Comprehensive Sound Problem Solutions Guide

**pneaveill** · August 16th, 2006

Hopefully this will only post once. Not sure what happened earlier. Anyway, I think what needs to happen is this to discover what is "really" in there:

Code:

 
modinfo soundcore

**tjfitz** · August 16th, 2006

pneaveill, I'm not sure who your post was directed at, but if at me, this is what I got:

Code:

$ modinfo soundcore
filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.15-26-k7/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko
description:    Core sound module
author:         Alan Cox
license:        GPL
alias:          char-major-14-*
vermagic:       2.6.15-26-k7 SMP preempt K7 gcc-4.0
depends:
srcversion:     DD426F1CCA2CC5F060F6F92

**pneaveill** · August 16th, 2006

As I am learning with this thing (yes, I am a noob also) that what your modinfo did was to state which kernel and such you have. What it also did was stated that there is a device tied to the kernel. THe good news is that you probably won't have to recompile the kernel. Meanwhile, a quick look at the pdf of your mobo docs reveals:

Code:

 5. Audio
   •  Onboard 6-Channel AC 97 CODEC
   •  Professional digital audio interface supports optical S/PDIF OUT (NF7/NF7-S/NF7-M)
      NVIDIA SoundStorm™ Technology with real-time Dolby Digital 5.1 encoder (NF7-S)

lspci | grep audio
lsmod | grep snd

**pneaveill** · August 17th, 2006

Attempting to compile alsa and not sure what is wrong with it. Here is what I have so far:

paul@server:~$ lsmod | grep snd
snd_emu10k1_synth 7296 0
snd_emux_synth 37376 1 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_seq_virmidi 7680 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq_midi_emul 7168 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq_dummy 3844 0
snd_seq_oss 33536 0
snd_seq_midi 9376 0
snd_seq_midi_event 7552 3 snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 51984 9 snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_emul,s nd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi _event
snd_emu10k1 117284 3 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_rawmidi 25504 3 snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi,snd_emu10k1
snd_ac97_codec 93088 1 snd_emu10k1
snd_ac97_bus 2304 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 53664 0
snd_mixer_oss 18688 2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 89864 3 snd_emu10k1,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_device 8716 8 snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_dummy,snd _seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawm idi
snd_timer 25220 3 snd_seq,snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 10632 2 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_util_mem 4608 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd_hwdep 9376 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd 55268 69 snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq ,snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_os s,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_device,snd_timer,s nd_hwdep
soundcore 10208 2 snd

**shinigami414** · August 17th, 2006

i run into an error when i try to build the package of the alsa-source with the module-assistant. can anyone please help me? here is what i get when i open the log.

module-assistant, log file viewer ├────────────────────┐
│ │
│ for i in control postinst postrm ; do \
│ if [ -f debian/$i.orig ]; then \ ▒
│ mv -f debian/$i.orig debian/$i ; \ ▒
│ fi ; \ ▒
│ done ▒
│ rm -f control-munge ▒
│ make mrproper ▒
│ make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver' ▒
│ rm -f .depend *.o snd.map* ▒
│ rm -f /*.ver ▒
│ rm -f modules/*.o ▒
│ make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver/acore' ▒
│ make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver/acore' ▒
│ make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/alsa-driver' ▒
│ rm -f configure-stamp ▒
│
│ <Ok>

**pneaveill** · August 17th, 2006

TO be honest, I have not even gotten this far, so will appeal to the more advanaced people here in the list. Sorry I cannot be more helpful.

**tjfitz** · August 17th, 2006

Code:

$ lspci | grep audio
0000:00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation MCP2S AC'97 Audio Controller (rev a1)

Code:

$ lsmod|grep snd
snd_intel8x0           35804  1
snd_ac97_codec         99296  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_ac97_bus            2688  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss            56352  0
snd_mixer_oss          20800  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                96772  3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              27204  1 snd_pcm
snd                    60068  8 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore              11040  1 snd
snd_page_alloc         11592  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm

I'm not sure if this is helpful, because right now, my sound is working. Is it possible that one of my sound modules is being unloaded if my machine sits idle for an extended period of time? The next time the sound goes out I will do lsmod again and see if anything is missing.

**tvmjr76** · August 17th, 2006

Hello,

I followed the instructions using drivers from the alsa-project (tried both 12rc2 and 12rc3).

I do the ./configure ... and it appears to run fine. I then issue the make command and it appears to run fine for a while, but I get this error:

...
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2/pcmcia/pdaudiocf'
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2/pcmcia/pdaudiocf'
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2/pcmcia/vx'
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2/pcmcia/vx'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2/pcmcia'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2'
make -C /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-26-386 SUBDIRS=/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.12rc2 CPP="gcc -E" CC="gcc" modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-26-386'
Makefile:536: /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-26-386/arch/i386/Makefile: No such file or directory
make[1]: *** No rule to make target `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-26-386/arch/i386/Makefile'. Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-26-386'
make: *** [compile] Error 2

FYI, I am running ubuntu 6.06.1 on a sager 9860 laptop which has Realtek HD Audio. It looks like the hardware is being recognized okay:

Response to "aplay -l"

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC880 Analog [ALC880 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 6: Si3054 Modem [Si3054 Modem]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Response to "lspci -v"
...
0000:00:1b.0 0403: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 03)
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer: Unknown device 0900
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 217
Memory at b0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: <available only to root>
...

Any ideas?

Thanks

**jocheem67** · August 17th, 2006

Well, here's a little thank you for helping me out.

Got a ac '97 chip and a m-audio delta 1010 lt. The latter has never been working with ubuntu.
The whole m-audio thing with linux is a story on it's own I guess...

Got it working by editing the alsa.base file, and unmuting all the channels ( there's a lot of them..).
Further on I managed to make the delta my first soundcard as described.

Some issues: I lost all my system sounds, not being able getting them back yet = no problem.
The delta and alsa don't work with mplayer, am using oss instead ( but still with the delta instead of the realtek chip ). Totem and vlc do work though...

At least I've got some better sound now, and am pretty happy!

**pneaveill** · August 18th, 2006

Not sure how helpful this will be, but mine is doing very similar (misery loves company -- lol). Some basic system sounds work (ie, I can hear noise), but the music programs (too many to mention) are not working at all.

Help!!