I am experiencing a rather interesting problem with my Slackware 11 installation. I have an Audigy 2 card installed and configured through ALSA. When I start the computer from a cold boot, and log into an X-Window session, when I play a sound file I only receive output from the right-side speaker. If I reboot and then play a sound file, both speakers play normally. I have thought that it may be a resource issue, but have not experienced any other problems with any other components. Any suggestions on this problem? Thanks.

Is it possible that you never set the default boot time sound values in alsamixer as root after you ran alsaconfig when you loaded your pc up?

I'm thinking that maybe you didn't or it got wiped out somehow, when you get into X it restores your values from kmix, gamix or the like? I have a few audigy 2's and never had this.

I'd say put the pc into run level three (/etc/inittab) the default slack boot run level as your default, then power off.

Now we need to verify the sound levels from your power off state, so power on, then log into console as root, type alsamixer and see what the defaults are on cold boot. use arrow keys to adjust them and move between different types, use tab key to jump over and check/repair your capture settings to while your there, and space toggles things on/off. then hit escape key when done. then to store the settings, 'alsactl store' at command line.

the power off give the pc sometime to spin down your hard drives then boot up and see if that makes any difference.

other than that, maybe trying a different slot can help. creative cards really like to get IRQ # 5 and they prefer to be (well in my experience) 1 to 2 slots away from video card, no more. They definitely do not like to share,they are IRQ greedy Check your mobo manual to see what's shared and stuck as shared by default for your pci slots. Sometimes disabling stuff you never need like a COM port can help. Be sure you have grounding strap on and unplug wires from box before pulling card. No cigar ashes either GL

I don't recall having this problem before with Slackware 10.2, and the hardware was in the same location as it is now. I've been configuring alsa the same way for as long as I can remember, basically in the same manner stated in your first paragraph. I haven't experienced anything of this nature before, which is why I don't quite understand what the issue could be. I'll give your suggestions a try when I have access to my computer. Thanks.

My laptop does the same thing, kinda. In my case, if I adjust the main vol at all, no matter the user, all channels start working.

Running 11.0 too, with custom compiled 2.6.17.13 kernel.

BTW, sound was/is fine in 10.2, and this issue stays no matter the 2.6 kernel I use in 11.0

then perhaps an issue with the different version of alsa?

i do recall having some problems(sblive! related) with the most
recent stable and ended up reverting to 1.0.12 to clear it up...