Arch Linux

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

alsa issue, no solution works

Since alsa update there is no PCM channel so no sound, i have added !snd_pcsp to my modules line.

MODULES=(tg3 snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-hwdep snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd snd-hda-intel soundcore acpi-cpufreq !snd_pcsp wl ieee80211_crypt_tkip)

But it doesn't work.

cybermage

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-11-19

Posts: 12

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

It is possible (though unlikely) that some modules were renamed - in kernel 2.6.27 module for pc speaker is calles snd_pcsp while at older kernel, it's pcspkr (for example)

Here are my modules from rc.conf, but I'm using VIA AC97 integrated codec, not Intel:
MODULES=(!pcspkr !snd_pcsp 8139cp 8139too mii ac97_bus snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-seq-oss snd-seq-device snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-rawmidi snd-timer snd snd-mpu401-uart snd-ac97-codec snd-via82xx soundcore usblp)
So you could try loading modules: snd-seq-oss snd-seq-device snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq
(manually using modprobe -a) and see if it'll work.

One thing: did you receive any warnings on startup or when running your applications ? Try run your favourite music and video players from shell - it should write any warnings/errors. You could also try lsmod to see wheter you have all your sound modules properly loaded in kernel.

As last solution, you could also uninstall ALSA and try OSS - it's not bad either, though not so widely supported in Linux (but function equally well as ALSA, I have it installed on my alternate Arch installation - see OSS at Arch-wiki).

I have no ideas other than that - good luck.

Last edited by cybermage (2008-11-19 16:27:52)

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

following is my module line in rc.conf:

<code>MODULES=(!pcspkr !snd_pcsp tg3 snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-hwdep snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd snd-hda-intel soundcore acpi-cpufreq  wl ieee80211_crypt_tkip snd-seq-oss snd-seq-device snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq)</code>

and lsmod:

Module                  Size  Used by
michael_mic             4736  4 
arc4                    4096  4 
ecb                     5248  4 
crypto_blkcipher       19972  1 ecb
i915                   37248  2 
drm                    96992  3 i915
cpufreq_ondemand       10128  1 
ipv6                  309480  18 
xfs                   564944  1 
joydev                 14080  0 
uvcvideo               61064  0 
compat_ioctl32         11392  1 uvcvideo
videodev               38784  2 uvcvideo,compat_ioctl32
psmouse                44700  0 
sdhci_pci              10624  0 
v4l1_compat            17796  2 uvcvideo,videodev
sdhci                  19588  1 sdhci_pci
usbhid                 51552  0 
ohci1394               33588  0 
hid                    50496  1 usbhid
mmc_core               54368  1 sdhci
serio_raw               8324  0 
ieee1394               91776  1 ohci1394
ff_memless              7688  1 usbhid
i2c_i801               12316  0 
i2c_core               25760  1 i2c_i801
sg                     34528  0 
iTCO_wdt               14416  0 
iTCO_vendor_support     5636  1 iTCO_wdt
wmi                     8640  0 
video                  21780  0 
output                  5248  1 video
intel_agp              32752  1 
thermal                20640  0 
evdev                  13984  10 
fan                     7304  0 
button                  9504  0 
battery                14600  0 
ac                      7176  0 
snd_seq_oss            35584  0 
ieee80211_crypt_tkip    11776  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      9344  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                58336  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          9364  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
wl                   1079104  0 
ieee80211_crypt         7300  2 ieee80211_crypt_tkip,wl
acpi_cpufreq           10384  1 
freq_table              6272  2 cpufreq_ondemand,acpi_cpufreq
processor              40760  4 thermal,acpi_cpufreq
snd_hda_intel         474672  0 
snd_hwdep              10632  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_pcm_oss            45568  0 
snd_pcm                82440  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              24720  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         10640  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_mixer_oss          18944  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd                    64840  9 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_intel,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore               9632  1 snd
tg3                   131332  0 
libphy                 20992  1 tg3
rtc_cmos               13112  0 
rtc_core               21060  1 rtc_cmos
rtc_lib                 4992  1 rtc_core
jfs                   182096  1 
sr_mod                 18756  0 
cdrom                  39080  1 sr_mod
sd_mod                 29224  4 
ehci_hcd               40332  0 
uhci_hcd               27040  0 
usbcore               156816  5 uvcvideo,usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
ata_piix               23044  3 
ata_generic             8196  0 
pata_acpi               7296  0 
libata                171360  3 ata_piix,ata_generic,pata_acpi
scsi_mod              113144  4 sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
dock                   11168  1 libata

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

is oss better than alsa, in your experince

shazeal

Member

From: New Zealand

Registered: 2007-06-05

Posts: 341

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

Have you tried just letting udev load the modules? Ie change your modules to this...

MODULES=(!pcspkr !snd_pcsp tg3 acpi-cpufreq wl ieee80211_crypt_tkip)

There is really no point using rc.conf for loading the modules unless udev is not detecting your soundcard.

OSS is fine when it works, but I wouldnt look at it anymore with the main dev quitting.

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

I tried oss. after reboot it stopped working it alse disabled certain modules

all i did was to disable alsa and enabled oss service in rc.conf

Last edited by jaideep_jdof (2008-11-20 07:48:39)

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

but with oss my laptop's woofer started working.

Corvin

Member

From: Poland, Gdansk

Registered: 2006-02-12

Posts: 68

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

something is broken with alsa, distro is to much bleeding edge and to less stable.

jaideep_jdof

Member

From: Delhi, India

Registered: 2006-06-05

Posts: 311

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

something is broken with alsa, distro is to much bleeding edge and to less stable.

This is the price you pay for the latest and greatest.

cybermage

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-11-19

Posts: 12

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

I have been searching in Arch Wiki and found something interesting about Intel sound chipset:

There may be an issue with two conflicting modules loaded, namely snd_intel8x0 and snd_intel8x0m. In this case, edit rc.conf and in the MODULES array blacklist the latter one so that it reads !snd_intel8x0m afterwards.
Muting the "External Amplifier" in alsamixer or amixer may also help.
Then there is link to: http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/Intel8x0

But the above is for Intel8x0 chipset - I don't know if this is what you have (I don't know what is snd_hda_intel module), but if yes, than check it out.

There is another interesting thing in Archwiki-ALSA - that could be it:
No adjustable PCM channel
You may find that you lack adjustable PCM channel. In this case try to remove all sound-related stuff from MODULES section in /etc/rc.conf, except for snd-NAME-OF-MODULE and snd-pcm-oss.
(as I understand it, leave snd-pcm-oss and snd_hda_intel, as your only snd* modules in rc.conf which is similar to shazeal's advice)

ALSA comes with mute sound (default behavior). So try to run alsaconf and alsamixer (but I suppose you already did that).

Last thing - uninstall ALSA and try to build it from the beginning using Arch Build System - should be easy (but don't give this idea much hope).

To OSS: it's good but as I said(wrote) not so widely supported in Linux. OSS comes from BSD systems, so any open-source application should support it, but especially games will have troubles with OSS. Many packages in Arch are also compiled using ALSA. I have also some troubles with finding some good mixer for oss (Xfce volume control doesn't work with it), but then again - I'm using it in my alternate Arch installation, so I have't given the idea much thought...
Summary: If you are using only open-source applications such as audio/video players, than OSS is sufficient. But if you are using some proprietary software (even if it's closed-source freeware) or playing games, than expect troubles (no sound).

Last edited by cybermage (2008-11-20 15:14:09)

cybermage

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-11-19

Posts: 12

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

I've just realized: it seems that there are two similar modules:
snd_hda_intel for 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
snd-hda-intel for 82801H (ICH8 Family)
so make sure that you are loading correct module in /etc/rc.conf (it shouldn't be the problem though - if it worked previously for you)
but I saw that many people (especially with laptops) loaded some options together with Intel sound modules - search for snd_hda_intel in Arch wiki (or google it) and experiment yourself.

Last edited by cybermage (2008-11-20 16:15:08)

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

I uninstalled ALSA, removed all the modules from rc.conf, and installed OSS. After messing around for days trying to get OSS right, I decided to switch back to ALSA. I tried to start the ALSA daemon and it kept complaining about no sound cards found. For some reason it wasn't being picked up even with a reboot. I restarted my computer with my USB camera/microphone plugged in and all of the correct modules loaded. Now I can start ALSA regularly even without the camera plugged in. Weird.

cybermage

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-11-19

Posts: 12

Re: alsa issue, no solution works

After installing ALSA, you need to configure it (run alsaconf), when you plugged that camera in, it (probably) happened automatically. You should also have in your rc.conf something like snd-name_of_your_sound_chipset_module and snd-pcm-oss.
ALSA daemon runs only when ALSA is properly configured.

OSS doesn't support such wide range of sound chipsets sa ALSA does.

Last edited by cybermage (2008-11-20 16:17:57)