Arch Linux

s2

Member

Registered: 2010-03-27

Posts: 7

Sound card "OPTi Audio 16" doesn't work

I followed http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ALSA :

All necessary modules should be detected and loaded automatically by udev. No special configuration has to be done unless you use ISA cards. NEVER  use alsaconf if you have a PCI or ISAPNP sound card, as the entries alsaconf adds to the modprobe.conf file might break udev's autodetection.

I think it is an ISAPNP card.  Because kernel finds following:

# dmesg | grep -iw opti
 01:01: card 'OPTi Audio 16'

But there are no apropriate modules being loaded:

# lsmod | grep -iE 'snd|aud'
# 
# ls -l /sys/module/snd
ls: cannot access /sys/module/snd: No such file or directory

Although using alsaconf is deprecated, I tried it.  It finds the device as opti93x card.  And the module is on my disk:

# locate opti93x
/lib/modules/2.6.32-ARCH/kernel/sound/isa/opti9xx/snd-opti93x.ko

Is it an udev bug?  Or just could I have made some mistake during installation?

Please help : )

Last edited by s2 (2010-03-27 09:25:14)

elvinatom

Member

Registered: 2010-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: Sound card "OPTi Audio 16" doesn't work

I had the same experience with my SB-AWE64 ISAPNP card.  Not just under Arch though.  I think ISAPNP is a kernel module that is no longer supplied by default.  If the kernel is recompiled with that module that should solve the problem, but I never compiled a kernel - I tried a while ago and failed (kernel panic).  On the other hand, isn't it true that these kernel-modules can be loaded outside the kernel?  How would I add ISAPNP in particular?  I suspect I have to install the module and add it to "MODULES" in rc.conf.  Am I on the right track here?

elvinatom

Member

Registered: 2010-04-03

Posts: 18

Re: Sound card "OPTi Audio 16" doesn't work

I got my card running and just to let other know how I did it:

1. I installed isapnptools (I believe that can be skipped, but since I did it, I show it here)
2. I looked for suitable drivers for my card (Soundblaster AWE 64 ISA pnp) in this directory: "/lib/modules/2.6.32-ARCH/kernel/sound/isa"
3. I selected "snd-sbawe.ko" (/lib/modules/2.6.32-ARCH/kernel/sound/isa/sb/snd-sbawe.ko)
4. I loaded it with modprobe (sudo modprobe snd-sbawe)
5. Then I opened an alsa-mixer: controls are working, therefore sound driver is now running
6. I added the driver to the "/etc/rc.conf" file into the line that loads the kernel modules: "MODULES=(snd-sbawe)" to have the driver loaded during boot up.

I am sure I would have gotten any isa sound card to work like this, as long as the right module exists.

s2

Member

Registered: 2010-03-27

Posts: 7

Re: Sound card "OPTi Audio 16" doesn't work

Thanks for response, elvinatom.

I am sure I would have gotten any isa sound card to work like this, as long as the right module exists.

Yes, but since the card is kind of PNP, this job (module detection / insertion) should be done automa[gt]ically, IMHO.

# lshal | grep 931
udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pnp_OPT9310'
  info.product = 'PnP Device (OPT9310)'  (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pnp_OPT9310'  (string)
  pnp.id = 'OPT9310'  (string)

Kernel detects it, HAL also shows it.  So I guess this Hooks / UDev who aren't doing their job.
It's hard to tell exactly when I don't know exact system architecture (at block diagram level, at least)

This thread probably should be moved to "Kernel & Hardware Issues".

Last edited by s2 (2010-05-08 06:42:37)