problems with alsa and emu10k1

elyk · 06-12-2004, 03:50 PM

I just bought a soundblaster live (emu10k1) to replace Dell's OEM soundblaster that doesn't work with linux (emu10k1x), then did a fresh install of slackware 9.1. I first tried to unmute the sound with alsamixer, but it gave me this error:

Code:

ALSA lib simple.c:944:(simple_add1) helem (MIXER,'Center Playback Volume',0,0,0) appears twice or more

alsamixer: function snd_mixer_load failed: Invalid argument

So I uninstalled the preloaded alsa packages and attempted to install alsa version 1.0.4 according to the instructions on their site:

(hmmm... can't seem to post links yet...)

Code:

cd /usr/src
mkdir alsa
cd alsa
cp /downloads/alsa-* .

bunzip2 alsa-driver-xxx
tar -xf alsa-driver-xxx
cd alsa-driver-xxx
./configure --with-cards=emu10k1 --with-sequencer=yes;make;make install

./snddevices

chmod a+rw /dev/dsp /dev/mixer /dev/sequencer /dev/midi

cd ..
bunzip2 alsa-lib-xxx
tar -xf alsa-lib-xxx
cd alsa-lib-xxx
./configure;make;make install

cd ..
bunzip2 alsa-utils-xxx
tar -xf alsa-utils-xxx
cd alsa-utils-xxx
./configure;make;make install

modprobe snd-emu10k1;modprobe snd-pcm-oss;modprobe snd-mixer-oss;modprobe snd-seq-oss

and I copied and pasted this into /etc/modules.conf

Code:

# ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-emu10k1
# module options should go here

# OSS/Free portion
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0

# card #1
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss

then created /root/.asoundrc since I'm still running as root to get everything working

Code:

pcm.emu10k1 {
  type hw
  card 0
}

ctl.emu10k1 {
  type hw
  card 0
}

Then I try running alsamixer and this time it works. I raise the volumes then use the test sound button but still nothing happens.

I know the card works since I'm dual booting winxp (to use my winmodem), and before I reinstalled slackware to try again (I'm a n00b, don't know what I screwed up) I ran kmix, raised the master and pcm volume then tested and it worked. But that was still when I got the above error running alsamixer and decided to install the newer version out of spite.

Did I install it right? What else do I need to configure to make it work?

-elyk

elyk · 06-12-2004, 07:55 PM

Here's the output from lsmod just after startup:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
uhci                   24496   0  (unused)
ehci-hcd               16872   0  (unused)
usbcore                58400   1  [uhci ehci-hcd]
i810_rng                2656   0  (unused)
tuner                  10272   1  (autoclean)
bttv                   94432   0  (unused)
i2c-algo-bit            6984   1  [bttv]
i2c-core               12740   0  [tuner bttv i2c-algo-bit]
videodev                5664   2  [bttv]
snd-emu10k1            62932   0 
snd-pcm                56032   0  [snd-emu10k1]
snd-timer              13508   0  [snd-pcm]
snd-hwdep               4864   0  [snd-emu10k1]
snd-page-alloc          6260   0  [snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm]
snd-util-mem            1136   0  [snd-emu10k1]
snd-ac97-codec         44412   0  [snd-emu10k1]
snd-rawmidi            12672   0  [snd-emu10k1]
snd-seq-device          3904   0  [snd-emu10k1 snd-rawmidi]
snd                    30148   0  [snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm snd-timer snd-hwdep snd-util-mem snd-ac97-codec snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device]
soundcore               3332   2  [bttv snd]
emu10k1-gp              1352   0  (unused)
gameport                1452   0  [emu10k1-gp]
eepro100               19380   1 
mii                     2304   0  [eepro100]
ide-scsi                9424   0 
agpgart                39576   0  (unused)

After starting kde, there are several more listings and it says "Tainted: P" instead of "Not tainted". Is this a problem?

How do I find what sound support is compiled into the kernel? It should be the default that comes with slack 9.1, whatever that is...

ProtoformX · 06-13-2004, 01:08 AM

Slack 9.1 is shipped with ALSA.. so the kernel is using ALSA... I would try to update the drivers the defualts are pretty old

elyk · 06-14-2004, 03:11 AM

Doesn't alsa include the drivers?

I'm gonna try to recompile the kernel, not sure if that will help or not, then maybe try to install the 2.6.6 kernel once I figure out what I'm doing.

*crosses fingers*

elyk · 06-15-2004, 01:28 AM

I just installed the 2.6.6 stable kernel with alsa configured as a module. After rebooting I ran lsmod and it only listed agpgart, so I ran "modprobe snd-emu10k1" and then ran lsmod and it listed several more modules for sound. Next I started kde, raised the muted volumes, and tested, but nothing.

Then I cranked the speakers and could hear a faint sound...

I then remembered someone else's problem with this card and started plugging the speakers in to the other jacks on the card, and I found the sound coming out of the rear speaker jack.

1. How can I change it to the front speaker jack? I've got 2.1 speakers normally plugged into the front speaker jack.

2. After starting kde, lsmod gives me all of these modules. I don't think I need that much running to play sounds, how do I get rid of some of these?

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by
snd_seq_oss            31744  0 
snd_seq_midi            6560  0 
snd_emu10k1_synth       6912  0 
snd_emux_synth         35200  1 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_seq_virmidi         5888  1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq_midi_event      6272  3 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_virmidi
snd_seq_midi_emul       7040  1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq                50032  8 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi_emul
snd_pcm_oss            48644  0 
snd_mixer_oss          18048  1 snd_pcm_oss
nvidia               2075112  12 
snd_emu10k1            90884  1 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_rawmidi            20480  3 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1
snd_pcm                84352  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_emu10k1
snd_timer              21632  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_seq_device          6916  7 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi
snd_ac97_codec         60932  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_page_alloc          9092  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_util_mem            3584  2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd_hwdep               7552  2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd                    45316  16 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_seq_device,snd_ac97_codec,snd_util_mem,snd_hwdep
agpgart                27464  0

elyk · 06-15-2004, 04:11 PM

I now have sound!

I just upgraded these:
alsa-driver-1.0.4 --> 1.0.5a
alsa-lib-1.0.4 --> 1.0.5
alsa-utils-1.0.4 --> 1.0.5

Front speakers work, I can plug them in to the rear speaker jack and control them with wave surround in alsamixer.

jong357 · 06-15-2004, 09:57 PM

Yea, Those damn Dell's... I had to do the same exact thing. Paid 50 bucks for the same exact card only it's made by Creative instead of Dell.... . I just build the top most sound option into the kernel and thats it. CONFIG_SOUND is what it's called on 2.4... Then alsa-driver will install all the modules you need.... I have 5.1 speakers and my center and front speakers won't work... Those speakers are death anyway so it doesn't really matter... The rear two and subwoffer rattle my windows.... Glad you got it working... Do us all a favor and email Dell and tell them they suck more and more with each passing year. I sent the card back and got a refund.

gilead · 01-03-2006, 07:40 PM

I had a working configuration with kernel 2.16.4.5 & ALSA 1.0.9, but it broke when I upgraded to 2.6.5 & ALSA 1.10. I'm about to try (again) downgrading to 1.0.9 but I was getting symbols errors earlier today with those.

gilead · 01-15-2006, 04:42 PM

The error was fixed in CVS on January 5th according to https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/al...ew.php?id=1681. I guess that means if you download from CVS the problem is fixed. ALSA 1.0.11rc2 was released on January 2nd so if you use the released versions it looks like it's not available yet.

gilead · 02-03-2006, 10:32 PM

This is a duplicate of my post at http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...04#post2085504 since the problem appears to be the same. If you read both, sorry for boring you

I've just installed linux-2.6.15.2.tar.bz2 from http://www.kernel.org/ and alsa 1.0.11rc3 from http://www.alsa-project.org/ and the problem of

Quote:

helem (MIXER,'Center Playback Volume',0,0,0) appears twice or more

has gone away. If you were having that problem and waiting to upgrade, now is worth a try.

cwwilson721 · 02-03-2006, 11:05 PM

Hmmmm...May take you up on that......

eelriver · 02-04-2006, 02:15 AM

It's nothing that two years worth of kernel upgrades can't fix