Ok Gang. I decided to install Mandrake 10.1 Community in a Dual boot set-up on my shop computer(with Win ME). Nice smooth installation,...... except it couldn't configure my Soundblaster 16 ISA card. I got a note to run sndconfig. It was pretty easy to find the file in usr/share/sndconfig. Great, right? Yep, except I can't figure out how to run the file. I put the name of the file in the "run" doo-daddy and it couldn't find it. Then I put usr/share/sndconfig in there and it says that is a directory. What do I do now? I'm ready to configure the sound card and PLAY!

ls -l /usr/share/sndconfig

I find it unlikely that MDK would have stuck
and executable there ... try a
locate sndconfig | grep \/bin

Chances are that it's a) not installed or b)
that it requires you to run as root but you
tried as normal user and it's not in your
path ...


Cheers,
Tink

I think that you need to run 'alsaconfig' which should be in the /usr/sbin directory, however you may not have it installed. Enter 'urpmq alsaconfig' in the root console to check which package it comes with. There may be an 'alsa-utils' package, but I'm nut running Mandrake currently. The alsaconf program will determine which drivers you need and set up their configuration.

Lastly, you will need to make sure that you are a member of the 'sound' group. Otherwise you won't have write permissions to the /dev/dsp device. If as root, cat'ing a file to /dev/dsp results in noise but as a regular user you get a permission error, this is a quick test whether this needs to be done.
eg: ls > /dev/null will produce a short burst of noise after the sound is set up, and if you have adequate rights.

One thing that can happen is when a program has a lock on the device. You can check which program has a file open with the 'lsof' program. So 'lsof | grep /dev/dsp' will list the offending program, ( which may have crashed but hasn't been deleted yet ).

Good Luck.

Holey Moley!!! I'm struggling with all of those chech this and do that's, because I guess I just don't have an understanding of the basic command structure. I did find alsaconfig in the sbin directory. It was recommended as an alternative to the other one.

In Tinker's note He said do the following: sndconfig | grep \/bin

Two questions: Is the l between soundconfig & grep a lower case letter L or a pipe(or am I showing my age talking about pipes?) Good ole DOS Ha.

Then, that giant V before bin.. What is that?

In the set-up routine, it said that the sound card could not be configured, and to run one of these programs to fix it? prior to that, it asked if I am runing a ISA sound card.

I am enjoying this, but it is clear that Linux has a long way to go before it overtakes Windows as the peoples operating system.

Yep it's a pipe

\ = backslash / = forward slash

That's an actual command, don't omit the locate...
You could just copy and paste it.

The | is indeed a pipe, and \/ is a back-slash
followed by a slash.


Cheers,
Tink

Well, it appears that I am not a member of the sound group.
Wonderdul!! So how do I get to be one?

Is there a way to bypass all of this permission and membership business? I am the only one with access to this machine, and I really don't need all of this security business.

AFAIK there is no way to bypass the security -- don't worry, you'll learn to love it.
To add yourself to the sound group, su to root then open up /etc/group in a text editor such as pico like this:Then, where you see "sound", simply add your username.

Thanks to scuzzman and all who have responded to my questions. I'm sorry gang, but I'm drowning in this stuff.

I must confess that I'm quite disappointed in Mandrake. If it is the most user friendly distribution out there, I'm in deep yogurt. I played initially with Knoppix, and was quite pleased with the way it found my antiquated old ISA sound card and set it up no sweat. Additionally, Mandrake has problems keeping me on-line, and I can't figure out how to talk to the other machines on my local network like I did with Knoppix. On the other hand, I could not figure out how to get Knoppix to run a particular amateur radio aplication(Linrad) that is very important to me(it's the primary reason I got into Linux), and I don't want to have to operate from a CD ROM, as it is quite slow. SO, it appears that I may have to consider another distribution that meets me somewhere in the middle. Of primary importance is not having to mess with the local networking problem, and the sound problem. Suggestions are WELCOME! Should I make that decision, how do I get rid of Mandrake and get the new candidate distribution on the HDD? I currently have Fedora burned to a CD. Any other suggestions? I have read that Debian is good. At this point I am quite frustrated with this process. glub, glub glub...

Woe is Me!! I think I'm really getting too old for this high tech stuff. I decided to download Debian, and thought I would do it with jigdo. WRONG! That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Getting old is Hell.

It seems to me you don't want to get bogged down in the technical side of Linux, you just want to use it right?

Give Linspire or Xandros a try.

I guess that about sums it up. At some time in the future I will want to get into the nuts and bolts of it, but right now, I just want to get Linrad running.

Many thanks..

Or, since you liked Konppix and it did well in all
aspects, use it as a hard-disk install? :)


Cheers,
Tink

That is a good option. However, please look at my current post at the top of Newbies and tell me how I get outta this mess?

First thing let's confirm sndconfig is installed.

Open a console and type:

rpm -q sndconfig <press enter>

If you get sndconfig-0.70-7mdk (or somthing similar) then you type:

/usr/sbin/sndconfig <press enter>

If you get the response package sndconfig is not installed do the following:

type: su <press enter> <input root password> <press enter>

now type: urpmi sndconfig <press enter>. Answer Y (note upper case 'Y') to installing sndconfig and it's extras

When installation has finished

type: <exit> <press enter> to return to normal user mode

If you get /usr/sbin/sndconfig: line 2: /etc/modprobe.conf: Permission denied then run sndconfig as root.

type: su <press enter> <input root password> <press enter>

Now type: sndconfig <press enter>

(don't forget to type <exit> <press enter> when you're done).