# Intel (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller not working

## TrentonAdams

```
lspci | grep Audio

00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)

```

I have compiled the kernel drivers for it, and tried the alsa drivers as well, and nothing seems to work.  I tried the alsa sound drivers before compiling it for the kernel.  When restarting alsasound, I would receive some sound on the speakers for a split second.  But, the audio did not work when I used "play somefile.wav" for example.

I have used alsamixer to adjust sound settings and such, to no avail.

Any ideas on where to go from here?

Thanks.

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## NeddySeagoon

TrentonAdams,

Your kernel setup needs to be like this except you need the other Intel Sound driver on the PCI Devices ----> menu.

Its an old stable sound driver, alsa-drivers is not needed.

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## d2_racing

If you need help with the rest, just post.

I have this old sound card too, and everything is working with this kernel config.

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## TrentonAdams

Thanks, I will try loading that kernel module later today hopefully.

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## TrentonAdams

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> TrentonAdams,
> 
> Your kernel setup needs to be like this except you need the other Intel Sound driver on the PCI Devices ----> menu.
> 
> Its an old stable sound driver, alsa-drivers is not needed.

 

What "other" Intel driver are you referring to?  I tried snd-hda-intel, but it doesn't work for my card.  When I "modprobe snd-intel8x0" or "rmmod snd-intel8x0", I hear something on the speakers momentarily.  Isn't that a good indication I have the correct driver?

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## NeddySeagoon

TrentonAdams,

Yes, you need snd-intel8x0 when thats loaded you should have /dev/snd populated and if you have ALSAs OSS support /dev/sound too.

Now you need to follow the ALSA Guide omitting the emerge alsa-drivers step as your kernel provides this.

With the user space tools installed and your user in the audio group, unmute master and PCM *only* and set the sliders to 70%.

It should just work.

The unmute master and PCM *only* is important. Your sound chip can do analogue and digital audio but not both at the same time.

When controls for both are enabled, it works in digital mode, which is not what you want.

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## TrentonAdams

I didn't realize I had to run alsaconf.  It works now.

Thanks.

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## d2_racing

No problem, good luck with the rest  :Razz: 

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