeded

Here is from lspci:

00:0d.0 Multimedia audio controller: Aureal Semiconductor Vortex 2 (rev fe)
Subsystem: Diamond Multimedia Systems Monster Sound II
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 10
Memory at e7f80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
I/O ports at bc00 [size=8]
I/O ports at b800 [size=8]
Capabilities: <available only to root>

I have nothing relating to my sound card in my modprobe.conf file or my modules.conf

I compiled the kernel with these options embedded into the kernel:
1) Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
2) sound card support
3) Aureal Vortex 2

I also compiled "OSS Mixer API" as a module.

How would I go about diagnosing my problem.. ie. getting sound to work... If I try to "test" a sound, it says "no cards detected."

I don't know how to determine what is loading and what isn't... here are the results from lsmod:

Module Size Used by
snd_mixer_oss 20096 0
binfmt_misc 11912 1
lp 11720 0
tulip 46880 0
floppy 59092 0
sg 34848 0
scsi_mod 83520 1 sg
parport_pc 25792 1
parport 41416 2 lp,parport_pc
nls_iso8859_1 4352 1

I think i forced snd_mixer_oss to load, it wasn't loaded before, but I think it is compiled as a module..

I looked around and the file "snd-mixer-oss.ko" is located under "/lib/modules/2.6.8/kernel/sound/core/oss" There is nothing else in that directory or under the sound directory.

I'm also using Fedora... (i don't know which core, or what that even means)

Also, I'm using the Irongate chipset, so a latency workaround is needed. I guess the kernel automatically does this for me now? I implemented the workaround on a past kernel, but I thought I removed all "fixes" for it.

Thanks in advance,
-Todd

Bruce Hill · 10-01-2004, 05:54 PM

Todd,

That post got a bit "wordy." Please forgive me if I missed something.
To use alsa you must have the soundcore module. You don't have it.
This is lsmod from a properly setup 2.6.7 with soundcore module,
and the module for my Audigy soundcard running Slackware:

Code:

mingdao@james:~$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
snd_pcm_oss            49064  0
snd_mixer_oss          17344  1 snd_pcm_oss
usbhid                 23296  0
snd_emu10k1            91784  0  <- this is my Audigy's driver
snd_rawmidi            20324  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_pcm                82376  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_emu10k1
snd_timer              21060  1 snd_pcm
snd_seq_device          6536  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi
snd_ac97_codec         65092  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_page_alloc          8968  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_util_mem            3264  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_hwdep               7172  1 snd_emu10k1
snd                    44068  10 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_seq_device,snd_ac97_codec,snd_util_mem,snd_hwdep
soundcore               7392  1 snd  <- this is the "sound core support" module
uhci_hcd               28944  0
ehci_hcd               24900  0
usbcore                98400  5 usbhid,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd
nvidia               4817268  12
nls_cp437               5376  1
vfat                   11840  1
fat                    39744  1 vfat
nls_iso8859_1           3776  3
ntfs                   87564  2

In the kernel config this is how and what I've selected, and 5.1 sound is great.
I've snipped all that isn't set at all.

Code:

#
# Sound
#
CONFIG_SOUND=m  <- this is "sound core support" and must be a module

#
# Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
#
CONFIG_SND=m
CONFIG_SND_TIMER=m
CONFIG_SND_PCM=m
CONFIG_SND_HWDEP=m
CONFIG_SND_RAWMIDI=m
CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER=m
# CONFIG_SND_SEQ_DUMMY is not set
CONFIG_SND_OSSEMUL=y
CONFIG_SND_MIXER_OSS=m
CONFIG_SND_PCM_OSS=m
CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER_OSS=y
# CONFIG_SND_VERBOSE_PRINTK is not set
# CONFIG_SND_DEBUG is not set

#
# Generic devices
<snip>

#
# PCI devices
#
CONFIG_SND_AC97_CODEC=m
<snip>
CONFIG_SND_EMU10K1=m  <- this is my soundcard
<snip>

todd_seiler · 10-02-2004, 01:32 PM

after reviewing your reply I created everything as a module and now it looks like all the proper modules are being loaded:

Module Size Used by
snd_au8830 65316 1
snd_ac97_codec 69892 1 snd_au8830
snd_mpu401_uart 8192 1 snd_au8830
snd_rawmidi 25664 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 8456 1 snd_rawmidi
snd_pcm_oss 54568 0
snd_mixer_oss 20096 2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 97956 2 snd_au8830,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 11912 1 snd_pcm
snd_timer 25860 1 snd_pcm
snd 55268 9 snd_au8830,snd_ac97_codec,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_p cm,snd_timer
soundcore 10208 2 snd
binfmt_misc 11912 1
lp 11720 0
tulip 46880 0
floppy 59092 0
sg 34848 0
scsi_mod 83520 1 sg
parport_pc 25792 1
parport 41416 2 lp,parport_pc
nls_iso8859_1 4352 1

but unfortunately, when I play a sound, i hear a slight pop noise but nothing afterwards. (even after adjusting my volume using aumix and other utilities.)

Here is what happens when I try to play a sound:

Oct 2 13:23:28 none kernel: vortex: IRQ fifo error
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: Vortex: shutdown...<6>done.
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: PCI: Found IRQ 10 for device 0000:00:0d.0
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: PCI: Sharing IRQ 10 with 0000:00:11.0
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: Vortex: init.... <6>done.
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: Activating latency workaround...
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: vortex latency is 0xff
Oct 2 13:27:07 none kernel: Aureal Vortex 2 3D Sound Processor: bridge config is 0x10
Oct 2 13:27:08 none kernel: vortex: IRQ fifo error

I have no idea what to do from here....

Thanks in advance,
-Todd

Bruce Hill · 10-02-2004, 02:51 PM

Some few thoughts (in the middle of the night)...

Have you searched LQ ?
Have you looked in the LQ HCL (Hardware Compatibility List) ?

There's also a HOW-TO at JustLinux. From what I've read, Aureal
was producing drivers for Linux but went out of business. Search
www.google.com/linux

You may also want to check The OpenVortex Project. As a last
thought, I want to say, that if it were my card, for the time I'd
spend hacking it (since time is money), I'd just go out and purchase
a good SoundBlaster Live card.

todd_seiler · 10-02-2004, 04:19 PM

the problem with your suggestion is that you can't just throw up your hands and give up...

if I gave up every time linux didn't do something i wanted it to do, i'd be using windows right now..
Although I understand where you are coming from, there are still other people out there (like me)
that want this particular card to work with their system.

-Todd

Bruce Hill · 10-02-2004, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by todd_seiler
the problem with your suggestion is that you can't just throw up your hands and give up...

Did you check the links, or just read the post? Sounds like the later...

I gave you 4 links with specific posts about that card before saying
"As a last thought." Just different opinions, Todd. I'm not running a
computer to produce some great sound, just hear a little music while
I produce some work. IMO there comes a point of diminishing
returns for some hardware.

Since my time is valuable, I don't spend it hacking old hardware that
never worked very well to start with; especially when I can buy a
better card for ~$20 USD that will work "right out of the box" with
most intelligent Linux distros.

They call these things PCs - Personal Computer.

Where I grew up we have an old saying - "Don't cut off your nose
to spite your face"

todd_seiler · 10-02-2004, 04:51 PM

yes i did follow those links, but they didn't turn up anything as of yet.......

I think the problem lies in that I don't have any /dev/snd devices...... i'm trying to figure out what I need to do to create them...

any ideas?

thanks for your help,
-Todd

todd_seiler · 10-14-2004, 08:36 PM

I did find a script that was provided with alsa's driver to create the /dev/* devices automatically, but that didn't seem to do anything.

any ideas?

-Todd