I installed Slackware 10 recently and have been unable to initialize any of the sound services. I installed the 2.6.7 kernel and still there is no sound (of any type). There are a variety of comments I can make:

1. I get an error message stating that there is no /dev/dsp (a listing shows that indeed none exist)

2. alsaconf does not provide any available drivers

3. alsamixer does not launch

4. I'm using a Dell Latitude D600 and all else is fully functional.

5. I attempted to remove the 4 alsa packages and reinstall them but nothing changed.

This the output of lspci -v:

00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB (ICH4) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Computer Corporation: Unknown device 011d
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 7
I/O ports at b800 [size=256]
I/O ports at bc40 [size=64]
Memory at f4fff800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512]
Memory at f4fff400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

According to the Dell documentation, I'm using a SigmaTel sound device.

Can someone point me to a clear solution? Thanks in advance!

modprobe snd-ac97-codec or
modprobe ac97_codec

try downloading:
alsa-driver-1.0.5a.tar.bz2
alsa-lib-1.0.5.tar.bz2
alsa-utils-1.0.5.tar.bz2
from http://www.alsa-project.org/

Thanks for the reply, kodon. Before I start to install these, can you tell me how these files differ from the official slackware packages of almost the same name (but different suffix)? I already did install these:

alsa-driver-1.0.5a.i486-2.tgz
alsa-lib-1.0.5.i486-1.tgz
alsa-utils-1.0.5.i486-1.tgz

Will I get a more favorable outcome by compiling your recommended files vs. the above packages?

oh...sorry
just wanted to make sure you were up to date
as long as you already have 1.0.5 disregard my previous post

hmm...you're current and alsaconf doesn't recognize your card?

did you install the generic kernel from the /mnt/cdrom/testing/packages/linux-2.6.7 directory on cd2? If so, did you install the alsadriver package form that same directory?

Please, post your lsmod and lspci (full, no -v)
With lsmod I would like to see what and if any/wrong modules are loaded for sound.
With lspci I would know what chipset you are using = clue to what driver you need. (I am guessing i8x0)

I followed Tuttle's advice and installed the alsa from the CD (thanks). Alsaconf now runs and detects my sound system. Strangely enough, I still to not have sound, even with alsamixer up to near max for all. I did notice that in alsamixer my heaphone(??) histogram said <off> but I was able to take the level up graphically. I only mention this as my speaker plug is using the headphone jack from the PC. Also, I can no longer get at alsamixer and get a 'No mixer elems found'.

Here is lsmod:

nls_utf8 1792 0
isofs 30008 0
zlib_inflate 21248 1 isofs
snd_pcm_oss 49704 0
snd_mixer_oss 17408 3 snd_pcm_oss
ohci_hcd 18436 0
usblp 10624 0
intel_agp 16540 1
uhci_hcd 27920 0
ehci_hcd 27012 0
snd_intel8x0 32940 2
gameport 3712 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_mpu401_uart 6912 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_rawmidi 21028 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 7304 1 snd_rawmidi
snd_intel8x0m 17992 4
snd_ac97_codec 64644 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_intel8x0m
snd_pcm 80904 3 snd_pcm_oss,snd_intel8x0,snd_intel8x0m
snd_timer 21764 1 snd_pcm
snd 48484 18 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_intel8x0,snd_mpu4 01_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_intel8x0m,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_time r
soundcore 6752 3 snd
snd_page_alloc 10888 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_intel8x0m,snd_pcm
tg3 75012 0
ds 13572 4
yenta_socket 17536 1
pcmcia_core 52676 2 ds,yenta_socket
evdev 7168 0
agpgart 26920 1 intel_agp
psmouse 17544 0
reiserfs 218576 1

Hi.
Everything is OK, all modules loaded, no errors in compilation of alsa-drivers,-libs,-utils,-oss.When I use OSS modules - I have the sound, but from ALSA-silence.Kernels 2.6.7 and 2.4.x make same problems.Nothing under KDE, GNOME, XFCE,console too.
When I close KDE I have strange error:"ALSA lib pcm_hw:549(snd_pcm_hw_start) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_START failed: Broken pipe" .
I prepared missing devices into make_extra_nodes.sh for udev, but no results.

My motherboard is SOLTEK SL-75DRV5, with VIA8233a.

Have you tried running "alsaconf"?

Jeffmrg: did you unmute all the controls too? silly question i know!

Thanks for the help, Tuttle. I now have sound. I did a few things to make this happen:

added snd-intel8x0m to my /etc/hotplug/blacklist file

obtained and istalled alsa (2.6.7) from Slackware 10 D2

unmuted (keystroke . [period] does this)

modified permissions on /dev/cdrom for use by all

Success.

This took some time and help from many.

Jeffmrg

>Have you tried running "alsaconf"?

>Jeffmrg: did you unmute all the controls too? silly question i know!


Tuttle...Thx for the suggestion, but it was a first work after installation of ALSA

Jeffmrg: It can be fiddly setting things up but you got there in the end.
re. cdrom permissions, here is my /etc/group file:

Notice how I have my name next to audio, video, disk etc... Try it in yours (changes take effect as soon as you change the file) this allows you to keep the system secure by not allowing everyone to access stuff.

marekjs: do you mean it's ok or is the problem still there?