# Help with soundcard

## Zackqtip

I have searched the forums without luck on how to fix my problem with my soundcard.  I am running kernel version 2.6.3-gentoo-r1 and am using an extigy usb soundcard.  I started alsa and when i try to start amixer I receive the message

```
amixer: Mixer load error: default
```

  When I login to KDE. I get the error 

```
Error - artsmessage

sound server fatal error:

cpu overload, aborting
```

I also recieve the error that says 

```
Sound server informational message:

Error while initializing the sound driver:

device /dev/dsp can't be opened (No such file or directory)

The sound server will continue, using the null output device.
```

upon logging into KDE also.  I would greatly appriciate any help that you have to offer.  Thanks

----------

## Zackqtip

I forgot to mention that when I boot I receive an error message saying 

```
there is no mixer config in /etc/asound.state and that I need to unmute my soundcard
```

  I have unmuted my soundcard repeatedly to no avail.  Once again, any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

----------

## Zackqtip

do not mind this paart of my post.

----------

## Zackqtip

also.  when I start alsa I receive this message. 

```
 * Loading ALSA drivers...

 * Using ALSA OSS emulation

 * Loading: snd-mixer-oss

 * Loading: snd-pcm-oss

 * Loading: snd-seq-oss

 * Loading: snd-interwave

FATAL: Module snd_interwave not found.

 * Running card-dependent scripts

 * Restoring Mixer Levels

 * No mixer config in /etc/asound.state, you have to unmute your card!    [ !! ]

                                                                          [ ok ]

```

 any help would be greatly appreciated.

----------

## Zackqtip

now when I try to run amixer I receive a different error 

```
amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such device
```

 and if I try to run alsamixer I receive the error 

```
alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such device

```

  I have also still been trying to find help in the forums to no avail still.  If you can, please help.  Thanks

Zack

----------

## scaba

hi mate,

have you had a look at the post of 'tSp' in this thread? it helped me greatly to get my extigy working with gentoo-dev 2.6.3.

 *Zackqtip wrote:*   

> also.  when I start alsa I receive this message. 
> 
> ```
>  * Loading ALSA drivers...
> 
> ...

 

looks like alsa is trying to load the wrong module. the right one for the extigy would be 'snd-usb-audio'.

 *Zackqtip wrote:*   

> I forgot to mention that when I boot I receive an error message saying 
> 
> ```
> there is no mixer config in /etc/asound.state and that I need to unmute my soundcard
> ```
> ...

 

you could delete the file asound.state in /etc and restart alsa. it will then rebuild the file. after that, you might need to unmute it again.

hope this helps

----------

## Zackqtip

sorry but that thread nor your suggestions did anything to fix the problem.  I no longer have an /etc/asound.state, but alsa still looks for it on load.  any other suggestions?  Thanks though.

----------

## scaba

i'm trying to post how i got my soundblaster extigy (connected via usb) working with on my laptop with an internal intel 810 soundchip.

currently using gentoo-dev-sources 2.6.4-r1, but 2.6.3-r1 works as well.

1) cd to your kernel source tree, backup your .config and 'make mrproper'. put the .config back and 'make menuconfig'.

make sure that you have

```
Device Drivers  ---> Sound  ---> <M> Sound card support

Advanced Linux Sound Architecture  ---> <M> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture

ALSA USB devices  ---><M> USB Audio/MIDI driver
```

if you want to use your internal soundchip as well, choose the appropriate module from

```
<M> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture

    PCI devices  --->
```

you may include 

```
[ ]   OSS API emulation
```

if you need it. i myself don't use it, as my sound works perfectly without.

check that you don't have

```
Device Drivers  ---> USB support  --->

[ ]   USB device filesystem

< >  USB Audio support
```

as this is (at least for me) causing problems.

save your config and edit your 'usbmixer.c' file in '/usr/src/linux/sound/usb'. you have to change line 46

```
 /* #define IGNORE_CTL_ERROR */
```

to

```
#define IGNORE_CTL_ERROR
```

this should fix the mixer.

compile the kernel and do a 'modules-update' (i don't know if this is necessary, as we will do a 'modules-update' later on, but i won't damage anything... so why not)

2.) 'emerge alsa-utils alsa-lib' (maybe you need to upgrade to the latest alsa stuff by using 'ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~x86" emerge ...').

now copy your new kernel to /boot (maybe you could do this before emerging the alsa stuff, but i'm doing it afterwards, just to make sure).

3.) edit your /etc/modules.d/alsa. make sure you've got the right module

```
# ALSA portion

alias snd-card-0 snd-usb-audio
```

my complete file can be found here

note that i don't use alsa-oss emulation. you might need to change your 'alsa' file accordingly.

now run 'modules-update' and make sure 'alsasound' is added to your 'boot runlevel' and 'hotplug' is installed on your system.

reboot your machine and see if alsa loads as expected (and hopefully without errors).

4.) unmute your mixer. i use 'alsamixer' for doing this. make sure you have the 'speaker' option - the last columne - unmuted as well. otherwise you won't be hearing anything. you can get my asound.state here.

if everything went smooth (and i'm not mistaken) then your extigy *should* work now.

note that the extigy might not be set as default audio device (my i810 chip always gets set as default).

you can try the following to fix that:

i) swap the soundcards in /etc/modules.d/alsa:

```
alias snd-card-0 snd-card#1

alias snd-card-1 snd-card#2
```

to 

```
alias snd-card-1 snd-card#1 

alias snd-card-0 snd-card#2
```

then run 'modules-update'.

ii) only if you have alsa-oss-emulation compiled:

```
rm /dev/dsp 

rm /dev/mixer 

ln -s /dev/sound/dsp1 dsp 

ln -s /dev/sound/mixer1 mixer
```

or if you use xmms/mplayer/... and don't need system sounds, then you could choose 'dsp1' instead of 'dsp' as standard output device for these apps.

iii) if the above didn't work (as is in my case) and you don't need the internal soundchip anyway, don't include support for it in your kernel, i.e. use the extigy as only and thus default sound device.

i hope you got your extigy working. this was how it worked for me. i can't guarantee anything, though.

note that most if these information can be found on other threads/in other posts. i merely put these info together and added some thoughts.

scaba

----------

## Zackqtip

shows that everything is working but no sound except a humming from the bass.  Thanks for trying to help. i'm just gonna upgrade to a soundblaster audigy 2.

----------

## scaba

hmm... that's strange. did your extigy work properly with windows? or do your speakers work with the internal soundchip?

maybe you could try doing a firmware upgrade if you don't have the latest one (2002-05-07). note that you will need a windows machine to do so.

another thing you could try are the linux drivers found at http://exaudio.sourceforge.net

i haven't tried those myself, but you could give it a shot. you can't loose anything.

----------

## caspar

 *Zackqtip wrote:*   

> shows that everything is working but no sound except a humming from the bass.  Thanks for trying to help. i'm just gonna upgrade to a soundblaster audigy 2.

 

I have absolutely no idea. Maybe your card is broken. Can you test it with another OS?

I do not think this one applies to you... but did you unmute your soundcard with amixer?

----------

## Zackqtip

yes I unmuted it, but no luck, I've decided to purchase a SoundBlaster Audigy and use that instead.  Thanks for trying to help though.

----------

