# (SOLVED)alsaconf not finding sound card

## pettux

Hi. I have just installed Gentoo and it works fine except that i have no sound. I have followed the alsa-guide but when i am using alsaconf it can,t find any supported pci or pnp cards. It then tries to find isa cards and can't find that either. Does anyone know what is wrong. This is my first Gentoo installation so I am not so well educated about it.

My computer is a fujitsu-siemes amilo laptop.

lspci:

Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP51 High Definition Audio (rev a2)Last edited by pettux on Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:38 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## NeddySeagoon

pettux,

Welcome to Gentoo.

Your lspci tells that your need the snd-hda-intel kernel module.

Where we go from here depends on how you plan to provide that module.

You may use 

```
emerge alsa-drivers
```

as the Alsa guide tells you or build ALSA kernel support from the kernel sources.

You may not do both at the same time. Well, you can but you won't like the result.

Try 

```
modprobe snd-hda-intel 
```

if you get an error, what is it?

If not, do you have files in /dev/snd and /dev/sound ?

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## pettux

It says FATAL: module not found. I have compiled the kernel with that module selected. I accidentally emerged the alsa-driver earlier but I plan on using the in kernel one as a module. Should I run $emerge --unemerge alsa-driver .

/dev/snd and /dev/sound doesn't exist. The reason I am not making any questionmarks is that my keyboard doesn't work properly  :Smile: .

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## NeddySeagoon

pettux,

Run 

```
emerge -C alsa-drivers
```

 thats the short form of --unmerge

If you compiled your kernel with snd-hda-intel built in, you should rebuild it as a module.

HDA often needs a module paramater passed to it when it loads so it can work with your hardware codec, which it often misidentifies for itself.

There are lots of values the model= parmater can take and some trial and error is often needed.

As a built in, you need to reboot to test a different paramater.

See the file /usr/src/linux/Documentation/sound/alsa/ALSA-Configuration.txt for values of option=

When you rebuild your kernel, after rebooting, check the date and time in 

```
uname -a
```

thats the build date/time for the running kernel.

If it looks wrong something went wrong with your kernel build or install or grub.conf update.

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## pettux

When I compiled the kernel last time I had an <M> in front of ALSA. Do I have to rebuild. The time and date seems to be alright.

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## NeddySeagoon

pettux,

An <M> in front of ALSA is only the first step.

You will need the following settings in the Sound Menu.

```

  │ │    <M> Sound card support                                                     │ │  

  │ │        Advanced Linux Sound Architecture  --->   

 

  │ │    <M> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture                                      │ │  

  │ │    <M>   Sequencer support                                                    │ │  

  │ │    <M>     Sequencer dummy client                                             │ │  

  │ │    <M>   OSS Mixer API                                                        │ │  

  │ │    <M>   OSS PCM (digital audio) API                                          │ │  

  │ │    [*]     OSS PCM (digital audio) API - Include plugin system                │ │  

  │ │    [*]   OSS Sequencer API                                                    │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Dynamic device file minor numbers                                    │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Support old ALSA API                                                 │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Verbose procfs contents                                              │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Verbose printk                                                       │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Debug                                                                │ │  

  │ │          Generic devices  --->                                                │ │  

  │ │        PCI devices  --->    
```

Its essential that

```
  │ │    [ ]   Verbose procfs contents                                              │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Verbose printk                                                       │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Debug
```

are off, those options are for maintainers only. 

In the PCI devices  --->    Menu you will need  

```
  │ │    <M> Intel HD Audio                                                         │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Build hwdep interface for HD-audio driver (NEW)                      │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build Realtek HD-audio codec support (NEW)                           │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build Analog Device HD-audio codec support (NEW)                     │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build IDT/Sigmatel HD-audio codec support (NEW)                      │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build VIA HD-audio codec support (NEW)                               │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build ATI HDMI HD-audio codec support (NEW)                          │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build Conexant HD-audio codec support (NEW)                          │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build C-Media HD-audio codec support (NEW)                           │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Build Silicon Labs 3054 HD-modem codec support (NEW)                 │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Enable generic HD-audio codec parser (NEW)                           │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   Aggressive power-saving on HD-audio (NEW)     

```

If your kernel setup does not look like that, you will need to fix it, then rebuild and reinstall your kernel

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## pettux

I had that but I also had verbose printk. I have another option: RTC Timer support. What should i do with it.

  [*]   OSS Sequencer API   

 < >  RTC Timer support                                          

  [ ]   Dynamic device file minor numbers

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## NeddySeagoon

pettux,

Thats useful to reduce CPU load if you have a Real Time Clock (RTC).  Say <M> or <Y>

If your RTC does not support timers, its still harmless.

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## pettux

Thanks a lot! I will run make now.

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## pettux

It worked!!

Thank you very much!

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