Slackware 9.1 Soundless

[johntramp]

Hey, Iv just recently installed Slackware 9.1 and now I am attempting to get the sound running. I have tried unmuteing the channels under alsamixer etc. but I think it is something to do with drivers not being installed.

From
#lsmod
Module Size Used by Tainted: P
soundcore 3332 0 (autoclean)
nvidia 1964896 6 (autoclean)
3c59x 26832 1
uhci 24496 0 (unused)
ehci-hcd 16872 0 (unused)
usbcore 58400 1 [uhci ehci-hcd]
pcmcia_core 40032 0
ide-scsi 9424 0

#lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8377 [KT400/KT600 AGP] Host Bridge (rev 80)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI Bridge
00:0d.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX/TX-M [Tornado] (rev 78)
00:0f.0 RAID bus controller: VIA Technologies, Inc.: Unknown device 3149 (rev 80)
00:0f.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C/VT8235 PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6202 [USB 2.0 controller] (rev 81)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6202 [USB 2.0 controller] (rev 81)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6202 [USB 2.0 controller] (rev 81)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6202 [USB 2.0 controller] (rev 81)
00:10.4 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 86)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 ISA bridge [K8T800 South]
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV18 [GeForce4 MX 440 AGP 8x] (rev c1)

If that is any help at all.
I am not really sure where to start as I am used to the likes of Mandrake where its is all done by itself.

Any help will be appreciated, thanks
-John

[johntramp]

Here is a verbose lspci if it is more useful...

00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
Subsystem: Unknown device 17f2:1404
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 10
I/O ports at c000 [size=256]
Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2

[JamminJoeyB]

Yep there are no modules loaded in your kernel for your sound card.

Do you have PNP os disabled in your bios?

I'm not sure what module you need to load, but a quick search for VT8233 and see if any of those threads will help.

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by JamminJoeyB

I'm not sure what module you need to load, but a quick search for VT8233 and see if any of those threads will help.

JL forum search results for 'VT8233' (http://justlinux.com/forum/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=925123&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) of which you will find troubleshooting tips, the correct module to load and possibly links to other documentation.

Soundcard problems have to be the most popular topics posted here at JL. Reviewing some of the previous threads should contain enough info to help you to find the solution.

[johntramp]

ok i will look into that thanks, with the bios, do i want that PnP to be disabled then?

[XiaoKJ]

AFAIK, PnP in bios is not very well working with linux, and many helpful people out there will advice newbies to take them away in case of trouble.

I am beginning to wonder its use... Windows seems to not benefit from it either... Maybe bios manufacturers would remove them...

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by johntramp
Do i want that PnP to be disabled then?

Yes you do.

[johntramp]

okay, PnP is disabled in bios, well it was already disabled. What am i to do now about the module. Am i right in thinking that the modules is the driver that needs to be loaded? and do i need to download this module? or is it part of the kernel and just needs to be loaded?
thanks -John

[johntramp]

iv just installed a PCI coundcard and disabled onboard sound, to see if alsaconfig can do anything with that, but i am in the same situation. lsmod -v shows:
00:0b.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq ES1371 [AudioPCI-97] (rev 06)
Subsystem: Ensoniq Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI64V, AudioPCI128
Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 32, IRQ 10
I/O ports at 9000 [size=64]
Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 1

so if this card would be easier to get going it is a possibility too. I have read through many forums without much luck in finding what i should do.

[SunOfTux]

Have you tried chmod 666 /dev/dsp* and chmod 666 /dev/mixer* as root?

[SunOfTux]

Here is the link to this question in the FAQ section from Slackware's website:

http://www.slackware.com/faq/do_faq.php?faq=distro#9

[SunOfTux]

I hope this solves your problem.

Regards,
SunOfTux

[johntramp]

no thats not the problem, i have no sound at all, not even as root. but thanks anyway for your help

[JohnT]

In a terminal typemodprobe via82cxxx (notice the space)if no error, type lsmod now post those results. What desktop are you using?

[johntramp]

I am using KDE 3.2. I will try that later tonight when i get home and then post it for you. I also tried installing a 2.6 kernel, and in the setup somewhere where you choose the modules there was one for the sound i have that was not installed by default, but then in the end the kernel didnt work, well when i tryed to startx there were errors i couldnt be bothered with :) so i am still using the 2.4 kernel. So is there a way to modify the modules in the kernel i am using at the moment to see if that is the problem? -was that what you were wanting me to do with the # modprobe command ??
thanks -John

[JohnT]

"modprobe" looks for and loads the module if it is not listed when you issue the command "lsmod" (list modules). Please check manpages on any commands you see or uncetain of...such as man modprobe I posted a short tutorial in the "How I did it" for upgrading to 2.6

[johntramp]

bash-2.05b# modprobe via82cxxx
modprobe: Can't locate module via82cxxx
bash-2.05b# lsmod
Module Size Used by Tainted: P
soundcore 3332 0 (autoclean)
nvidia 1964896 6 (autoclean)
3c59x 26832 1
uhci 24496 0 (unused)
ehci-hcd 16872 0 (unused)
usbcore 58400 1 [uhci ehci-hcd]
pcmcia_core 40032 0
ide-scsi 9424 0
bash-2.05b#

i #lsmod'd anyway if it can be of any help but the first command didn't work :(

i will look at your "how i did it" aswell, to see if i can get that going. thanks

[johntramp]

i never built the kernel, i just used the kernel from the install cd. i must have used a default kernel if there was one during the install, if there was a choice. what should i do about this??

[JohnT]

I'm at work now and cant really help you at this time, but until I get home search the forums for that card and look on http://google.com/linux ...unless you can find a driver your going to rebuild a kernel.:D
Make sure you search your computer for that module first.

[johntramp]

ok i think i will just go for the rebuild. do you recommend i use a 2.6 or 2.4 kernel? and is there a way to 'uninstall' the mess of a 2.6 kernel i have started or what should i do about that?

[JohnT]

How far along is the build, what stage? As long as you haven't done "make install"......just do a "make clean" or delete it and start fresh.
This might come in handy :D ...........................
http://justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125686

[johntramp]

no i have done all of it, created a new entry into lilo and made it so i can boot into either kernel, but if i go into 2.6 i can't startx... haven't done anything about that, but chances are that i have done something completely wrong. what should i do? can i just use your guide and add another one or what? i don't really know anything about the subject.

[johntramp]

I have been reading through your "How I Did It" and theres a couple of points I am unsure of:

9. You can also add:
image = /boot/vmlinuz.orig
root = /dev/hda2
label = slack.backup
read-only

I use this in case I screw up my kernel-compiling bigtime
You can use this to make a backup kernel of your original.
If you do this, please do the following too from your command prompt:

Code:
cp /boot/vmlinuz /boot/vmlinux.orig


shouldn't it be
#cp /boot/vmlinuz /boot/vmlinuz.orig
as thats what is in the lilo.conf?

And also with the menuconfig of the kerenel, will just adding the module for my sound be enough and leaving everything else as is, or do I need to go into more depth with all the other options, as this is where I think I would have gone wrong last time.
-Thanks

[sploo22]

johntramp, putting a # at the beginning will make bash ignore the entire command line. The # character begins a comment. ;)

[JohnT]

Your right...I corrected it...to vmlinuz.

And also with the menuconfig of the kerenel, will just adding the module for my sound be enough and leaving everything else as is, or do I need to go into more depth with all the other options, as this is where I think I would have gone wrong last time. If there is nothing else you want to change......just think of it as a learning experience......do you think everyone gets it right the first few times.....once you have a config for the 2.6 that your satisfied with make a copy and keep somewhere off disk if possible......going through menuconfig is no small task, so each time you refine and rebuild your kernel use the previous configuration until you have it the way you want. there is a lot of default stuff already assigned...you can keep all or some....it wont' hurt to keep it for awhile unless you know you will defintely not need it.

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by sploo22
johntramp, putting a # at the beginning will make bash ignore the entire command line. The # character begins a comment. ;)

Or that could mean copying the file while logged on as root (command prompt).

[johntramp]

Or that could mean copying the file while logged on as root (command prompt).
that's what i meant by putting the # in.


is there a way to modify the kernel without having to go throught the whole process again? and when you install from the cd is there somewhere in there to modify the kernel or not?

[JohnT]

Originally posted by johntramp
Is there a way to modify the kernel without having to go throught the whole process again? Use the command "make oldconfig"...that will use your present configuration. Then go into the menu and and make only the changes you want. You don't have to go through every menu item as you did initially. Then save the config and start the make process.....ect. The 2.6 doesn't take as long as the 2.4 did.
[i]and when you install from the cd is there somewhere in there to modify the kernel or not? [/B]
Short answer...no, but there are modules available to "modprobe" for, but I don't think the one you want is available from those images.

[johntramp]

am i ment to set up the graphics card i have in the menuconfig? because i can't find anything in there for it, and when i boot into the 2.6 kernel and # startx it says something about no graphics module, i cant remember the error off hand but it was something along those lines.

[JohnT]

Let me amend my previous post.....as far as the via82xxx goes there is support for it in the bare.i kernel...concerning your graphics card, it would help immensely if you could give me the slightest clue as to what it is.:p

[johntramp]

i have temporarily given up on slackware im afraid to say, because i need to get some work done, and with out the sound working apparently i can't use k3b to burn some cds, so i am going to use knoppix for a week or so until i get back from a holiday and then i will go back to slackware i have decided. thanks for your help, and im sure i will come back to the same problems in a couple of weeks

-John

[Homer119]

what about the

sndconfig

command?

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Homer119
what about the

sndconfig

command? Sndconfig is a text based tool which sets up the configuration files
you'll need to use a sound card with a Red Hat Linux system. ... Slackware hasn't caught up with RH yet...we're still using this "alsa" thing.:p