Sound Problems

CrownAmbassador · 09-21-2006, 02:32 PM

After setting my system sounds to start when Linux starts up, I get the following message when trying to use Rhythmbox: "OSS device "/dev/dsp" is already in use by another program" and "Could not pause playback". What can I do to fix this?

And also, when I restart my computer, I have to go and reselect the volume. It goes down to nothing everytime I restart. Any ideas?

Thanks.

pda_h4x0r · 09-21-2006, 04:31 PM

OSS is becoming obsolete. Use ALSA instead--that should fix this problem.

CrownAmbassador · 09-22-2006, 04:29 PM

Thanks. Do you have any websites where I might find ALSA for kernel 2.6.16.2-686. The ALSA in my repositories is for 2.4 only.

Thanks.

pda_h4x0r · 09-23-2006, 01:12 AM

Here you go:

http://packages.debian.org/stable/sound/alsa-source

If you don't have it installed, then install module-assistant. It makes it very easy to build kernel modules and will turn them into .deb files for you to install with dpkg. You can use module-assistant to build alsa-source from the command line; it will do a lot of the dirty work for you.

CrownAmbassador · 09-23-2006, 09:34 AM

When running module assistant I get the following message:

"Warning, /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.16-2 seems to contain unconfigured kernel source!"

I went past this and tried to build the source, but it fails.

Even after installing the source it still tells me that the source package may not be installed.

Any ideas?

pda_h4x0r · 09-23-2006, 01:35 PM

You need Debian's kernel headers to build modules. The Vanilla ones (i.e. from kernel.org) will not work without Debian patches applied. To download already-patched kernel headers, you may need to modify your /etc/apt/sources.list file and add a deb entry for the testing branch to get them. Otherwise, you will have to download Debian's patches for that particular kernel and patch a Vanilla kernel yourself.

CrownAmbassador · 09-23-2006, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pda_h4x0r

You need Debian's kernel headers to build modules. The Vanilla ones (i.e. from kernel.org) will not work without Debian patches applied. To download already-patched kernel headers, you may need to modify your /etc/apt/sources.list file and add a deb entry for the testing branch to get them. Otherwise, you will have to download Debian's patches for that particular kernel and patch a Vanilla kernel yourself.

I did some more research on the unconfigured kernel. Turns out that this is a bug with Module-Assistant that was corrected in a newer version. I installed the never version and now it works. Got the module for ALSA compiled and installed too.

Now, even though ALSA is installed now, I still have the same problem. When I go to Applications/Desktop Preferences/Advanced/Multimedia System Selector there is only the option to choose OSS. Where can I change to ALSA?

Thanks.

pda_h4x0r · 09-24-2006, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonelyTraveler

I did some more research on the unconfigured kernel. Turns out that this is a bug with Module-Assistant that was corrected in a newer version. I installed the never version and now it works. Got the module for ALSA compiled and installed too.

Okay, that works too

Now you need to run "apt-get install alsa-base alsa-tools alsa-oss alsa-firmware-loaders alsa-utils" as root. After that, run "alsaconf" as root, which will configure alsa to work with your sound card. You may end up losing some OSS stuff--this should be fine.

CrownAmbassador · 09-25-2006, 06:14 PM

I did what you said. When I start my computer now the volume is as it should be, but I still can't play music. When I go to Applications/Desktop Preferences/Advanced/Multimedia System Selector there is still only the option to choose OSS.

pda_h4x0r · 09-26-2006, 12:14 AM

To verify that ALSA is indeed working, open up a terminal and run "alsamixer" to adjust your volume if necessary. Then run "speaker-test." If you hear static noise, then ALSA is working.

What GUI are you using? I can't find "Desktop Preferneces/Advanced/Multimedia System Selector" in either GNOME or KDE.

CrownAmbassador · 09-26-2006, 06:23 PM

When running speaker-test I get the following error:

Code:

ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:864:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy

I'm using GNOME. You can also get to the advanced icon by typing "gnome-control-center" in terminal.

ciotog · 09-29-2006, 10:23 AM

There's a "test" button in "Multimedia System Selector" -- does it put out a tone?

BTW the "Multimedia System Selector" is under System -> Preferences with a vanilla Gnome install.

CrownAmbassador · 09-30-2006, 06:40 AM

I get the following error message: "Failed to construct test pipeline for 'OSS - Open Sound System'".

CrownAmbassador · 09-30-2006, 02:46 PM

Any ideas?

ciotog · 09-30-2006, 03:47 PM

I don't know much about how Debian handles audio, but you could try adding yourself to the audio group (add your user name to the audio entry in /etc/group). Also if you don't have a .asoundrc file you might consider creating one (the alsa homepage gives information about how to do this).