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Old 08-15-2007, 03:30 PM   #1
tgo
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 125

Rep: Reputation: 15
vmware sound problem


I have googled and searched the forums and havent found an answer to getting sound to work in vmware workstation 5.

My host os is gentoo and am I running an windows xp pro guest. Everything in the guest works fine except sound.

When the guest is started vmware says that it can not found the virtual device.

my audio card:

lspci | grep -i audio
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)

sounds work fine on the host using alsa, but I have read other posts that vmware works better with oss enabled, so i recompiled the kernel with oss support and installed the oss libaries and alsa-oss, but still am getting the same result.

The relevant part of the vmware logs says

Quote:
Aug 16 03:14:25: vmx| Msg_Question:
Aug 16 03:14:25: vmx| [msg.noAutodetectBackingQuestion] Cannot connect virtual device sound. No corresponding device is available on the host.
Aug 16 03:14:25: vmx|
Aug 16 03:14:25: vmx| Would you like an attempt to be made to connect this virtual device every time you power on the virtual machine?----------------------------------------
Aug 16 03:14:27: vmx| Msg_Question: msg.noAutodetectBackingQuestion reply=1
Aug 16 03:14:27: vmx| Msg_Post: Error
Aug 16 03:14:27: vmx| [msg.device.badconnect] Failed to connect virtual device sound.
This is the sound parts of my vmx file ( the default )

Quote:
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.fileName = "-1"
sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"
It seems many people have had problems with this but I could not find any answers so hopefully someone here knows.
 
Old 08-15-2007, 04:37 PM   #2
Brian1
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Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Seymour, Indiana
Distribution: Distribution: RHEL 5 with Pieces of this and that. Kernel 2.6.23.1, KDE 3.5.8 and KDE 4.0 beta, Plu
Posts: 5,700

Rep: Reputation: 65
Sounds like the card has not or can use multiple input to the same channel at the same time. What I am using is Alsa so not sure if that is enabled on yours or not. What you might look for is a file called /etc/alsa/alsa.conf. In there should be some lines like dmix or similiar. Might search here and on google for examples of this.
Code:
#
#  ALSA library configuration file
#

# pre-load the configuration files

@hooks [
	{
		func load
		files [
			"/etc/asound.conf"
			"~/.asoundrc"
		]
		errors false
	}
]

# load card-specific configuration files (on request)

cards.@hooks [
	{
		func load
		files [
			{
				@func concat
				strings [
					{ @func datadir }
					"/cards/aliases.conf"
				]
			}
		]
	}
	{
		func load_for_all_cards
		files [
			{
				@func concat
				strings [
					{ @func datadir }
					"/cards/"
					{ @func private_string }
					".conf"
				]
			}
		]
		errors false
	}
]

#
# defaults
#

# show all name hints also for definitions without hint {} section
defaults.namehint.showall off
# show just basic name hints
defaults.namehint.basic on
# show extended name hints
defaults.namehint.extended off
#
defaults.ctl.card 0
defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.pcm.subdevice -1
defaults.pcm.nonblock 1
defaults.pcm.ipc_key 5678293
defaults.pcm.ipc_perm 0600
defaults.pcm.dmix.max_periods 0
defaults.pcm.dmix.rate 48000
defaults.pcm.dmix.format S16_LE
defaults.pcm.dmix.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.dmix.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.dsnoop.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.dsnoop.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.front.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.front.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.rear.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.rear.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.center_lfe.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.center_lfe.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.side.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.side.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround40.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround40.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround41.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround41.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround50.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround50.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround51.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround51.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround71.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround71.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.iec958.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.iec958.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.modem.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.modem.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.rawmidi.card 0
defaults.rawmidi.device 0
defaults.rawmidi.subdevice -1
defaults.hwdep.card 0
defaults.hwdep.device 0
defaults.timer.class 2
defaults.timer.sclass 0
defaults.timer.card 0
defaults.timer.device 0
defaults.timer.subdevice 0

#
#  PCM interface
#

# redirect to load-on-demand extended pcm definitions
pcm.cards cards.pcm

pcm.default cards.pcm.default
pcm.front cards.pcm.front
pcm.rear cards.pcm.rear
pcm.center_lfe cards.pcm.center_lfe
pcm.side cards.pcm.side
pcm.surround40 cards.pcm.surround40
pcm.surround41 cards.pcm.surround41
pcm.surround50 cards.pcm.surround50
pcm.surround51 cards.pcm.surround51
pcm.surround71 cards.pcm.surround71
pcm.iec958 cards.pcm.iec958
pcm.spdif iec958
pcm.dmix cards.pcm.dmix
pcm.dsnoop cards.pcm.dsnoop
pcm.modem cards.pcm.modem
pcm.phoneline cards.pcm.phoneline

pcm.hw {
	@args [ CARD DEV SUBDEV ]
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func getenv
			vars [
				ALSA_PCM_CARD
				ALSA_CARD
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.pcm.card
			}
		}
	}
	@args.DEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func igetenv
			vars [
				ALSA_PCM_DEVICE
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.pcm.device
			}
		}
	}
	@args.SUBDEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.pcm.subdevice
		}
	}		
	type hw
	card $CARD
	device $DEV
	subdevice $SUBDEV
	hint {
		show {
			@func refer
			name defaults.namehint.extended
		}
		description "Direct hardware device without any conversions"
	}
}

pcm.plughw {
	@args [ CARD DEV SUBDEV ]
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func getenv
			vars [
				ALSA_PCM_CARD
				ALSA_CARD
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.pcm.card
			}
		}
	}
	@args.DEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func igetenv
			vars [
				ALSA_PCM_DEVICE
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.pcm.device
			}
		}
	}
	@args.SUBDEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.pcm.subdevice
		}
	}		
	type plug
	slave.pcm {
		type hw
		card $CARD
		device $DEV
		subdevice $SUBDEV
	}
	hint {
		show {
			@func refer
			name defaults.namehint.extended
		}
		description "Hardware device with all software conversions"
	}
}

pcm.plug {
	@args [ SLAVE ]
	@args.SLAVE {
		type string
	}
	type plug
	slave.pcm $SLAVE
}

pcm.shm {
	@args [ SOCKET PCM ]
	@args.SOCKET {
		type string
	}
	@args.PCM {
		type string
	}
	type shm
	server $SOCKET
	pcm $PCM
}

pcm.tee {
	@args [ SLAVE FILE FORMAT ]
	@args.SLAVE {
		type string
	}
	@args.FILE {
		type string
	}
	@args.FORMAT {
		type string
		default raw
	}
	type file
	slave.pcm $SLAVE
	file $FILE
	format $FORMAT
}

pcm.file {
	@args [ FILE FORMAT ]
	@args.FILE {
		type string
	}
	@args.FORMAT {
		type string
		default raw
	}
	type file
	slave.pcm null
	file $FILE
	format $FORMAT
}

pcm.null {
	type null
	hint {
		show {
			@func refer
			name defaults.namehint.basic
		}
		description "Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)"
	}
}

#
#  Control interface
#
	
ctl.default {
	type hw
	card {
		@func getenv
		vars [
			ALSA_CTL_CARD
			ALSA_CARD
		]
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.ctl.card
		}
	}
}

ctl.hw {
	@args[ CARD ]
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func getenv
			vars [
				ALSA_CTL_CARD
				ALSA_CARD
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.ctl.card
			}
		}
	}
	type hw
	card $CARD
}

ctl.shm {
	@args [ SOCKET CTL ]
	@args.SOCKET {
		type string
	}
	@args.CTL {
		type string
	}
	type shm
	server $SOCKET
	ctl $CTL
}

#
#  RawMidi interface
#

rawmidi.default {
	type hw
	card {
		@func getenv
		vars [
			ALSA_RAWMIDI_CARD
			ALSA_CARD
		]
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.rawmidi.card
		}
	}
	device {
		@func igetenv
		vars [
			ALSA_RAWMIDI_DEVICE
		]
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.rawmidi.device
		}
	}
}

rawmidi.hw {
	@args [ CARD DEV SUBDEV ]
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func getenv
			vars [
				ALSA_RAWMIDI_CARD
				ALSA_CARD
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.rawmidi.card
			}
		}
	}
	@args.DEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func igetenv
			vars [
				ALSA_RAWMIDI_DEVICE
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.rawmidi.device
			}
		}
	}
	@args.SUBDEV {
		type integer
		default -1
	}
	type hw
	card $CARD
	device $DEV
	subdevice $SUBDEV
	hint {
		description "Direct rawmidi driver device"
		device $DEV
	}
}

rawmidi.virtual {
	@args [ MERGE ]
	@args.MERGE {
		type string
		default 1
	}
	type virtual
	merge $MERGE
}

#
#  Sequencer interface
#

seq.default {
	type hw
}

seq.hw {
	type hw
}

#
#  HwDep interface
#

hwdep.default {
	type hw
	card {
		@func getenv
		vars [
			ALSA_HWDEP_CARD
			ALSA_CARD
		]
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.hwdep.card
		}
	}
	device {
		@func igetenv
		vars [
			ALSA_HWDEP_DEVICE
		]
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.hwdep.device
		}
	}
}

hwdep.hw {
	@args [ CARD DEV ]
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func getenv
			vars [
				ALSA_HWDEP_CARD
				ALSA_CARD
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.hwdep.card
			}
		}
	}
	@args.DEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func igetenv
			vars [
				ALSA_HWDEP_DEVICE
			]
			default {
				@func refer
				name defaults.hwdep.device
			}
		}
	}
	type hw
	card $CARD
	device $DEV
}

#
#  Timer interface
#

timer_query.default {
	type hw
}

timer_query.hw {
	type hw
}

timer.default {
	type hw
	class {
		@func refer
		name defaults.timer.class
	}
	sclass {
		@func refer
		name defaults.timer.sclass
	}
	card {
		@func refer
		name defaults.timer.card
	}
	device {
		@func refer
		name defaults.timer.device
	}
	subdevice {
		@func refer
		name defaults.timer.subdevice
	}
	hint.description "Default direct hardware timer device"
}

timer.hw {
	@args [ CLASS SCLASS CARD DEV SUBDEV ]
	@args.CLASS {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.timer.class
		}
	}
	@args.SCLASS {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.timer.sclass
		}
	}
	@args.CARD {
		type string
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.timer.card
		}
	}
	@args.DEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.timer.device
		}
	}
	@args.SUBDEV {
		type integer
		default {
			@func refer
			name defaults.timer.subdevice
		}
	}
	type hw
	class $CLASS
	sclass $SCLASS
	card $CARD
	device $DEV
	subdevice $SUBDEV
}
 
Old 08-15-2007, 05:17 PM   #3
tgo
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 125

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
I did a diff of your file with mine:

Quote:
tgo@blackout /tmp$ diff brian1 /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf
0a1
> #
66c67,68
< defaults.pcm.ipc_perm 0600
---
> defaults.pcm.ipc_gid audio
> defaults.pcm.ipc_perm 0660
176,177c178
< description "Direct hardware device without any
< conversions"
---
> description "Direct hardware device without any conversions"
229,230c230
< description "Hardware device with all software
< conversions"
---
> description "Hardware device with all software conversions"
296,297c296
< description "Discard all samples (playback) or generate
< zero samples (capture)"
---
> description "Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)"
The only difference besides descriptions is the perms on the file but they are owned root:audio and vmware runs as root and as my user ( tgo ) which is in the audio group so I do not think that would affect it.


Is there any other thing you can think of that might affect it?
 
Old 08-15-2007, 06:10 PM   #4
tgo
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 125

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
I just figured it out .. it seems vmware relies on /dev/dsp so i enabled everything related to oss and now it recognizes the audio device ..
 
Old 08-16-2007, 05:51 PM   #5
Brian1
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Seymour, Indiana
Distribution: Distribution: RHEL 5 with Pieces of this and that. Kernel 2.6.23.1, KDE 3.5.8 and KDE 4.0 beta, Plu
Posts: 5,700

Rep: Reputation: 65
Glad to see you have it working. provide some detail as to what you had before and ended up with. Might help others in the future.

Brian
 
Old 08-16-2007, 07:41 PM   #6
tgo
Member
 
Registered: Dec 2004
Posts: 125

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
ok well I do not know exactly what fixed it because I ended up just enabling alot of stuff in my kernel config, but what I had before was just alsa support like i normally do, but with that i did not have any sound in my vmware guest.

After enabling everything related to oss both in the alsa and oss menus, /dev/dsp was created like it should have been, and vmware detected the sound card and the guests had sound.

I saw some posts on other forums saying to compile in everything static and vmware would pick it up, but from what I can tell that isnt true. I compiled everything as a module related to sound/alsa/oss and after this it started working in vmware.
 
Old 08-17-2007, 08:46 PM   #7
Brian1
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Seymour, Indiana
Distribution: Distribution: RHEL 5 with Pieces of this and that. Kernel 2.6.23.1, KDE 3.5.8 and KDE 4.0 beta, Plu
Posts: 5,700

Rep: Reputation: 65
Thanks for the info, will keep a note on that if I run across similiar issue.

Brian
 
  


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