alsaconf fails in new kernel

deggial · 04-07-2006, 09:11 AM

Hi!
I´ve just compiled and successfully install my first usable kernel (2.6.16)
everything works the same it did in 2.4.31, the only difference is the lack of sound under new kernel.
i have VIA® VT1612A inbuilt audiocodec which worked perfectly under old kernel.
now alsaconf can´t detect it...
what can be the point here?

piete · 04-07-2006, 09:47 AM

Hi there,

With the 2.6 series you need to be aware that you should compile your sound modules from the kernel (ie: in make menuconfig) or you will need to recreate the sound module package that Slack uses by default. I personally prefer compiling it all from my kernel, but, different strokes and so on =)

So, have you selected your sound modules in your kernel?

- Piete.

Alien_Hominid · 04-07-2006, 11:03 AM

Just compile alsa support into your kernel and everything will be ok.

deggial · 04-07-2006, 11:24 AM

when configuring new kernel i checked that alsa is installed,
i can run alsaconf from the command line, but it doesn´t want to detect my sound card.
when i configured 2.6.16 (before compiling) soundconf looked like that:

Code:

Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ───────────────────┐
  │  Arrow keys navigate the menu.  <Enter> selects submenus --->.          │
  │  Highlighted letters are hotkeys.  Pressing <Y> includes, <N> excludes, │
  │  <M> modularizes features.  Press <Esc><Esc> to exit, <?> for Help, </> │
  │  for Search.  Legend:[*] built-in  [ ] excluded  <M> module  < >       │
  │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
  │ │ <*> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture                               │ │
  │ │ <*>   Sequencer support                                             │ │
  │ │ < >     Sequencer dummy client                                      │ │
  │ │ <*>   OSS Mixer API                                                 │ │
  │ │ <*>   OSS PCM (digital audio) API                                   │ │
  │ │[*]   OSS Sequencer API                                             │ │
  │ │ [ ]   Dynamic device file minor numbers (EXPERIMENTAL)              │ │
  │ │[*]   Support old ALSA API                                          │ │
  │ │ [ ]   Verbose printk                                                │ │
  │ │[*]   Debug                 [*]     Debug detection                                             │ │
  │ │       Generic devices  --->                                         │ │
  │ │       ISA devices  --->                                             │ │
  │ │       PCI devices  --->                                             │ │
  │ │       USB devices  --->                                             │ │
  │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  │                    <Select>    < Exit >    < Help >                     │
  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

MannyNix · 04-07-2006, 12:24 PM

Almost sure this will help, maybe you're only missing PCI section
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/alsa-guide.xml
beware of gentoo's distro specifics, Glad we don't need them in Slack. gl

deggial · 04-08-2006, 05:34 AM

thanks, i was probably missing the driver from the pci section (i have inbuilt soundcard so i thought this section is not for me :-), now i see very similar device in there, so i am going to install it now)

koltzunash · 04-08-2006, 12:01 PM

I have slack10.2, kernel 2.4.31 and a Intel ICH6 Family PCI soundcard(on a asus laptop). After recompiling kernel, the sound disappeared. I decided to recompile again the kernel paying attention to the sound drivers... When i got the make menuconfig operation in the Sound Section there was no OSS or ALSA sections, only a bunch of drivers... actually there was something with the OSS but no ALSA... well, i ended up modprobing my sound driver at startup in rc.alsa (i had to change a line there, because linux wouldn't detect automatically my i810_audio driver) .. my question is: why there was no ALSA or OSS section like i've seen on some screenshots?

win32sux · 04-08-2006, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koltzunash

I have slack10.2, kernel 2.4.31 and a Intel ICH6 Family PCI soundcard(on a asus laptop). After recompiling kernel, the sound disappeared. I decided to recompile again the kernel paying attention to the sound drivers... When i got the make menuconfig operation in the Sound Section there was no OSS or ALSA sections, only a bunch of drivers... actually there was something with the OSS but no ALSA... well, i ended up modprobing my sound driver at startup in rc.alsa (i had to change a line there, because linux wouldn't detect automatically my i810_audio driver) .. my question is: why there was no ALSA or OSS section like i've seen on some screenshots?

linux 2.4 doesn't come with alsa... only linux 2.6 does... so basically to get alsa with linux 2.4 you *need* to get the alsa source code from http://www.alsa-project.org/ and then build it yourself... of course, on slackware it's quite easy to do, cuz you have the build scripts already provided by patrick...

i actually installed alsa just yesterday... before that i was using OSS for sound... i just used the alsa-driver, alsa-lib, and alsa-utils SlackBuild scripts from slackware 10.2, but i replaced the 1.0.9b tarballs with the 1.0.10 ones from alsa-project.org (and did the respective version adjustments to the scripts of course)...

i haven't recompiled my kernel yet (it's not necessary) but i plan to do so today, eliminating the OSS options i had there, as they are pointless now... AFAIK you just need to have the CONFIG_SOUND option set and nothing else in order for your 2.4 kernel to work with the "third-party" alsa drivers...

i am using linux 2.4.33-pre2, by the way, cuz there's been like way too many bugfixes since the release of the 2.4.31 which shipped with slackware 10.2...

PS: after you compile/install alsa, make sure you comment your old OSS modprobes from /etc/rc.d/rc.modules (then unload the modules or reboot) and then run "alsaconf" as root, which will detect your sound card and then prompt you to make the necessary adjustments to /etc/modules.conf for you... you don't need to touch anything in /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa...

PS2: compile and INSTALL alsa-driver before compiling alsa-lib... then compile alsa-utils last... i didn't compile alsa-oss as i have no need for it now...

PS3: make sure that when you compile your alsa packages you are running the kernel that you want to use them with...

koltzunash · 04-08-2006, 12:51 PM

thanx a lot, win32sux...
for the moment i use the sound driver as a module... i think i will wait till slac 11 comes out and then try alsa there... or i should play with it...

hsimah · 04-08-2006, 01:23 PM

I just upgraded from 2.4.31 to 2.6.16.2 and I can't find any ALSA drivers to load. The latest seems to be 2.6.15. How can I get audio support?

When you say compile it into the kernel, what exactly do I have to do? I have been recompiling my 2.4 kernel for months now getting it just right and I've always reinstalled the alsa drivers after.

win32sux · 04-08-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hsimah

When you say compile it into the kernel, what exactly do I have to do?

it means that instead of building the option as a separate module, you build it inside the kernel (nothing to modprobe)... i've never compiled linux 2.6, but on linux 2.4 this is done by setting the option to "*" instead of "m" in menuconfig... it's probably the same for 2.6... when you look at your .config you should be able to see options like FOO=y and BAR=m, meaning FOO was built into the kernel while BAR was built as a module...

Quote:

I have been recompiling my 2.4 kernel for months now getting it just right and I've always reinstalled the alsa drivers after.

yeah, but linux 2.6 comes with it's own alsa, unlike 2.4, with which you compile it on the side...

BTW, i'm pretty sure 2.6 still gives you the option of opting for the alsa drivers from alsa-project.org if you want...

Alien_Hominid · 04-08-2006, 01:59 PM

There is no need to compile alsa tools as a standalone package for 2.6 kernel. You should compile ALSA support into the kernel (IMHO, it's the best), there is an option for it. Look carefully and you won't miss it.

hsimah · 04-08-2006, 02:16 PM

Cool, thanks for that. I copied the 2.4 kernel .config file to use with my 2.6 menuconfig, and for some reason it didnt compile alsa at all. No wonder sound wasnt working! 1 quick compile and now its fine.