Setup Issue - NeoMagic NM256 on HP Omnibook 900 F1712WT with Debian 3.1r3

Brian Ryans · 12-17-2006, 03:27 AM

Status: Partially Resolved

Well, after four months my issue is partially resolved. After having installed Debian 4.0, and having looked practically all over the Net yet again, I came across something in the Ubuntu forums about an alsa configuration on Ubuntu that worked for the same model laptop as I. So I figured I'd run alsaconf with the aggressive IRQ/DMA search.

It came up with module 'snd-sb8', using io=0x220, irq=5, and dma=3. Upon running alsamixer, I am able to set volumes, and unmute outputs, and in KDE control center, I am able to start KDE's alsa support without getting the 'no such device' message.

But I still get no sound.
New information is being posted.

Output of lspci: See original post.
Output of lsmod:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by
joydev                  9088  0 
usbhid                 37248  0 
wacom                  15616  0 
snd_pcm_oss            38368  0 
snd_mixer_oss          15200  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_opl3_synth         13924  0 
snd_seq_instr           7392  1 snd_opl3_synth
snd_seq_midi_emul       5952  1 snd_opl3_synth
snd_seq_dummy           3844  0 
snd_seq_oss            28768  0 
snd_seq_midi            8192  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      7008  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                45680  9 snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_ainstr_fm           2496  1 snd_opl3_synth
snd_ac97_bus            2400  0 
ppp_deflate             5792  0 
zlib_deflate           18200  1 ppp_deflate
bsd_comp                5600  0 
ppp_async              11008  1 
crc_ccitt               2240  1 ppp_async
ipv6                  226016  10 
ppp_generic            25908  7 ppp_deflate,bsd_comp,ppp_async
slhc                    6528  1 ppp_generic
snd_sb8                 7584  1 
snd_sb8_dsp            10432  1 snd_sb8
snd_sb_common          15968  2 snd_sb8,snd_sb8_dsp
snd_opl3_lib            9920  2 snd_opl3_synth,snd_sb8
snd_hwdep               8836  1 snd_opl3_lib
snd_pcm                68676  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_sb8,snd_sb8_dsp
snd_page_alloc          9640  1 snd_pcm
snd_rawmidi            22560  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_sb8_dsp
snd_timer              20996  3 snd_seq,snd_opl3_lib,snd_pcm
snd_seq_device          7820  7 snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq,snd_opl3_lib,snd_rawmidi
snd                    47012  15 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_sb8,snd_sb8_dsp,snd_sb_common,snd_opl3_lib,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore               9248  1 snd
dm_snapshot            15552  0 
dm_mirror              19152  0 
dm_mod                 50232  2 dm_snapshot,dm_mirror
loop                   15048  0 
serial_cs              18116  1 
tsdev                   7520  0 
pcmcia                 34140  1 serial_cs
firmware_class          9600  1 pcmcia
floppy                 53156  0 
serio_raw               6660  0 
i2c_piix4               8140  0 
psmouse                35016  0 
rtc                    12372  0 
shpchp                 33024  0 
pci_hotplug            28704  1 shpchp
yenta_socket           24460  4 
rsrc_nonstatic         11840  1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core            36852  4 serial_cs,pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
pcspkr                  3072  0 
evdev                   9088  1 
i2c_core               19680  1 i2c_piix4
intel_agp              21148  1 
agpgart                29896  1 intel_agp
ext3                  119240  1 
jbd                    52456  1 ext3
mbcache                 8356  1 ext3
ide_disk               14848  3 
uhci_hcd               21164  0 
usbcore               112644  4 usbhid,wacom,uhci_hcd
piix                    9444  0 [permanent]
generic                 5476  0 [permanent]
ide_core              110504  3 ide_disk,piix,generic
processor              28840  0

Original message follows -- Anything no longer valid has been diked out.

I'm having troubles getting sound to work in the setup mentioned in the title. Google has been no help to me, I keep on getting solutions that when attempted don't yield anything -- even the ones that should work like running 'alsaconf', using other drivers, etc.

Computer: HP Omnibook 900 (Model F1712WT)
Audio Device: NeoMagic NM256AV
Output of lspci:

Code:

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)
0000:00:04.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01)
0000:00:04.1 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01)
0000:00:07.0 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
0000:00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
0000:00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
0000:00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV] (rev 20)
0000:01:00.1 Multimedia audio controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicMedia 256AV Audio] (rev 20)

What can I do to get sound working, considering everything I've already tried? I'm generally adept in computers, but not a Linux guru yet, but haven't discounted the fact that my google-fu isn't as strong as I'd like it to be either.

chrisortiz · 12-21-2006, 01:46 PM

from what you posted, it should work. You've probably done this, but, did you run alsamixer to turn of the volume, then alsactl store?

as root type "cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp"
if ur sound works you'll know it =P
ctrl c to kill it

if you still have problems get a newer kernel

Brian Ryans · 12-22-2006, 05:33 AM

Chris, I've tried 'cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp' as root, and I get an error saying No Such Device.
I'm not at my laptop now, but when I get back to my laptop I'll tell you exactly what the error message is.

-- Brian

chrisortiz · 12-22-2006, 02:15 PM

i would definately update your kernel if your not getting /dev/dsp. I bet alsa is compiled seperately in your current kernel. If your new to compiling kernels i would suggest using the .config from your 2.6.8 and double check that alsa is enabled.

Brian Ryans · 12-23-2006, 06:04 AM

I installed the kernel 2.6.18-3-686, and I'm still having problems.

Whenever I run alsaconf, I get this error, and it interferes with all terminal operations. It repeats until I reboot the computer.

specify port
snd_cs4231: probe of snd_cs4231.0 failed with error -22
CS4231 soundcard not found or device busy

tobyl · 12-23-2006, 09:49 AM

I have a dell laptop with the same soundchip - it took me ages to get it working.

Your OS is probing for CS4231, but you already have nm256 loaded, I guess you have a conflict there. Some people have had success using the cs42* drivers for neomagic chipsets, but I have had more joy with nm256 (and I have the same lspci listing as you even down to the rev 20)
Maybe you could blacklist cs4231 in your system, and see what happens. how to do that depends on whether you use hotpug or udev, sorry I'm not a debian user.

what I did:
download Alsa from http://www.alsa-project.org/
and follow the info here:

http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc...0&module=nm256

tobyl