Alsa working under 2.6.10
 

I'm using the intel8x0 driver and after adding snd-intel8x0m to /etc/hotplug/blacklist it would work under 2.4.29.

I booted into the generic 2.6.10 kernel and the modules aren't loaded, so I looked into the kernel config and ALSA seems to be disabled for some reason.

So I believe my options are to:

Build the module from the kernel source, although I'm not sure the steps to do this without doing a whole kernel recompile.

Uninstall and reinstall the alsa packages from the CD.

Or download the source and install it.

I'd like to try installing the packages from the CD first, but do I have to reinstall every ALSA package? What about just removing the alsa-drivers package and reinstalling that? I'd hate to mess it up and lose sound under 2.4.29

After I upgraded to 2.6.10 from 2.4 all I did was download the latest alsa, one package and installed it then got the alsa config and the other optional package, Installed them and then enabled sound in KDE, ran alsa config and alsa mixer to unmute everything and I had sound. I cannot remember what I did as far as loading the modules goes. :scratch: , I had to enable hotplug for my sound to work but I think thats normal.

I am going to do the same.

BajaNick. You enabled hotplug for ALSA to work? Ok, I'll try the same, thanks!

I've been having a hell of a time trying to configure ALSA to work.

man compiling the kernel is such easy and you get used to it very easily..
just set everything in the ALSA tab to "m" (module) and if it is not possible to set "m", set "y"...
save

in the console, type:
make modules (to compile the modules)
make modules_install (to install the modules)

and reboot..

That's what I did! Still I get no sound. I followed all the instructions and I even got sound to work when I installed the drivers from www.alsa-project.org. But once I reboot I lose sound again and the card is not detected.

I tried both the kernel sound module and the downloaded driver from alsa-project.

The kernel built-in compiled modules for ALSA did not work.
I'll try again with 2.6.10 though.

Joanne, I think I remember reading being able to compile the module seperately under the /usr/src/linux directory without having to recompile the whole kernel. But I don't remember exactly how. Oh well, I probably need to do a kernel recompile anyway.

Did you do this under 2.6.10 or 2.4.29?

I did it under 2.6.7.

there is indeed a way to compile it separately...

Harishankar

just some hints if you've not done this yet:
#run "alsaconf" for ALSA to detect your sound card (and make sure your kernel is set up to support it).
#run "alsamixer" to see and set up the volumes in general..
#run "alsactl store" to store you settings for next boots...

compiling the kernel will just create the environment for ALSA to work.
the configuration is up to you..
sorry if you've already run such commands. :-)

sharpie

I've gone with kernel recompilation with kernels 2.4.26, 2.4.29, and 2.6.10..

and the most interesting thing is that I'm also running intel8x0 driver..

I must have run alsaconf about a 100 times already ;)

I ran alsamixer and got an error (you'll see the message in the other thread. I'm in my Debian box now).

I get a message

I even recompiled the kernel without ALSA support, downloaded the alsa drivers from the alsa project site and installed them.

Sound worked. But once I rebooted sound was lost again! So you see... I have tried almost everything.

looks like you've been fighting with Slack..
sorry if I couldn't help..

No problem. You've all been very helpful. I just would like to try the hotplug though.

Not that I assume it'll work. I think I'd better install a fresh kernel and try again from scratch. It's easier than trying to figure out what went wrong where.

The best part is, I have a fully working and configured Linux system in Debian. I can take all the time I want to get Slackware to work fully.

Let me just note that it is *not* necessary to compile your kernel or ALSA in Slackware 10.1 just to get sound working, although you may have reasons to do it anyway.

I can't tell anything regarding your specific hardware, but usually all you need to do is this:

As root:
(1) telinit 1
(2) mount CD 3 (or ISO image of it)
(3) cd /testing/packages/linux...2.6.10 (on CD 3)
(4) installpkg *.tgz
(This will install the new kernel and the matching ALSA packages)
(5) configure and run lilo (see README file for initrd in the same directory as the kernel binary)
(6) telinit 3 (or 4, if you like)
(7) alsaconf

As regular user:
(8) Log in.
(9) In an xterm or console: alsamixer (or some other mixer, like aumix). Unmute everything, pump up the volume.

As root:
(10) alsactl store

As regular user:
(11) Start KDE Kontrol center (even if you normally prefer Gnome!).
(12) Set up sound (for one or two options you must switch to sysadmin mode, but it's self-explanatory).

Good luck!

gargamel