# Soundcard woes

## Rush[ZA]

Hi all

I need some assistance to get my sound working on my d800 laptop

This is what I get when I do an lsmod 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Module                  Size  Used by
> 
> hci_usb                 9664  0
> ...

 

I am not sure which is the sound card

This is the kernel config for the sound.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # Sound
> 
> #
> ...

 

Any idea why its not working.

I was considering maybe making a module for my sound but then which of the modules would it be ?

How would I do this?

 :Sad: 

Thank you in advance

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Rush[ZA],

None of the modules you posted from

```
lsmod
```

 are for sound. You have sound built into your kernel, so they will not appear.

Please post the output of

```
lspc
```

i, so we can check you have the right sound chip driver selected.

----------

## Rush[ZA]

 *Quote:*   

> root@dell rush # lspci
> 
> 0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 82855PM Processor to I/O Controller (rev 03)
> 
> 0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82855PM Processor to AGP Controller (rev 03)
> ...

 

Here ya go

Thanks needysurgeon[/quote]

----------

## Rush[ZA]

I searched for similar problems and some mention emerging ALS and ALS mixer and all kinds of stuff

how do I test to see wther the spund card was actually picked up ?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

Rush[ZA],

Look in /dev/sound and /dev/snd.

```
cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp
```

will send white noise to your soundcard. Make sure your speaker volume is very low before you try it.

----------

## mast3rmind

I have exactly the same darn problem, I just got a brand new gateway 4530gz notebook, (which use the same soundcard)  running the 2.6.9-gentoo-r13 kernel, also have followed the Gentoo Linux ALSA  Guide up intill the part where you unmute the sound channels, then test the sound with aplayer, which returns no sound what so ever. From my understading, after viewing the ALSA Soundcard Matrix that our soundcards use the driver "intel8x0"  ... maybe I'm worng, does any one have any ideals?

----------

## mast3rmind

does anyone else have expirence using this card, and if so, how have you fixed it?

Please help us out here, this problem is killing me!!!  :Crying or Very sad: 

Thanks, Mast3rmind

----------

## wolvie

the alsa kernel module for this soundcard is snd_intel8x0, you can find it on the alsa section of the kernel configuration or if you prefer run

```
emerge -v alsa-driver alsa-utils
```

and after that run

```
alsaconf
```

this should build install and detect the right modules your soundcard use.[/list]

----------

## mast3rmind

i have compiled my 2.6 kenrel with soundcore as a module, I also then remerge "alsa-driver" and "alsa-utils", i have  everything (Master, PCM, headphone, ect) with "alsamixer" I have also configured my /etc/modules.d/alsa and ran module-update, then added alsa to the boot runlevel, when I run "lsmod" it shows that soundcore is loaded, but when i go to run "xmms" or "aplayer" it looks as if it's playing the mp3, but no sound is coming out!!! 

Do you have and idea why?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind, 

The applictions are not configured to use ALSA.

----------

## mast3rmind

so how can i configure xmms for alsa? I tryed "emerge xmms" agin but that didn't seem to work.

btw. I'm using windowmaker, I know how some other gui's have their own sound servers.

----------

## mast3rmind

the following doesnt work either

```

# cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp
```

So maybe my sound card is still not properly configured?  :Confused: 

----------

## iccaros

if its a laptop try turning off the lpt port in bios. that or the modem I forget which

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

What do you get in /dev/snd and in /dev/sound?

What kernel modules do you have loaded.

----------

## wolvie

```
echo media-sound/alsa-driver oss >> /etc/portage/package.use

echo media-sound/xmms alsa >> /etc/portage/package.use

emerge alsa-driver xmms

```

this enables alsa support on xmms and also oss emulation (the /dev/dsp stuff) emulation on alsa

----------

## mast3rmind

wolvie did ask you said and it still doesnt work so after that i tried "/etc/init.d/alsasound restart" (which didn't return any errors) but still no sound,  as far as which modules i have loaded

```
# lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

snd_pcm_oss            47272  0 

snd_mixer_oss          16256  1 snd_pcm_oss

snd_seq_oss            30208  0 

snd_seq_midi_event      6016  1 snd_seq_oss

snd_seq                45328  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event

snd_seq_device          7052  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq

snd_intel8x0           27196  0 

snd_ac97_codec         66272  1 snd_intel8x0

snd_pcm                78088  3 snd_pcm_oss,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec

snd_timer              19588  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm

snd                    44772  9 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer

soundcore               7008  1 snd

snd_page_alloc          7432  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm

8139cp                 15360  0 

thermal                10760  0 

processor              14120  1 thermal

ac                      3460  0 

fan                     2948  0 

battery                 7428  0 

8139too                19456  0 

mii                     3968  2 8139cp,8139too

dm_mod                 50556  0 

sbp2                   20744  0 

ohci1394               28804  0 

ieee1394               90932  2 sbp2,ohci1394

ohci_hcd               18052  0 

uhci_hcd               27664  0 

usb_storage            26368  0 

usbhid                 28608  0 

ehci_hcd               25348  0 

usbcore                95204  7 ohci_hcd,uhci_hcd,usb_storage,usbhid,ehci_hcd

#

```

----------

## wolvie

run

```
alsamixer
```

and unmute the master and pcm channels by pressing "m" with the channels hilighted..

----------

## mast3rmind

every thing has been unmuted, (master, pcm, ect) still no sound

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

This is a bad sign

```
snd_intel8x0           27196  0
```

 it says that no other modules are using your sound card hardware driver and that should not be the case. Both

```
snd_ac97_codec 

snd_pcm
```

should use it, which they appear to do.

Time to look at your kernel sound configuration and /etc/modules.d/alsa

----------

## mast3rmind

here is my /etc/modules.d/alsa

```

# Alsa 0.9.X kernel modules' configuration file.

# $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo-x86/media-sound/alsa-utils/files/alsa-modules.conf-rc,v 1.4 2004/11/16 01:31:22 eradicator Exp $

# ALSA portion

##############################

alias char-major-116 snd

alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0

# OSS/Free portion

alias char-major-14 soundcore

alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0

#############################

# OSS/Free portion - 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

#############################

alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss

alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss

alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss

# Set this to the correct number of cards.

options snd cards_limit=1

```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

That looks OK.

And the sound section of your kerenl config ?

----------

## mast3rmind

heres my sound section of my .config 

```

.............

# Sound

#

CONFIG_SOUND=m

#

# Advanced Linux Sound Architecture

#

# CONFIG_SND is not set

#

# Open Sound System

#

# CONFIG_SOUND_PRIME is not set

#

# USB support

.............

```

hmm, "CONFIG_SND is not set" could that be my problem?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

It all looks right.

----------

## mast3rmind

so what else can it be?

----------

## mast3rmind

as of writting I am using my wireless intel/pro 2200bg wireless card, I suggest anyone wanting to use theirs check out the awsome guide  by

dyqik, anyways I had to recompile my kernel to get my support for my wireless, so let's start from there, After that in my new kenrel i did 

```
emerge alsa-driver
```

 what should I do from here? in my dmesg i get 

```
 intel8x0_mesaure_ac97_clock: measured 49475 usecs

intel8x0: clocking to 48000
```

 I don't know if this means anything...

Also I get the following error 100 times or so, when using xmms, when I try to pause a playing mp3

```
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:490:(snd_pcm_hw_delay) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_DELAY faild: File descriptor in bad state
```

 What does this mean?Last edited by mast3rmind on Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:07 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

That means the hardware layer is loaded and set up.

Maybe it just works now too.

----------

## mast3rmind

i don't think so... but how do you suggest I test it, xmms isnt working!   :Crying or Very sad: 

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

Run alsamixer and check things are turned up and unmouted.

This will not be affected by the kernel build.

Look in /dev/sound it must not be empty dsp should be here at least or your oss emualtion layer is missing.

Look in /dev/snd - that the real alsa devices. If they are there, het yo XMMS to use alsa with interface hw:0,0 thats the first PCM device on the first soundcard. 

If you have /dev/sond/dsp you can try 

```
cat /dev/urandom > /dev/sound/dsp
```

with the speakers set to a very low level.

----------

## mast3rmind

```
 # ls /dev/sound

adsp audio dsp mixer sequencer sequencer2

```

"cat /dev/urandom > /dev/dsp" doesn't not do anything.

----------

## mast3rmind

where else could there possible be a problem? Just in case it helps, I also have windows XP home edition installed on this notebook.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

Since you have the OSS emulation devices, all that left is something  with the alsa settings, like mute or volume set to zero.

Please run 

```
/etc/init.d/alsasound restart
```

 then post your  

```
/etc/asound.state
```

You have run

```
rc-update add alsasound boot
```

to start alsa on boot ?

----------

## mast3rmind

running "/etc/init.d/alsasound restart" works fine, but still no sound, and yes alsasound does start on boot.

my /etc/asound.state

```
state.I82801DBICH4 {

   control.1 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Master Playback Switch'

      value.0 true

      value.1 true

   }

   control.2 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Master Playback Volume'

      value.0 31

      value.1 31

   }

   control.3 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Headphone Playback Switch'

      value.0 true

      value.1 true

   }

   control.4 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Headphone Playback Volume'

      value.0 31

      value.1 31

   }

   control.5 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Master Mono Playback Switch'

      value false

   }

   control.6 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Master Mono Playback Volume'

      value 23

   }

   control.7 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Phone Playback Switch'

      value false

   }

   control.8 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Phone Playback Volume'

      value 0

   }

   control.9 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Mic Playback Switch'

      value false

   }

   control.10 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Mic Playback Volume'

      value 21

   }

   control.11 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Mic Boost (+20dB)'

      value false

   }

   control.12 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Line Playback Switch'

      value.0 false

      value.1 false

   }

   control.13 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Line Playback Volume'

      value.0 19

      value.1 19

   }

   control.14 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'CD Playback Switch'

      value.0 false

      value.1 false

   }

   control.15 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'CD Playback Volume'

      value.0 31

      value.1 31

   }

   control.16 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Aux Playback Switch'

      value.0 false

      value.1 false

   }

   control.17 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Aux Playback Volume'

      value.0 21

      value.1 21

   }

   control.18 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'PCM Playback Switch'

      value.0 true

      value.1 true

   }

   control.19 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 31'

      iface MIXER

      name 'PCM Playback Volume'

      value.0 31

      value.1 31

   }

   control.20 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type ENUMERATED

      comment.item.0 Mic

      comment.item.1 CD

      comment.item.2 Video

      comment.item.3 Aux

      comment.item.4 Line

      comment.item.5 Mix

      comment.item.6 'Mix Mono'

      comment.item.7 Phone

      iface MIXER

      name 'Capture Source'

      value.0 Video

      value.1 Video

   }

   control.21 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Capture Switch'

      value.0 true

      value.1 true

   }

   control.22 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 15'

      iface MIXER

      name 'Capture Volume'

      value.0 0

      value.1 0

   }

   control.23 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type ENUMERATED

      comment.item.0 Mix

      comment.item.1 Mic

      iface MIXER

      name 'Mono Output Select'

      value Mix

   }

   control.24 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type ENUMERATED

      comment.item.0 Mic1

      comment.item.1 Mic2

      iface MIXER

      name 'Mic Select'

      value Mic1

   }

   control.25 {

      comment.access read

      comment.type IEC958

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback Con Mask'

      value '0fff000f00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000'

   }

   control.26 {

      comment.access read

      comment.type IEC958

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback Pro Mask'

      value cf00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

   }

   control.27 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type IEC958

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback Default'

      value '0082000200000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000'

   }

   control.28 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback Switch'

      value false

   }

   control.29 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type INTEGER

      comment.range '0 - 3'

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback AC97-SPSA'

      value 3

   }

   control.30 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type ENUMERATED

      comment.item.0 AC-Link

      comment.item.1 'A/D Converter'

      iface MIXER

      name 'IEC958 Playback Source'

      value AC-Link

   }

   control.31 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'Stereo Mic'

      value false

   }

   control.32 {

      comment.access 'read write'

      comment.type BOOLEAN

      iface MIXER

      name 'External Amplifier'

      value true

   }

}

```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

Your Master and PCM are both turned up full and unmuted.

Your Headphone control is muted and turned down, so if your speakers were plugged into your headphone output, or ALSA were controlling that instead of master, you would get no sound.  

Your CD input for the analog wire from your CD-ROM to the sound card is muted, so playing CDs will only work with Digital Audio Extraction. XMMS does that.

----------

## mast3rmind

It's my pc speakers built into this notebook, i wan't to work, do you have any idea why there not working? Anyways how can I go about unmuting my headphones control?

----------

## MdaG

I've got a d800 myself (DELL) and I've put some links to the solutions of some of my problems with the laptop online

http://home.student.uu.se/maol9883/gentoo.html

But you seem to already have tried what I did no make it work on my computer... I'm running on the r6 kernel though...

To unmute the Headphones type:

```
# amixer set Headphone 100 unmute
```

also make sure you really have alsa in your USE and have support for it in your kernel. But I guess you've checked that already (didn't read the whole thread, I'm tired )  :Wink: 

----------

## Rush[ZA]

Guys

Thanks for all your help but I eventually came right by recompiling my kernel with the following additional options

```

   Device Drivers  --->   

                       Sound  --->  

                                Open Sound System  --->    

                                                            │<*> Open Sound System (DEPRECATED)    

                                                             <*>   Intel ICH (i8xx) audio support   
```

----------

## mast3rmind

Rush, you may have just helped me out too!  :Smile: 

I am now compiling the same options into my 2.6 kernel although the menuconfig would not let me build "open sound system" into the kernel (so it's a module), when my kernel gets done recompiling, and I reboot into it, I will see it works. Is there any thing i should do once I'm in my new kernel, or do you guys think it will work, on it's own?

----------

## Rush[ZA]

why wouldnt it let you build open sound system?

Thats just strange

and I dont have it compiled as a module.

maybe edit the config file by hand

nano /usr/src/linux/.config

then ctrl W search for sound and set it like that

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mast3rmind,

You may use OSS or ALSA but not both. Be sure to remove ALSA or OSS will probably not work either. You had ALSA looking good. All the OSS devices were there.

----------

## mast3rmind

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> mast3rmind,
> 
> You may use OSS or ALSA but not both. Be sure to remove ALSA or OSS will probably not work either. You had ALSA looking good. All the OSS devices were there.

 

Well, which one do you suggest I use?, I have not been able to get ALSA working, Do you have any idea what I should do to get ALSA working?

----------

## mast3rmind

Instead of using oss, I decied to just stick to alsa, so I also compiled drivers for my sound card into modules for my kernel , but still no sound....

heres my modinfo for snd-intel8x0

```
#  modinfo snd-intel8x0

author:         Jaroslav Kysela <perex@suse.cz>

description:    Intel 82801AA,82901AB,i810,i820,i830,i840,i845,MX440; SiS 7012; Ali 5455

license:        GPL

parm:           index:Index value for Intel i8x0 soundcard.

parm:           id:ID string for Intel i8x0 soundcard.

parm:           enable:Enable Intel i8x0 soundcard.

parm:           ac97_clock:AC'97 codec clock (0 = auto-detect).

parm:           ac97_quirk:AC'97 workaround for strange hardware.

parm:           buggy_irq:Enable workaround for buggy interrupts on some motherboards.

parm:           joystick:Enable joystick for Intel i8x0 soundcard.

parm:           mpu_port:MPU401 port # for Intel i8x0 driver.

vermagic:       2.6.9-gentoo-r13 486 gcc-3.3

depends:        gameport,snd-ac97-codec,snd-pcm,snd-page-alloc,snd-mpu401-uart,snd

alias:          pci:v00008086d00002415sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d00002425sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d00002445sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d00002485sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d000024C5sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d000024D5sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d000025A6sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d0000266Esv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00008086d00007195sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00001039d00007012sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd000001B1sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd0000003Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd0000006Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd00000059sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd0000008Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd000000DAsv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010DEd000000EAsv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00001022d0000746Dsv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v00001022d00007445sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

alias:          pci:v000010B9d00005455sv*sd*bc*sc*i*

#
```

here is my /etc/modules.d/alsa

```
# Alsa 0.9.X kernel modules' configuration file.

# $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo-x86/media-sound/alsa-utils/files/alsa-modules.conf-rc,v 1.4 2004/11/16 01:31:22 eradicator Exp $

# ALSA portion

##############################

alias char-major-116 snd

alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0

# OSS/Free portion

alias char-major-14 soundcore

alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0

##############################

##

## IMPORTANT:

## You need to customise this section for your specific sound card(s)

## and then run `update-modules' command.

## Read alsa-driver's INSTALL file in /usr/share/doc for more info.

##

##  ALSA portion

## alias snd-card-1 snd-ens1371

##  OSS/Free portion

## alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1

#

#############################

# OSS/Free portion - 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

############################

##  OSS/Free portion - card #2

## alias sound-service-1-0 snd-mixer-oss

## alias sound-service-1-3 snd-pcm-oss

## alias sound-service-1-12 snd-pcm-oss

alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss

alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss

alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss

# Set this to the correct number of cards.

options snd cards_limit=1

```

 Does anyone seen any errors here?

----------

