Sound ALSA Problem

DaveyB · 10-03-2006, 08:45 AM

Hey guys, quick question. Just installed Debian ETCH, finally got my WIFI card to work which took me AGES and now all I have left to do is my sound.

In order for my to get it work each time I log onto my laptop I have to enter the console and do:

Code:

foo:/home/daveyb# su
foo:/home/daveyb# alsaconf
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-atiixp snd-ac97-codec snd-ac97-bus snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer snd-page-alloc.
Building card database...
    In the alsaconf screen
   This is where I select atiixp ATI Technologies Inc IXP150   AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01) 

   I then pres YES to add it to the config file

Running update-modules...
Loading driver...
Setting default volumes...


===============================================================================

 Now ALSA is ready to use.
 For adjustment of volumes, use your favorite mixer.

 Have a lot of fun!


foo:/home/daveyb# alsactl store
foo:/home/daveyb#

Brilliant my sound works beautifully and then I reboot and it restarts wrong again.

any ideas how I can get it to remember these settings. Thankyou for your help!

Dead Parrot · 10-03-2006, 09:51 AM

You could run "lsmod | grep snd > sound_works.txt" when the sound works and "lsmod | grep snd > sound_no-work.txt" after the reboot when the sound doesn't work. Then you can compare sound_works.txt and sound_no-work.txt to see if the latter misses some module(s) that the former has. If so, you can add the missing module(s) in /etc/modules to tell Debian to load it at boot time.

If it's not a problem with ALSA modules, you can study /var/lib/alsa/asound.state to see if "alsactl store" really saves your mixer settings.

DaveyB · 10-03-2006, 10:25 AM

This is what I have
SOUND WORKS

Code:

snd_atiixp             17964  1 
snd_ac97_codec         82720  1 snd_atiixp
snd_ac97_bus            2368  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss            35968  1 
snd_mixer_oss          15872  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                74532  3 snd_atiixp,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              20836  1 snd_pcm
snd                    48100  6 snd_atiixp,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               9216  2 snd
snd_page_alloc          9512  2 snd_atiixp,snd_pcm

SOUND DOES _NOT_ WORK

Code:

snd_atiixp             17964  1 
snd_atiixp_modem       14792  0 
snd_ac97_codec         82720  2 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem
snd_ac97_bus            2368  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss            35968  1 
snd_mixer_oss          15872  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                74532  4 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              20836  1 snd_pcm
snd                    48100  7 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               9216  2 snd
snd_page_alloc          9512  3 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_pcm

WHAT SPECIFIC ITEMS HAVE CHANGED ON REBOOT

Code:

snd_atiixp_modem       14792  0 < -- NEW LINE ADDED ON REBOOT
snd_ac97_codec         82720  2 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem
snd_pcm                74532  4 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd                    48100  7 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
snd_page_alloc          9512  3 snd_atiixp,snd_atiixp_modem,snd_pcm

As you can clearly see the whole thing changes on reboot, it apears my MODEM must be conflicting with my soud card. I guess they are fighting over which will be the predominant driver, any ideas how to get my MODEM not to mess with my soundcard?
Any ideas what to do now?
Thanks for all your help so far.

HappyTux · 10-03-2006, 11:13 AM

Try editing/creating the /etc/modprobe.d/sound file with this for the contents.

Code:

alias snd-card-0 snd-atiixp
options snd-atiixp index=0
alias snd-card-1 snd-atiixp-modem
options snd-atiixp-modem index=1

If running a 2.4.?? kernel then put the lines in /etc/modutils/aliases and run update-modules.

Dead Parrot · 10-03-2006, 11:23 AM

/etc/discover.d/alsa-base seems to have some entries that you can uncomment (i.e. remove the # sign from the beginning of the line) "in order to blacklist unwanted modem drivers". One of these entries is "skip snd-atiixp-modem".

This might be worth a try.

EDIT:
There is also /etc/hotplug/blacklist.d/alsa-base that is just like /etc/discover.d/alsa-base. You probably need to edit both.

EDIT 2:
And then there's /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base-blacklist that is identical with those two other files mentioned above. Maybe that needs editing, too. Or maybe it's just enough to follow HappyTux's suggestion. Whatever seems to work.