Logging in as root ruins my sound card configuration

Penguin of Wonder · 09-22-2005, 12:51 PM

Alright guys this is my first post, i should get like props or something... :-)

Anyway, I have a DELL 2300 that i got free off of my cousin who was going to shoot it (literally) because he screwed up the Windows XP install on it so bad we couldn't fix it. So my fix was installing Slackware linux. I have an Intel 810i AC97 sound card on my motherboard that works great under my non-root user name using ALSA sound drivers. But every time i log in as root my sound stops working, and then when i log back out to run level 3, i have to re-run alsaconf to reconfigure my sound card to make work in my non-root profile.

I'm a true newbie to linux, 2 or 3 months using it at most, but i learn quickly (i think?) so any suggestion would be great! Thanks alot everyone!

jimdaworm · 09-22-2005, 02:22 PM

Did you check the volumes as root??? alsaconfig then alsactl store??? Just and idea

Penguin of Wonder · 09-22-2005, 03:06 PM

hey thats a good idea, thank you

jimdaworm · 09-23-2005, 01:37 AM

Did it help?

Penguin of Wonder · 09-23-2005, 06:04 PM

No. To use alsactl store i have to know what linux refers to as my sound card... but i dont know what its name is. When i set up slackware i assume its told me but i didnt pay any attention, i just clicked <enter> for the default name.

jimdaworm · 09-23-2005, 07:18 PM

sorry I ment to say alsamixer not alsaconfig

Penguin of Wonder · 09-26-2005, 01:19 AM

my mixer says my sound is turned up.

what is 'alsactl store' and how do i use it? i have a bad feeling thats my problem.

jimdaworm · 09-26-2005, 01:44 AM

alsactl store just tells alsa to store your sound settings so next time you reboot or log out and in again it will restore your current alsamixer settings.

Basically all your volume levels

Penguin of Wonder · 09-26-2005, 06:43 AM

oh, well that definatly dosent fix my problem then, thanks

eelriver · 09-26-2005, 07:58 AM

Don't log in as root. Use su - to do important root stuff (important root stuff does not include listening to music).

KnightHawk · 09-26-2005, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by eelriver
Don't log in as root. Use su - to do important root stuff (important root stuff does not include listening to music).

Speak for yourself!

Penguin of Wonder · 09-26-2005, 05:08 PM

wait a minute the orginal question was: why does logging in as root mess it up? and how do i make it stop?

its kills the whole thrill of it, if i just quit logging in

cathectic · 09-26-2005, 06:22 PM

Have you actually run alsaconf as root yet, or have you always run it as a user?

liquidtenmilion · 09-26-2005, 07:03 PM

I second that.

There is no need to login as root, especially to listen to audio.

Use "su" and run whatever you want to run as root, and then type "exit" to return to your user.