I compiled my own 2.6.15.1 kernel in Slackware 10.2, finding the right sound card and everything (ALSA being compiled in the kernel, not as a module). After I boot up sound works perfectly (using mpg123 and the like), but right after I run KDE 3.4 my sound dies (if I run mpg123 while it loads, the sound stops near the end).

If I leave KDE, mpg123 doesn't work anymore. I've been using ALSA before with 2.4 (as packaged by the full Slackware 10.2 install) and the sound card is recognized (by alsamixer, which shows the right version). The settings in alsamixer are correct (PCM, Master Vol, etc...), so it's not a muted. In fact, turning the master volume on and off in KMix will produce a popping noise, so I know it kinda works. I also did the generate-modprobe.conf thing.

I suspect that KDE loads something which conflicts with ALSA.

Did you recompile alsa?

Brian

i had to compile alsa as a module to get it to work in 2.6.15, then re-run alsaconf, alsamixer, then alsaconf store to get my sound working properly. It would not work compiled into the kernel.

There are a few bug reports in the alsa forums which sound like this and they are mostly Slackware users. There is something broken in 1.0.10

The sound works fine; I'm listening to it right now (in FluxBox and TTY1). The problem is that KDE does something when it starts up that messes up the sound system. As I load KDE, music from mpg123 or ogg123 dies. In KMix I can mute the master volume on/off to make my speakers 'pop,' but that's it. Once I log out of KDE I can't hear sound until I reboot.

Maybe you could point me to the scripts KDE uses to start, and I might pinpoint what it loads that messes up ALSA.

Don't forget that KDE will try and use the aRts sound daemon to play stuff. I don't use KDE, I can't offer anymore help than: alsamixer != aRts volumes

- Piete.

The main script is startkde and s/b in /opt/kde/bin.

Have you tried configuring sound in kde (Settings->Sound&Multimedia)? Piete is probably right, that is has something to do with aRts.

Brian

Hi!

I have the same problem with kernel-2.6.15.1 and KDE-3.4.2/Alsa-1.0.9a. Kernel-2.6.14.5 did make any problems.
For now I am using again 2.6.14.5 and it seems I will have to wait for (a hopefully better) 2.6.15.2.

It just gets weirder. My compy has been running Fluxbox for the past 20 hours, and I just switched into KDE to see if aRTs settings were messing up the sound, but now the sound works without intervention. Even when running tvtime and amaroK at the same time.

The only thing I did to the system was install an Acard PCI IDE controller and recompile the kernel. Oh well.

I would like to confirm strange arts/alsa behaviour on gentoo-patched
kernel 2.6.15-r1.

On my system (AMD64, ASUS A8V, VIA 8237, Realtek ALC850 AC'97 audio)
after using some KDE multimedia application the sound in non-KDE apps
is _almost_ muted, and vice versa.
Quitting the application and restarting artsd usually helps.
However, I'd better stay with kernel 2.6.14 for a while.

Should we fill a bug report at bugzilla.kernel.org?

tell me please how to fight this this:
when installing nvidia driver - the kernel header file '/lib/modules/2.6.12/build/include/linux/version.h does not exist. The most likely reason for this is that the kernel source files in '/lib/modules/2.6.12/build' have not been configured.
when installing ALSA driver, just the same - The file /lib/modules/2.6.12/source/include/linux/version.h does not exist.
Please install the package with full kernel sources for your distribution
or use --with-kernel=dir option to specify another directory with kernel
sources (default is /lib/modules/2.6.12/source)

where to find, download, how to configure?

do locate version.h | grep 2.6.12
then grab the location and do
./NVIDIA-whatever --with-kernel=/the/location/you/got/2.6/12/source

anyway alsa do not work.. with or without including it in a kernel (like module or built-in).
tried to compile kernel without alsa, just with "common sound support" then compiled alsa separately...
nothing works...
in my box MOPSLinux 4.0 wich is based on Slackware10.2 sound "jumps" in XMMS and hangs in amaroK completely..