Arch Linux

tomahawk

Member

Registered: 2009-09-04

Posts: 4

ALSA suddenly breaks

Hi, my system installation was successfull but there is something wierd going on with ALSA - I think - because maybe inmediatly after I hear the log in music, or maybe 10 minutes later, or 5, or 20, the sound just DISAPPEARS...the channels seem not to be muted, and when I restart the alsa service, the sound doesn't come back...the only workaround... CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE
any clues???

sand_man

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2008-06-10

Posts: 2,164

Re: ALSA suddenly breaks

How can ctrl+alt+backspace be a workaround?
Do you mean that when you restart X, sound comes back?
I bet there is something in your WM or DE that is turning the volume down or something. I doubt it has anything to do with ALSA.

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lilsirecho

Veteran

Registered: 2003-10-24

Posts: 5,000

Re: ALSA suddenly breaks

I confirm the alsa problem and the ctl-alt-backspace solution.

I have xorg and kde4 with latest version.  x86-64 dual core Intel

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Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

tomahawk

Member

Registered: 2009-09-04

Posts: 4

Re: ALSA suddenly breaks

I have come to the partial solution... and it is all about firefox + flash...i don't know how, either why, but it just happens...I don't have time right now to investigate a proper solution, but the flash plugins just suck! flash does actually...

lilsirecho

Veteran

Registered: 2003-10-24

Posts: 5,000

Re: ALSA suddenly breaks

My system has a USB dongle providing analog audio outputs to powered speakers.

When audio signals are applied to the dongle, a led flashes during the audio presentation.

This is normal and it stops flashing after the audio is terminated(after some delay).  This is the normal activity.

However, since recent upgrades, the dongle led flashes continuously, audio present or no.  This seems abnormal.

When the dongle is not flashing, as when alsa? quits, the flashing returns when ctl-alt-backspace is utilized and audio is enabled again.

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Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!