# ABit motherboard with AC97

## bmk1st

Hi guys,

I wasn't able to figure how to get sound to work. My motherboard (ABit VH6T with VIA Apollo Pro 133A chipset) has built-in audio (AC97 compliant) So, it should be AC97 codec. 

I tried to set up in module and it didn't work right. I thought it was supposed to be snd-ac97_codec. I wasn't sure if it is snd-ac97. So, I tried both and they didn't work.

I tried to search in the forums for any solution. Most of them didn't work. I tried to recompile kernel and didn't see anything related to my motherboard or ac97.

Any idea?

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## BonezTheGoon

If you are trying to use ALSA you should only have sound card support compiled into your kernel, nothing else.  Then you should check this ALSA Sound Card Matrix and verify which driver to use.

A quick search on google indicates that you have a VIA 82C686 Southbridge -- Then a quick reference on the above Matrix indicates you should be using the snd-via686a module, which you would load by trying:

```
modprobe snd-via686a
```

But of course you HAVE to have ALSA installed before that will work successfully.  So if you do NOT have ALSA installed follow this on how to get it going.

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## BonezTheGoon

 *BonezTheGoon wrote:*   

> If you are trying to use ALSA you should only have sound card support compiled into your kernel, nothing else.

 

Well thats a pretty careless and brainless statement.  I should be more precise.  What I meant was that if you are going to use ALSA the only SOUND related things you need compiled into your kernel is sound card support.  Nothing to do with any specific hardware or OSS is needed when using ALSA.  But please be sure to compile other things you do need for your file systems and ide and scsi and such even if you are using ALSA (DUH!!?!?!)  I know I am kind of being silly but I read that sentence and realized it was incomplete/incorrect and I am making fun of myself for it.

Anyway, I think most people heard what I meant and not what I said.

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## bmk1st

I'm not sure but it isn't working.

I did what you told me to. I put snd-via686a in modules.autoload and modules.d/aliases. I also chose VIA 82C686 in menuconfig during recompiling the kernel.

I also did emerge Alsa and followed the instruction. I rebooted and during the reboot process, it said in the module, snd-via686a failed to load.

I tried to find via686a and there isn't any.  I also tried the command, amixer, and error said no such device.

What else should I try?

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## BonezTheGoon

Well you should not need any support for the VIA 82C686 in your kernel if you are going to use ALSA.  The snd-via686a will only be there AFTER you have compiled ALSA as directed in the Desktop Guide.  So after you have emerged ALSA you should be able to

```
modprobe snd-via686a
```

and then you should get something good.  Other than that let me search more extensively to verify that I properly identified your southbridge (and therefore usually your onboard sound solution).  If I was wrong at first try on the southbridge then that explains why you still are not having success.

I'll get right back to you ASAP.

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## BonezTheGoon

Well I went to the source, Abit says that you have a VT82C694T northbrodge and a VT82C686B southbridge here on the product page for the Abit VH6T

So that solves that part of the mystery.

Let me know how things are going.  Be sure that you followed all the steps of the Desktop Guide replacing the snd-emu10k1 each time it is refered to with your snd-via686a instead.  Also be sure that after you emerged ALSA you ran

```
depmod -a
```

Other than those suggestions I think you are going to need to find some thread possibly that has someone who already got this working.  I will search to see if I can find such a thread so we can talk to someone with some experience with your hardware!!!

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## BonezTheGoon

Man I am just tripping over myself today -- blast!!  I need to read my own posts better.  The Alsa Sound Card Matrix does not have anything for the VIA VT82C686B southbridge (that I can see.)  So let me do some more searching to see if anyone has this chipset working with ALSA or Linux for that matter.

Silly me the VIA 82C686 Southbridge is not the same as the VIA 82C686B southbridge -- damned B.

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## BonezTheGoon

Well I found two different sources that indicate that ALSA works with this southbridge (82C686B).  However, neither one states which driver should be used!!!  If you are interested to do the reading on your own (expecially since I haven't been quite right in the head today as evident in this thread) here are the links as I found them via Google.

http://gaugusch.dhs.org/vaio/

http://dominia.org/djao/specs.html

Niether are refering to the Abit board you have, however the chipset is correct (which is the important part!)  I guess a different search in google on the Mainboard you have isn't a bad idea.  I'll look into it.

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## BonezTheGoon

Now I am REALLY confused!!!!  As I was searching I found this link (which is kind of broken so I will provide the Google Cached version too)

At any rate in here it indicates that the Abit VH6T has a Realtek ALC100 audio chip.  If thats true then you would need to use the als100 driver.

So, try using this:

```
modprobe snd-als100
```

Hope that finally is usefull information!!!

Regards,

BonezTheGoon

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## bmk1st

I tried snd-als100. It didn't work. However, I also tried via686 and it worked!

Now another problem, I need to keep sound stay unmuted after reboot. Doh.

Thank you very much for all your help. I appreciate it.  :Smile: 

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## delta407

"rc-update add alsasound default" ought to handle that.

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## bmk1st

I used alsactl store  and it works fine for me.  :Smile: 

For more information on alsactl,  type man alsactl

Hope it helps with some problems people have with sounds.

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## BonezTheGoon

Good lord!  After all that googling and messing with my own head I accidentally lead you to a solution?  Man I must be slipping in my old age, normally I could lead someone in meaningless circles for days without making progress.  No really though, congrats and thanks for posting your results and what you had to do to get them!!!

Regards,

BonezThe(Very Big)Goon

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