ALSA + slmodemd + "semaphore not ready" + no modem noise

Hi,
I have recently installed Fedora Core 2 and then upgraded the kernel to 2.6.11. I downloaded latest ALSA set of files (version 1.0.8) and tried configuring my internal modem with smartlink drivers. (I used the scanmodem tool which suggested this driver)
All compilation and installation stuff went smoothly. Now when I dialout using wvdial, I get the connection working, however /var/log/messages shows

kernel: codec_write 1: semaphore is not ready for register 0x54

error. I have loaded both snd_intel8x0 and snd_intel8x0m modules. Also there is no noise from the modem. My PC speaker has been identified and configured correctly (which was not the case when I installed FC2).
I have read somewhere that blacklisting snd_intel8x0m removes the semaphone error. But then I won't be able to hear the modem noise.

At this point I am not sure if sound with xmms etc. works or not. Am still to test that part. However want to solve this modem problem before moving on to that one.

My setup:
Toshiba M30 notebook.
Fedora Core 2
Latest Alsa(1.0.8), kernel(2.6.11) and slmodem (2.9.10). All compiled on my machine.

Please point me in the right direction. The feedback from modem is very essential.

Thanks in advance.

--cyberjun

If you are using the smartlink module (ie slmar0 or slusb0 ) then you dont need the snd-intel8x0m module. So , try unloading the module after booting and then start up your modem. Check your logs and see what happens. The snd-intel8x0m module is for using alsa for your modem, which has the added benifet of not tainting your kernel. I had slmodem 2.9.9-alsa running on my thinkpad, and was getting errors about the semaphore codec, but all was still working. Unfortunately, just recently after an upgrade something has broken it, and am still in the process of finding out what it is. I havent had the modem noise since using the alsa module even though the mixer shows all volume up on that module. ( however when using the slamr0 module I did get modem sound. Wasnt so important to me, so didnt mind when I couldnt here it anymore, especially with wvdial as it gives good output anyway. ) So, if you arent using the alsa mode of slmodem ( chosen when compiling ) then you should be right to unload the intel8x0m module and error should stop.

Hi,
Thanks for the response. Following are my observations:

1. Compilation of slamr on 2.6.11 without alsa support works fine. However when I install that module (slamr) using modprobe, I get some get_device and put_device related errors. ld: unresolved get_device.....

2. Compilation with ALSA works fine. However, I need to load both snd_intel8x0 and snd_intel8x0m ( in that order ) to get slmodemd working. But in this case I end up with semaphore not ready errors.

Also I can't hear modem making any noise


Any clues ???


Thanks a lot!!!

--cyberjun

Thats interesting, I am having the same problem getting the slamr module to load. I wouldnt worry to much about the semaphore errors, as long as your modem works. Looking around, there doesnt seem to be that much info on the whole thing.

Hi,
Its great knowing I am not alone. However I have another problem with the modem. The connection is fine. However as soon as I switch to virtual consoles from X or vice versa, the connection just hangs. Hangs as in the pppd keeps running. No messages in /var/log/messages. However, I can't ping any Ip or name.

If I start a ping before switching to X then the ping would also stop returning packets. This happens only when I use the nvidia drivers. Doesn't happen when I use the default "nv" driver.
Last night I upgraded to the latest nvidia drivers. But again same problem. Sometimes, I need not even leave X and it happens. Now also as I was busy typing this message, same thing happened. When I clicked on the submit button, firefox failed on name lookup and then I tried pinging dns IP with no luck.
Since the modem doesn't make any sound, I am not sure if the line is dropped or not.

Its quite frustating. Have you or anybody else seen this before ?


Thanks!!!

--cyberjun

Hello all, my first post here.

Oh, yes i have seen this problem. I am using FC3 with the 2.9.10 slmodem drivers. I am using them in alsa mode because i could never get the non-alsa mode to work.

I saw somewhere to try and stop the kernel from hotplugging the snd-intel8x0m module by adding it's name to /etc/hotplug/blacklist but i haven't tried it yet. I believe it may be an alsa bug. I hope we can track this problem down!

What usually happens for me is that i establish a connection normally with kppp. Then suddenly at random delays i will lose connectivity. Kppp wont report a problem but i wont be able to ping anything, and /var/log/messages shows up:

Mar 16 16:18:59 puddlejumper kernel: codec_semaphore: semaphore is not ready [0x1][0x701300]
Mar 16 16:18:59 puddlejumper kernel: codec_write 1: semaphore is not ready for register 0x54

SO i'll try the blacklist and i'll try a differeny kernel and see how it goes.

Hi,
I would like to add a few more things here:
I loose connectivity as soon as I switch to X windows from any of the Virtual Consoles (VC). This problem doesn't happen when I use the "nv" driver. It happens only when I use the "nvidia" driver. I have also observed the same behaviour if I close the lid of my laptop. The steps are:

1. Connect to your ISP using wvdial from a VC.
2. Start a ping command "ping www.yahoo.com".

Everything is fine till now, as ping prints the echoed responses from yahoo.com.

3. Now close the lid of the laptop. (The LCD monitor will be turned off automatically).
4. After 5-10 seconds, open the lid.

The ping command stops printing echoed responses. And now there is no connectivity.
If you are using alsa based slmodemd, you would get some codec_write errors in /var/log/messages. But if you are using the slamr module, no errors would appear in /var/log/messages.

The same thing happens when I switch to X (while using nvidia driver). This is because the "nvidia" driver somehow switches off the LCD monitor of my laptop before painting the screen. Hence it seems the loss of connectivity while switching from virtual consoles to X happens because monitor is switched off for a moment.
Has anybody seen this? Can anybody explain how is it linked to modem connection. I guess this is somehow related to some power saving features but am not sure. Also I do not know how to avoid this.
Please let me know if any other information would be required.

Thanks !!!

Are you using apm or acpi. When I first started with linux, on FC1 the modem would drop out when the screen blanked from not using it. Also from plugging and unplugging power. When you close the lid, is the machine going into standby or just blanking the screen. Maybe try disabling apm or acpi and see what happens then, just to see if it makes a difference.

Hi,
I am using acpi. Haven't compiled apm in the kernel. I tried "acpi=off" also. No the machine doesn't go in standby mode. Just the screen goes blank. Same thing happens while switching to X (while using the nvidia driver).
Where can I specify the action to be taken when the lid is closed ? Is it being done automatically by BIOS ? or can it be controlled by some setting in /etc.


Thanks.
--cyberjun

In debian, my acpi events and actions are in /etc/acpi. Have a look in there, and also in /var/log/acpi. The acpi log may help if you can tie it in to the time when you modem stops working. Looking back at your posts though, its probably your nvidia driver. Maybe the XFfree86 log might give some info on what is going on when you swith into x.

I completely destroyed my system last night when i was experimenting. For some reason i lost a lot of alsa devices under /dev/snd/
No matter what i couldn't resolve the problem so i reimaged my machine, only lost a week so it's not too bad.

I'm also using acpi, on an inspiron 8600. I don't remember having this problem with FC2. I tried a few different 2.6.10 series kernels (offical fedora and self-compile ones) and it didn't make a difference.

Also, blacklisting the snd-intel8x0m module doesn't help.

Hi,
Well in the weekend tried APM instead of ACPI. However my /var/log/messages was filled with "APM BIOS not found" errors. So I think probably my BIOS doesn't support APM. It just supports ACPI. Hence compied again with ACPI.
Now I kept a watch on /var/log/X*. When I switch from X to Virtual consoles and then back, I get the following in the logs:

Synaptics DeviceOff called
(WW) Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (No such device)
(II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode "1280x800"
Synaptics DeviceOn called
(--) Synaptics Mouse touchpad found

I donot understand why X is looking for /dev/apm_bios when I have compiled in acpi in my kernel ?
Also short101, can you please tell me how did you resolve the problem of modem dropping out when the screen blanks out ?
I donot have any acpi command on my system. Is that ok ? I mean there is acpid running but I read somewhere that there is some acpi command also.

Thanks in advance....

--cyberjun

I actually solved my screen problem with the modem, by switching to debian with acpi compiled into the kernel. Never had a problem with it since. Maybe this is a fedora thing with slmodem. Dunno, sorry I know its not very helpfull. In the short term, maybe just open the konsole from within x instead of switching tty, and run any command line stuff from there. At least then your modem wont drop out.

Hi,
Thanks for replying. Well, this is not the only problem. My connection drops out even if I don't switch from X. (
Sometimes I can prolong my online session by running an infinite ping to some external address.
But no always. However switching from X drops the connection immediately and always.

From XP the connection works normally. So its not that my ISP terminates the connection because of some idle time limit. More importantly my PPP keeps running as usual.

Has anybody else experienced anything like this ?


Thanks!

--cyberjun

Have been doing a bit of looking into this, as I am trying to fix an unrelated problem with my modem. Cyberjun, I at least know know why the slamr module errors occur. If you get slmodem-2.9.9a or b then you should be able to compile the slamr module and get it to load without errors. (seems to do with something they changed with the 2.6.10 kernel) Doubt it will actually help using the slamr module, but cant hurt to try. Plus you might get your modem noise too, and loose the codec error.