How to install ALSA?
 

hi,

I read through many threads and tutorials on web of how to install Alsa, but everytime error accurs or something unexpected happens.

Can anybody please tell me how to install alsa step by step from ground 0, I have to say I am still a linux newbie, please say it in detail.


Thank you!!!

It's all in the ALSA README, including the special instructions (important special instructions!) for RedHat. I doubt anyone here could improve on that.

If something in those instructions is not clear, post the quote and I will try to de-mystify it for you.

If you keep getting a specific error, post the exact error message!

TIM

Hi,

I am using Compaq Presario laptop with i810 AC97' sound card.

I am trying to install latest version alsa into my computer (1.0.4). In the alsa Sound Martix Howto for Intel810, it says:
1. Introduction:
The ALSA drivers are designed to provide audio functionality for the Linux kernel. Linux audio developers found significant flaws in the design of the older OSS drivers and created ALSA from scratch. After 2 complete code overhauls they were integrated into kernel 2.6.0 at the start of 2003 replacing the now deprecated OSS drivers.

There are two ways of getting Linux drivers to work, you can either compile them into the kernel or build them separately as modules. Read the Kernel-HOWTO for details of how to compile a kernel. Associated software such as alsa-lib, alsa-utils, alsa-tools, alsa-oss, alsa-firmware must be downloaded seperately from the mainpage.

DO I HAVE TO COMPILE MY KERNEL AGAIN FOR ALSA ( I AM USING 2.4.20-30.9 KERNEL )?

2. Quick Install
Most modern distros come with soundcore compiled as a module. You can check this in numerous ways. The easiest way is to type.

modinfo soundcore

If this command returns that you have this module, then you don't need to recompile your kernel.

THERE IS NO "MODINFO" COMMAND IN MY REDHAT 9!

Unzip and install the alsa-driver package
DONE
Now unzip and install the alsa-lib package
DONE
Now unzip and install the alsa-utils package
DONE

Now insert the modules into the kernel.

modprobe snd-intel8x0;modprobe snd-pcm-oss;modprobe snd-mixer-oss;modprobe snd-seq-oss

THERE IS NO "MODPROBE" COMMAND IN MY REDHAT 9!


Setting up modprobe and kmod support
Here's the example for this card. Copy and paste this to the bottom of your /etc/modules.conf file.
# ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
# module options should go here

# OSS/Free portion
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0

# card #1
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss

DONE

AFTER I USE "alsamixer", THERE IS STILL NO SOUND!
WHEN I RUN THE SOUND TEST IN SOUND DETECTION, IT SAYS "SOUND DRIVER IS NOT SUPPORTED UNDER REDHAT9" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.


I also go through the tutorial for installing alsa for redhat9 at http://www-ccrma.stanford.edu/planet...#configurealsa

After I run "alsaconf", it detect my soundcard, and says install successfully. But when I try to start the service use command:"/etc/rc.d/init.d/alsasound start"
error accurs:

"Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0 /lib/modules/2.4.20-30.9/kernel/sound/pci/snd-intel8x0.o: init_module: No such device
Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
/lib/modules/2.4.20-30.9/kernel/sound/pci/snd-intel8x0.o: insmod /lib/modules/2.4.20-30.9/kernel/sound/pci/snd-intel8x0.o failed
/lib/modules/2.4.20-30.9/kernel/sound/pci/snd-intel8x0.o: insmod snd-intel8x0 failed
done"

ANY SOLUTIONS?? THANK YOU!!!

modinfo and modprobe are in /usr/sbin. Do 'su -' instead of just su and they should work. I'm pretty sure the 'SOUND DRIVER IS NOT SUPPORTED UNDER REDHAT9' is because you didnt insert the modules with modprobe.

If you use modprobe and it gives you an error like:
it's because you need to kill everything using your sound card and remove the old driver with modprobe -r olddriver. Then do the modprobe command again. (I found that it was easiest to just set my run level to 3, restart and then do the modprobe command, but to each their own..)

hi,

how to remove old driver?

I have the same sound card,I would get it to work and then if I ever rebooted,it would stop working,sometimes get it to work sometimes not,so I installed fedora core 1 and sound worked right off the bat,wish I would have done this alon time ago,but I learned alot along the way,david

modprobe -r [olddriver] removes your old sound card driver (put the name of your sound card driver in for [olddriver]). If it says its in use when you try to remove it, you need to kill all programs that are using your sound card.

hi, can you tell me which sound card driver redhat 9 use by default?

You can find out what your sound card is by running 'redhat-config-soundcard' as root.

Hi,

Me again. Sorry I have been off at a conference and therefore offline. I'll see if I can contribute anything of use. I have the same sound chip, and alsaconf set it up fine for me, so hopefully it will work for you in the end too!

Is it possible you missed out this stage? (I'll quote from the HOWTO, since it is a little clearer than the INSTALL file):

4.6 Preparing the devices

There is a script in the driver-directory that will install the ALSA-sound-devices in your /dev directory. Type (as root)

./snddevices

from the driver-directory. There should be a /dev/snd subdirectory now (test if it is there).

I made this mistake myself, and seem to remember getting similar errors. However, removing the old driver is almost certainly still necessary, as t37 suggested.

Good luck - and if you do get it working let us know what you did!

TIM

Hello from Santiago de Chile (spanish user)

I resolve this problem in my RedHat 9 : (NOTE : Always i have installed the kernel sources)

Note: First you must check if your soundcard is supported by the ALSA project.

Step 1.
- First download alsa sources from http://www.alsa-project.org (alsa-driver, alsa-lib, alsa-utils, alsa-oss)

Step 2.
- unpack alsa-lib and compile. (./configure && make && make install)
- Compile alsa-oss (./configure && make && make install)

Step 3.
- Unpack alsa-driver
- ./configure --with-isapnp=no --with-sequencer=yes --with-oss=yes
- touch include/linux/workqueue.h
- make install
- run the ./snddevices script

Step 4.
-- Check if you have unresolved simbols with depmod -ae. If you get errors repeat step 3.

Step 5
-- run ldconfig

Step 6.
- unpack alsa-utils and compile. (./configure && make && make install)

Step 7
- run alsaconf ( here this must be configure your modules.conf )
- run alsamixer ( your channels are muted by default )
- run alsactl store

Step 8
- reboot
- cd /etc/init.d/alsasound start
- startx

Here my ALSA configuration in modules.conf

alias char-major-116 snd
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
alias sound-slot-0 snd-intel8x0
options snd-intel8x0 snd_ac97_clock=0 snd_enable=1 snd_index=0

Enjoy!

If this guide was useful please send me a email to : leo.nunez@gmail.com

Cheers!

Bye!