[SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

ismaelvc · 2012-06-15 22:46:36

Hello guys I have an old vaio laptop and I have been experiencing sudently and randomly this:

Errors.log:

Jun 15 16:58:28 archlinux kernel: [   13.740302] AC'97 0 access is not valid [0x0], removing mixer.
Jun 15 16:58:29 archlinux dhcpcd[308]: eth0: sendmsg: Cannot assign requested address
Jun 15 16:58:36 archlinux /usr/sbin/crond[360]: (CRON) INFO (Syslog will be used instead of sendmail.): No existe el fichero o el directorio
Jun 15 16:59:09 archlinux kernel: [   58.520119] end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
Jun 15 16:59:09 archlinux kernel: [   58.543422] end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0

Xorg.0.log:

[    31.565] (II) config/udev: Adding input device PC Speaker (/dev/input/event5)
[    31.565] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    31.565] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.

So sometimes I dont get sound and sometimes I do.

Usually rebooting fixes it for the next boot, but I don't know wich update may have caused it or what was it because it was everyting ok, I jsut installed the system the other day.

Linux archlinux 3.4.2-2-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue Jun 12 07:19:42 UTC 2012 i686 GNU/Linux

What do you think went wrong? thanks in advance!

Last edited by ismaelvc (2012-06-16 20:17:37)

adamrehard · 2012-06-15 23:43:28

First of all, is your system up to date?
Second, I believe the wiki may help with your problem.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Alsa

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 00:20:38

Thanks for anwering and yes adamrehard it is fully updated.

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 1: modem [VIA 82XX modem], device 0: VIA 82XX modem [VIA 82XX modem]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

I don't have a '/etc/asound.conf' nor '~/.asoundrc', I thought I would find something in '/etc/skel', but anyway I have created it, strange thing is it works most of the time, thats why I didn' knew what to do and since its the only audio card, I assumed it was something else I did red that wiki page, specially this part:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Al … on_Startup

anyway I will create the asound.conf file like this and see what happens:

defaults.pcm.card 1
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 1

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ lsmod | grep '^snd' | column -t
snd_via82xx        17462  0
snd_mpu401_uart    4943   1  snd_via82xx
snd_via82xx_modem  7447   0
snd_ac97_codec     89900  2  snd_via82xx,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_rawmidi        14630  1  snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device     4316   1  snd_rawmidi
snd_pcm            61237  3  snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_page_alloc     5901   3  snd_via82xx,snd_pcm,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_timer          14902  1  snd_pcm
snd                44426  8  snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_seq_device

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ ls -l /dev/snd
total 0
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root       60 jun 15 16:58 by-path
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  4 jun 15 16:58 controlC1
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  3 jun 15 16:58 pcmC1D0c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  2 jun 15 16:58 pcmC1D0p
crw-rw----  1 root audio 116,  1 jun 15 16:58 seq
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 33 jun 15 16:58 timer

All this is taken in a session where it failed to work at boot.

If I try 'sudo modprobe snd_via82xx' nothing happens (the above commands give the same outputs)

I will post the same info again at the next boot I get working sound to check what is different.

Terminator · 2012-06-16 00:39:35

Your asound.conf seems completely wrong.

Last edited by Terminator (2012-06-16 01:33:40)

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 01:01:13

why is that could you please specify why?

I made that file myself acording to what I understood from the arch wiki, I don't know if it is right or wrong, thats why I ask for help, I haven't rebooted yet to see the efect it will have.

Arch wiki:

Configuration
Set the default sound card
First you will have to find out the card and device id that you want to set as the default by running aplay -l:
$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: Conexant Digital [Conexant Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: JamLab [JamLab], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Audio [Altec Lansing XT1 - USB Audio], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
For example, the last entry in this list has the card id 2 and the device id 0. To set this card as the default, you can either use the system-wide file /etc/asound.conf or the user-specific file ~/.asoundrc. You may have to create the file if it does not exist. Then insert the following options with the corresponding card and device id.
~/.asoundrc
defaults.pcm.card 2
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 2
The 'pcm' options affect which card and device will be used for audio playback while the 'ctl' option affects which card is used by control utilities like alsamixer .
The changes should take effect as soon as you (re-)start an application (mplayer etc.).

My card is number 1 and the device says 0, could someone please tell me whats the correct way then, if the one I did is wrong?

thanks in advance!

Last edited by ismaelvc (2012-06-16 01:06:13)

Terminator · 2012-06-16 01:31:01

ow sorry, I went through the wiki page before commenting on your alsa_sound.conf but overlooked that. I can't help with the configuration file anyway because I use pulseaudio.

Reminder to myself: don't post when too tired.

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 01:49:46

Well it seems there is something else thats strange for me, upon rebooting several times, with the new file created, not even once did I have the same error mesage about 'removing mixer', but not even once did I have sound back.

then I opened alsamixer and it seems there is another device not listed by 'aplay -l' but vlc seems to be working ok, with puppy linux I also had a similar problem that I never cared to troubleshoot, but in puppys case, if I opened anything that needed sound each program would complain, in this case it plays with no problem, but there is no volume changer icon, I took a screen shot when not working:

So right now its working and using VIA 82C686A/B rev50:

I'm officially clueless because aparently in both instances it uses the same device! I will try reseting up the default device from within alsamixer, and see how it goes.

Thanks for your time guys!

EDIT: This is what says alsamixer if I use F2 option:

/proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.25.

 /proc/asound/cards
0 [rev50          ]: VIA686A - VIA 82C686A/B rev50                   
                          VIA 82C686A/B rev50 with AD1881A at 0x1000, irq 5
1 [modem      ]: VIA82XX-MODEM - VIA 82XX modem                   
                          VIA 82XX modem at 0x1400, irq 5

proc/asound/devices
2: [ 1- 0]: digital audio playback
3: [ 1- 0]: digital audio capture
4: [ 1]   : control               
5: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
6: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture 
7: [ 0]   : control              
33:        : timer

/proc/asound/timers 
G0: system timer : 3333.333us (10000000 ticks)
P0-0-0: PCM playback 0-0-0 : SLAVE            
Client application 684 : running            
P0-0-1: PCM capture 0-0-1 : SLAVE            
P1-0-0: PCM playback 1-0-0 : SLAVE           
P1-0-1: PCM capture 1-0-1 : SLAVE   

/proc/asound/pcm
00-00: VIA 82C686A/B rev50 : VIA 82C686A/B rev50 : playback 1 : capture 1
01-00: VIA 82XX modem : VIA 82XX modem : playback 1 : capture 1

EDIT 2:

Ok now I get it:

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 1: modem [VIA 82XX modem], device 0: VIA 82XX modem [VIA 82XX modem]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

is indeed the wrong device

Now that the sound is working if i:

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: rev50 [VIA 82C686A/B rev50], device 0: VIA 82C686A/B rev50 [VIA 82C686A/B rev50]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: modem [VIA 82XX modem], device 0: VIA 82XX modem [VIA 82XX modem]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

the correct one appears, so now I will

/etc/asound.conf

defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 0

but still even when sound didn't work alsamixer showed the corect device wich makes me think its not an alsa issue but instead something else, the error:

archlinux kernel: [   13.740302] AC'97 0 access is not valid [0x0], removing mixer.

appears when udev events are happening, I guess I need to specify the correct module name in the modules array in rc.conf, but how do I know wich one is the module? Im guessing it is 'snd_via82xx', I will try and see.

EDIT 3:

It seems the first 3 lines are redundant because alsa defaults to 0 allways, strange it didnt try to use 'modem' instead of 'rev50' when this one wasnt detected, as it seems to use it anyway, I have added this to asound.conf and see how it goes

defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 0

ctl.dmixer {
    type hw
    card rev50
}

Im thinking if rev50 is the module I need to add to rc.conf, what do you think guys?

EDIT 4:

Almost forgot here are the same commands I posted in my second post, now with sound working:

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ lsmod | grep '^snd' | column -t
snd_via82xx        17462  4
snd_mpu401_uart    4943   1   snd_via82xx
snd_rawmidi        14630  1   snd_mpu401_uart
snd_via82xx_modem  7447   0
snd_ac97_codec     89900  2   snd_via82xx,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_pcm            61237  4   snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_page_alloc     5901   3   snd_via82xx,snd_pcm,snd_via82xx_modem
snd_timer          14902  2   snd_pcm
snd_seq_device     4316   1   snd_rawmidi
snd                44426  14  snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_seq_device

ismaelvc@archlinux ~ $ ls -l /dev/snd
total 0
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root       80 jun 15 20:18 by-path
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  7 jun 15 20:18 controlC0
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  4 jun 15 20:18 controlC1
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  6 jun 15 20:18 pcmC0D0c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  5 jun 15 20:31 pcmC0D0p
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  3 jun 15 20:18 pcmC1D0c
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116,  2 jun 15 20:18 pcmC1D0p
crw-rw----  1 root audio 116,  1 jun 15 20:18 seq
crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 33 jun 15 20:18 timer

I don't know wich one is the corect module to add to rc.conf, I'm lost at the alsa soundcard matrix:

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main

wich is too big and I'm too clueless.

Last edited by ismaelvc (2012-06-16 02:29:10)

adamrehard · 2012-06-16 03:04:43

ismaelvc wrote:

EDIT 3:
It seems the first 3 lines are redundant because alsa defaults to 0 allways, strange it didnt try to use 'modem' instead of 'rev50' when this one wasnt detected, as it seems to use it anyway, I have added this to asound.conf and see how it goes
defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 0

ctl.dmixer {
    type hw
    card rev50
}
Im thinking if rev50 is the module I need to add to rc.conf, what do you think guys?

I'm not sure about the first three lines, but the last three were what I was getting at.
Nice job doing all this research. I know it's expected, but I'm still glad when people don't skip all the learning.

EDIT 1:
Can you please post the model # of the Vaio?
When the sound doesn't work, can you run "speaker-test -c 2" and post the output?

Last edited by adamrehard (2012-06-16 03:16:30)

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 03:16:24

thanks a lot adamrehard: I'm doing some work so I'll have to stop for now or I'm not gonna finish, but I rebooted twice and it hasn't failed yet, I hope it stays that way, but well see tomorrow I will be rebooting it several times and see if it still fails.

If it does, then its obvious the module has to be specified manually because udev randomly fails to do so automatically.

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 14:27:07

Well unfortunately the error still happens, so could some one help me? I dont understand wich module is the one I must load manually or how do I get the name of the module, please.

I'll try appending 'snd_via82xx' to the modules array in rc.conf

But I'm not sure this is the correct name.

Thanks in advance!

adamrehard · 2012-06-16 14:39:36

This may be what you're looking for.
http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index. … 82xx-modem
You might try "modprobe snd-via82xx-modem" before trying to build everything else the page recommends.

EDIT: I fixed the link. Sorry

Last edited by adamrehard (2012-06-16 15:10:00)

ismaelvc · 2012-06-16 15:06:02

@adamrehard: The link is broken. But guess what, it appears 'snd_via82xx' is the correct module, because udev hasnt complained of a non existing module and it hasn't failed again in at least 7 times I tried, but since I still don't know for sure I'll keep rebooting it several times and see how it goes before marking as solved!

Thanks for your help adamrehard, best regards!

EDIT:

EDIT 1:
Can you please post the model # of the Vaio?
When the sound doesn't work, can you run "speaker-test -c 2" and post the output?

The model is: PCG-FXA679

Yes, I'll try the speaker test if it fails again. (hope not! )

Last edited by ismaelvc (2012-06-16 15:20:32)

Arch Linux

#1 2012-06-15 22:46:36

[SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#2 2012-06-15 23:43:28

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#3 2012-06-16 00:20:38

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#4 2012-06-16 00:39:35

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#5 2012-06-16 01:01:13

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#6 2012-06-16 01:31:01

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#7 2012-06-16 01:49:46

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#8 2012-06-16 03:04:43

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#9 2012-06-16 03:16:24

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#10 2012-06-16 14:27:07

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#11 2012-06-16 14:39:36

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

#12 2012-06-16 15:06:02

Re: [SOLVED] Sound works and sometimes it doesn't randomly at boot.

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