How I got sound working in 2.6.1

Kovacs · 01-14-2004, 09:35 PM

I've found it a bit of a pain in the ass getting sound working with 2.6 and I've noticed that a few other people have been having problems, so here's how I did it. The soundcard in question is an intel8x0 / sis 7012 (integrated on my asus p4s800d motherboard). With my previous attempts, when I ran alsaconf I would get no sound cards detected, and apps would complain about there being no /dev/dsp.

First I read the instructions at the alsa website for my soundcard here, and then I downloaded the latest versions of alsa-driver, alsa-lib and alsa-utils from here.

I compiled 2.6.1, and under (using make menuconfig) device drivers > sound, I checked the option for sound card support (compiled into the kernel rather than as a module), but I left both the options for alsa and oss unchecked. You compile the alsa drivers from source later, but you need to compile in the sound card support to get "soundcore," which is needed to compile the alsa drivers.

I also removed all the old alsa packages with removepkg. To find out what they are:
cd /var/log/packages
ls alsa*
and then remove them all with removepkg.

Then I just followed the instructions on the website (I did all of this as root, most of this is copy and pasted from the site):

1) Unzip and install the alsa-driver package
bunzip2 alsa-driver-xxx
tar -xf alsa-driver-xxx
cd alsa-driver-xxx
./configure --with-cards=intel8x0 --with-sequencer=yes;make;make install

2) Change the permissions for the sound devices to root:
chmod a+rw /dev/dsp /dev/mixer /dev/sequencer /dev/midi

3) Unzip and install the alsa-lib package
cd ..
bunzip2 alsa-lib-xxx
tar -xf alsa-lib-xxx
cd alsa-lib-xxx
./configure;make;make install

4) Unzip and install the alsa-utils package
cd ..
bunzip2 alsa-utils-xxx
tar -xf alsa-utils-xxx
cd alsa-utils-xxx
./configure;make;make install

5) Insert the modules into the kernel:
modprobe snd-intel8x0
modprobe snd-pcm-oss
modprobe snd-mixer-oss
modprobe snd-seq-oss

6) Run "alsamixer" to set the mixer levels, and then "alsactl store" to record them.

7) At this point I just ran alsaconf, it detected my sound card fine at this point and set up /etc/modules.conf for me. You can also set up /etc/modules.conf by hand, there are instructions on the alsa site.

I've found that the drivers don't want to play nicely with arts, and so when I went to the kde control center and went sound & multimedia > sound system > disable arts on startup. It means you don't get that intro music, and maybe don't get sounds during kde apps (I never have sound effects turned on so I don't know). You do get sound with arts turned on, but I found that I had to use arts in xmms, and I got no sound playing neverwinter nights. With arts turned off (or in fluxbox), I have to use oss for xmms (don't ask me why) and I get sound in nwn, and it all works great.

That's what works for me, your mileage may vary according to your hardware. I hope this helps someone out.

moger · 01-15-2004, 02:53 AM

Will this solve my Soundblaster problem? I just posted this recently in the general forum:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=134955

Kovacs · 01-15-2004, 04:51 PM

I have no idea, but it couldn't hurt to try. Can you run alsaconf in the old kernel? If so, then that will tell you what type of sound card you have, and what the module you need is. With alsaconf, when it detects the sound card, you get the name of the driver first and then the name of the sound card. Lookung at this page I get the idea that there are a couple of cards with the same model name but different model numbers, and some of them use different drivers.

hyp_spec · 01-15-2004, 05:13 PM

...but alsa is built-in for 2.6... all you might need to do is reinstall alsa-utils and all should work, just compile all the alsa options as modules, and if for some reason they DONT work, just recompile alsa from source.... you won't need to recompile your kernel for that

moger · 01-15-2004, 09:01 PM

UGHHHH!!! I followed it exactly as to what the ALSA site says for soundblaster LIVE 128. However, when I modprobe I get this....

Code:

WARNING: Error inserting snd_ac97_codec (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/pci/ac97/snd-ac97-codec.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)WARNING: Error inserting snd_timer (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-timer.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_pcm (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-pcm.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_seq_device (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq-device.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_rawmidi (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-rawmidi.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
FATAL: Error inserting snd_ens1371 (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/pci/snd-ens1371.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_mixer_oss (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/oss/snd-mixer-oss.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_timer (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-timer.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_pcm (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-pcm.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
FATAL: Error inserting snd_pcm_oss (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/oss/snd-pcm-oss.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
FATAL: Error inserting snd_mixer_oss (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/oss/snd-mixer-oss.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_seq_device (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq-device.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_timer (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/snd-timer.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_seq (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
WARNING: Error inserting snd_seq_midi_event (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq-midi-event.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
FATAL: Error inserting snd_seq_oss (/lib/modules/2.6.1/kernel/sound/acore/seq/oss/snd-seq-oss.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

What is the problem??

moger · 01-15-2004, 09:23 PM

I got it working. Apparently my pci soundcard wasnt inserted all the way in; that's why lspci didn't show it. I was able to run alsaconf and it detected it.

moger · 01-15-2004, 10:38 PM

A question came to mind.... Whenever I upgrade my kernel, wouldn't I have to do this whole process again of recompiling the ALSA stuff?

Ninja_212 · 01-15-2004, 10:58 PM

i also have trouble on getting my soundcard work on kernel 2.6 (i use onboard CMI8738) but i've manage to get through it by uninstalling alsa and i load the module for my soundcard by editing /etc/rc.d/rc.modules.

Before it, i compile my kernel with my soundcard loaded as a module.

Lohan · 01-15-2004, 11:13 PM

I had problems with ALSA when I went to 2.6.0, and was able to solve it using the same method (except I only compiled the alsa-drivers sources, the libraries and utils aren't _strictly_ required). I also had to turn ars off in kde, as I found it interfered with alsa, but I can play sound with xmms with either alsa or oss (through alsa's oss emulation). Oh, and I DO get the startup music, and it doesn't skip anymore like it did with arts.

However, note that another user in this forum was able to get ALSA work by using the drivers provided by the kernel, then running the 'snddevices' script that comes with the alsa-drivers package from the alsa website. There is also a script in /usr/src/linux/scripts called 'MAKEDEV.snd' (I think). These scripts appear to do some of the same things... but don't take my word for it, I'm pretty newbish.

Anyway, anybody having trouble with sound might try running either or both of these scripts before going and compiling things... you might save yourself some trouble. =)

Good luck!

moger · 01-16-2004, 04:39 AM

Guys, I really need some help. I thought I got it working (it appeared I did for a little while) but it's not working. I followed the steps at the website for my card step by step. I have all the drivers loaded okay but ALSA isn't seeing my card (SB LIVE 128). However, when running alsaconf, the card is detected and it configures it for me, but it still isn't recognized. I've been fooling around with this literally for hours. Typing alsamixer gives me this:

Code:

alsamixer                                                                                 
alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such device

I've tried everything including what the few posts before me suggested may work...Didn't work.

alsactl store gives me this:

Code:

alsactl: save_state:1061: No soundcards found...

I even tried compiling support in my kernel only for OSS. It still didn't work! There is not much I havent tried. Unless someone can give me a good suggestion, I'm about to just swap sound cards and tried to configure that one and see what happens...

To summarize, all the modules I need for ALSA and my card are loaded just fine, AND alsaconf sees my card and configures it, BUT my soundcard is still not detected by ALSA... Very odd.

moger · 01-16-2004, 12:37 PM

Welp I got it working today by swaping out my SB Live 128 and putting in a SB Live 64. They both use the same driver so I didn't have to recompile. For some reason that es1370 driver works with the SB Live 64 and not the SB Live 128 (at least for me; not sure if any of you has gotten it to work).

Andronik · 01-19-2004, 02:01 AM

not sure about alsa things ...but explanation seems quit simple from hardware side.
creative makes different soundchips. one series is cards named ensonic -those are with chips es1370 ,es1372 or es1373.
others are soundblasters, and they use different soundchips mostly CT4xxx something.
drivers are not cross compatible even with each other, not talking even about same ct series, all use different drivers.
Maybe linux drivers are more "general" for soundblaster series, but they dont work with es series ensonic drivers for sure.

see differences here, taken from creative knoligepage, pay attention there are two series of soundblaster 64/128. and there is NO such thing as soundblaster live 128 (there are soundblaster value or pci 128)
:

* Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI (CT4810, CT4811, CT4812, CT4815 and CT4816)
* Vibra 128 (CT4810, CT4811, CT4812, CT4815 & CT4816)

For the following cards, please download this driver update for Windows 95/98 and this driver update for Windows NT4.0:

* SB PCI 64 with the 1370 or 1371 chipset *

For the following card, please download this driver update for Windows 95/98 and this driver update for Windows NT4.0:

NB!!! * SB PCI 128 (CT4700) with the 1370 or 1371 chipset *

For the following cards, please download this driver update for Windows 95/98/NT4.0 and this driver update for Windows Me/2000/XP:

NB!!! * SB PCI 128 (CT4750/CT4751)

witch one do you have???

If you have a PCI 128/Vibra 128/PCI 64 soundcard that has either one of the following CT model numbers or chipset numbers, then please contact the PC manufacturer or dealer for drivers:

* CT2515
* CT2518
* CT58xx
* 550x where x is a number between 0 and 9

* There are no driver updates for PCI 128 (CT4700) and PCI 64 cards based on the ES1370, ES1371 and ES1373 Chipsets for Windows Me/2000/XP - you must use the drivers built into these operating systems.

You can also download application software for the following cards for Windows 95/98/Me/2000/NT4.0 here:

* Sound Blaster PCI128 (Model No. CT4700, CT4750 & CT4751)
* Creative Ensoniq AudioPCI (CT4810, CT4811, CT4812, CT4815 & CT4816)
* Vibra 128 (CT4810, CT4811, CT4812, CT4815 & CT4816)
* 1370 and 1371-based card models

qwijibow · 03-09-2004, 11:43 AM

moger.. your problem is that you didnt remove the oss modules from your kernel before you attempted to modprobe the alsa drivers.

bonecrusher · 03-17-2004, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kovacs

7) At this point I just ran alsaconf, it detected my sound card fine at this point and set up /etc/modules.conf for me. You can also set up /etc/modules.conf by hand, there are instructions on the alsa site.

What if you almost have alsa working except for pcm... but you didn't install as modules...?
I can tell it is just about to work.. as a matter of fact it doesn't even error out in kde, just don't get any sound from pcm (no /dev/pcm0) (i do have /dev/snd/pcmxxx) devices though... The cd sound and mic sound work in console and GUI .. hmm well anyway see my other thread for more:

Hopefully someone can help.

-b

bashrc2 · 03-19-2004, 06:59 AM

ok thanks for sharing it worked great!

just 1 question... I have a c-media with creative 5.1 channel speakers(5 small speakers and 1 sub) all 5 small speakers work great.. but sub doesnt work.. do you have any idea how to get this working?
thanks