nFORCE 3 Audio

[gobeavers]

Ok, I just installed Debian Sarge with 2.6.7, but my audio isn't working. I have an nFORCE 3 motherboard (MSI K8N Neo Platinum), and the sound is plugged in and should work (it does in windows). I tried installing the nFORCE drivers, but I keep getting errors about using the same compiler that I compiled the kernel with...so my question is, is there some other way to get the audio working? I know in windows I can just install some AC97 something, and it works....

[fatTrav]

Originally posted by gobeavers
Ok, I just installed Debian Sarge with 2.6.7, but my audio isn't working. I have an nFORCE 3 motherboard (MSI K8N Neo Platinum), and the sound is plugged in and should work (it does in windows). I tried installing the nFORCE drivers, but I keep getting errors about using the same compiler that I compiled the kernel with...so my question is, is there some other way to get the audio working? I know in windows I can just install some AC97 something, and it works....

where did you get the drivers? how did you install them? nvidia might have a deb for nforce3 audio on their site. they have some forums for linux which may be of help also.

i know for my nforce2 audio, I compile in the kernel the option for my sound card: "Intel i8x0/MX440, SiS 7012; Ali 5455; NForce Audio; AMD768/8111" That might work for nforce3, i don't know. nforce3 is still pretty new and new hardware usually takes awhile before it works in linux sometimes.

[gobeavers]

Originally posted by fatTrav
where did you get the drivers? how did you install them? nvidia might have a deb for nforce3 audio on their site. they have some forums for linux which may be of help also.

i know for my nforce2 audio, I compile in the kernel the option for my sound card: "Intel i8x0/MX440, SiS 7012; Ali 5455; NForce Audio; AMD768/8111" That might work for nforce3, i don't know. nforce3 is still pretty new and new hardware usually takes awhile before it works in linux sometimes.
Got the drivers from ATI's website, I typed sh FILENAME to install them, but I can't install them as I said before...I just want my audio! :(

[bwkaz]

Um, wait a minute. You got audio drivers for an nVidia sound chip from ATI's web site?

If that's not a typo, then it doesn't surprise me that they don't work. ;)

[je_fro]

nforce audio is in the kernel.
<*> Intel i8x0/MX440, SiS 7012; Ali 5455; NForce Audio; AMD768/8111

[gobeavers]

Originally posted by bwkaz
Um, wait a minute. You got audio drivers for an nVidia sound chip from ATI's web site?

If that's not a typo, then it doesn't surprise me that they don't work. ;)
Lol, yeah, sorry...thats a typo :D....I'm not that dense!

Regarding the nFORCE audio in the kernel, is it easy to build that in now that I built the kernel? Is there a website that shows me how?

[fatTrav]

Originally posted by gobeavers
Lol, yeah, sorry...thats a typo :D....I'm not that dense!

Regarding the nFORCE audio in the kernel, is it easy to build that in now that I built the kernel? Is there a website that shows me how?

yes, it is. and yes there is. use G4L or the search button at the top. "debian kernel compile how-to" should come up with something good to show you how to compile the kernel.

if you already know hwo to do that then just recompile and when you get to the configure part you'll need to navigate to Device Drivers -> Sound -> Alsa and put a * next to the the option jefro suggested in an earlier post.

[gobeavers]

Ok, thanks for all of your help...I think I am getting closer...

I compiled the new kernel with the nforce audio support, except I forgot to put something in the grub config, so I had to boot into the old kernel, and change it, and now I am in the new kernel. Did going back to the old kernel (it was still in GRUB) mess up the new kernel configuration? The audio doesn't work, but at least now the nforce driver install works...except now I am supposed to change the audio configuration file...I can't find anything in /etc/modules.d that relates to audio...does Debian have an audio config tool? Or where do I change audio configuration?

Also, a little bit of a side note - I can't shut down X to install the graphical driver (I have an nvidia graphics card)...even when I go into init 3 it still starts X. I tried going into init 1, but then the nvidia driver install doesn't like to run.

[fatTrav]

audio will work once also is configured properly. ;)
I used this alsa-conf (http://www.indexoutofbounds.com/files/alsaconf) I got off my slackware box to configure alsa properly on a suse, gentoo, and a few slack boxes with no problems. This script sets up all the files you need

Debian might have something to autoconfigure this but I can't help you out there (G4L might). I ran this script and followed its prompts and then unmuted and adjusted the volume of the alsamixer.

Init 1 is correct, if my memory is correct, for debian's non-x runlevel. what happens when u install the nvidia driver, or attempt to do so? what errors pop up or what does the log say?

[je_fro]

I use the package alsa-utils, which contains the program alsamixer. All you have to do is unmute (see the big M at the top of each channel?) with m, then raise the volume.
To stop X maybe you can do: /etc/init.d/xdm stop
or maybe it's gdm...I don't know what you're using...
Or you can take it out of whatever runlevel you're booting to...
Let us know...

[gobeavers]

Ok, I apt-get'd alsa-utils, and I ran alsaconf, but it says that there are no supported sound cards :(...If I run alsamixer though, it says I have an nVIDIA CK8S and a Realtek id 90...I unmute master, line, masterm, center, and turn up the vol, but nothing works.

[gobeavers]

Ok...yay! After switching to runlevel 1 (to test graphics install), then back to 5, the audio works! The volume isn't very loud...there is a config utility in KDE to load and save volumes, but not to edit it. I have the volume in alsamixer set to 100....

Now, to get the graphics installed! I tried to install the drivers in init 1, and the nVIDIA utility said that it may cause problems. It said some distros don't load devfs and other daemons, which could result in kernel misconfiguration...it will allow me to continue, but it says I shouldn't...what should I do?

With the audio...thanks for all the help!!!

[gobeavers]

Whoohooo! Ok, installed the driver and was greeted with a very nice nVIDIA screen upon boot, and it works great!

Thank you for all of your help! Now, I just need to figure out how to get the volume up, but that pales in comparision to the problems I had a couple days ago!