Configuring Sound in Mandrake
 

Hey everyone.

I just installed Mandrake 9.1 on my computer, and everything is running smoothly, except for my sound. I have a Creative Labs SB Live!. Mandrake recognizes the device, because I can see it under Configuration->KDE->Information->PCI. What still needs to be configured? Any help on this topic would be appriciated.

-j03 :newbie:

A lot of things or not much !!

The first thing is to go to mdk control center and have a look at the soundcard listed.

You maybe have Alsa installed by default, have a look and let me know what information for your card you get.

Send output of dmesg | grep sb*

good luck

Just before looking more deeply into hardware stuff, check your sound mixer configuration (qmixer or alsa-mixer).
Mandrake used to set volumes to 0 on install (no idea why, but I already fixed some "sound card pbs" just by setting the volume on).

Tanguy

Thanks for the replies. I looked at the Mandrake Control Center under hardware, and I saw that my soundcard shows up as [SB Live! Value] EMU10k1x. But then under unknown devices, it lists [SB Live! Value] Input Device Controller, and that the module is unknown.

Also, when I open Noatun Media Player, it give me the message:

Sound Server Informational Message
Error while initiallizing the sound driver
Device /dev/dsp can't be opened (No such file or directory)
The sound server will continue, using the null output device.

Apparently I'm not too intuitive, because I really don't know how to do this. Too much time using Windows, perhaps. Also, where can I find my sound mixer configuration (qmixer or alsa-mixer)? Any help would be appriciated.

-j03

you can open a console and run sndconfig, if you don't have it install it from your one of your install cd's.
Then see if sndconfig can setup your card for you. Bye the way I know what sound card I have and when I select it it asks me if I can hear the sound and even though I can't i say yes. When I reboot it works, whoo hoo

I ran sndconfig and it simply said my card is not supported. Then, being the genius I am, checked the Mandrake compatiblily guide online. My card isn't supported. Thanks for the help guys, sorry I wasted your time.

Hello:

I had this exact same problem with sound blaster live and 9.1 and I solved it by starting up gnome (instead of kde) and there is a sound configuration item under one of the menu items.

Find that and change the volume from zero to what you want and it will work.

For some reaosn mandrake 9.1 sets the volume to zero and I couldn't find any gui menu in KDE that would let me change it but there is one in Gnome.


daffy

Hi JO3 !

Your card is maybe not supported by MDK but you can try ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture - drivers ).

Try the net for more information : your card is supported ( Module snd-emu10k1x ) !!

Try the Alsa home page and you will probably find a solution... worth a try !

Alsa is maybe already in your computer, try to find a file with the alsa name on it.

You will probably need to change a line or two ( /etc/modules.conf ).

Have a look and give me a reply ( i spent two months looking here and there ... now i have sound and i enjoy it every minute ! )

By your answer, i can see Mdk got it right ( i have sound, but the computer says there is no information for my soundcard... go ahead )

Hey bibilit.
Thanks for the ALSA tip. I searched my computer, and found a file names alsa in /etc/rc.d/init.d/. When I ran it as /etc/rc.d/init.d/alsa start, it returns nothing and just prompts me again for a command. When I run alsa stop, it says that the alsa driver is not running. Got any ideas, bibilit?

Yes have a look at alsa home page and look for your soundcard, you will find instructions to go further.

Linux modules ( drivers ) can be loaded at start, you probably have to change some lines ( by hand ) in /etc/modules.conf ( you can have a look at it just opening the file in Konqueror : will look like "snd- something" or not ... vary from one computer to another ... and you should be root to change modules !! )

Try command line "alsaconf" at prompt for a try and let me know.

Okay. I followed the directions on ALSA, and I'm not getting any more errors. It seems to be loading my sound card module, and when I try to run alsa from the console, it says that ALSA driver (version 0.9.0rc8) is already running. But as far as I can tell, I still have no sound. Also, there is no alsaconf. Any advice, bibilit?

I'm definately not an expert. But are you by any chance using a Dell Soundblaster Live 5.1, if you are then it is not supported. There is a proprietary driver you can download. I had this problem.

*ding ding ding* I'm using a Dell Soundblaster. Any chance you could give me a link to the site with the proprietary driver?

Okay I got my sound to work by using the OSS drivers. But how to I tell my system to output sound on /dev/dsp1? This is the location that responds during the OSS diagnostic tests.

Hi j03!

sorry to keep you waiting, but i was not not pretty sure and hope somebody else can give the right answer !!

Maybe can you try to create a link from /dev/dsp to /dev/dsp1 ?

command ln -s /dev/dsp /dev/dsp1 ( once again i'm not sure a 100% percent ).

What is the output of ls -l /dev/dsp1 ??

Cheers