soundcard problem

[newbie07]

Hi all,

I am new to linux as well as knoppix. I have just installed knoppix 4.0.1 successfully few weeks ago. The problem is that I cannot hear any sound from any player. I've tried to look for the same problem in various problem..try the solution out, but still my speaker doesnt play anything. For your information, I'm using ASUS laptop A8F. when I lsmod and lspci..(i could not paste the result here since my internet connection in knoppix also got problem....), it returns somehow like 'unknown device' for some devices, not all, but i am pretty sure that i have the sound card installed in my laptop since I can play song in my windows XP. It is the HDA Intel Generic 11d4 AD1986A.

I have even try to do the modinfo soundcore and it returned /lib/modules/2.6.12/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko

notice that it is 'soundcore.ko' instead of 'soundcore.o'. This is because I have once got a warning about 'soundcore.o'..It make me confiused.! then I try to modprobe snd..and nothing happend. I have also try to edit the /etc/modules file, (add snd and soundcore), save and restart my laptop. Before that I make sure that what i've make change is save by re-opened the file again and checked wether the 'snd' and 'soundcore' is there or not..so that I restart..after login, I try to play any song..but still i cannot hear anything.

I've also try to do alsaconf and it was done with success (i mean the configuration process)..It even notify me that the configuration is successful, and now the sound card can ready to be used and told me that the default volume has been set, and if I want to adjust the volume, I can do so by uisng kmix or any other program.. then I try to play any song..huh!..still cannot! oh I forgot to mentioned, during alsaconf, I have chose 'hda Intel' instead of legacy..I have also turn al the volume up by using alsamixer, save ot by using alsactl store..but the thing is still the same. I have also make sure that kmix is not turned off in order to avoid me doing a silly mistake...(I hope until now, my problem is not because my silly mistake..)..

Anybody can help? I really stuck in this..dont know what else I could do..Thank you so much in advance for your help..

[soccercisco]

try this method, since you have the alsa libraries:

cd /usr/share/alsa-base
./snddevices
alsaconfig   #(in this step choose the right hardware, make sure 
is the one you have, you can check in Windows if unsure)

start playing a song with your favorite MP3 player or whatever format you like

alsamixer

now setup all the volumes... press M on the bars that read '00' at the bottom

once you get some sound...

alsactl store

Post your results.

Cheers,

[newbie07]

Hi soccercisco,

many thanks for your reply. I have followed the steps U give me one by one.. This is what I got:

cd /usr/share/alsa-base
./snddevices

creating mixer?...done
creating sequencer...done
creating midio?...done
creating dsp?...done
creating audio?...done
creating sndstat...done
creating music...done
creating dmmidi?...done
creating dmfm?...done
creating amixer...done
creating adsp?...done
creating amidi?...done
creating admmidi...done
create symbolic link '/dev/mixer' to 'mixer0'
create symbolic link '/dev/midi' to 'midi0'
create symbolic link '/dev/dsp' to 'dsp0'
create symbolic link '/dev/audio' to 'audio0'
create symbolic link '/dev/sequencer' to 'music'
create symbolic link '/dev/adsp' to 'adsp0'
create symbolic link '/dev/amidi' to 'amidi0'
rm: cannot remove '/dev/snd': Is a directory
creating snd/control?...done
creating snd/seq...done
creating snd/timer...done
creating snd/hw??...done
creating snd/midi??...done
creating snd/pcm??p...done
creating snd/pcm??c...done
creating aload?...done
creating aloadSEQ...done



then I did alsaconfig..it returned "command not found"..so I try "alsaconf"..and the alsa configuration box appear..(same as when i try before)..but this time during the loading, it written "failed: module still loaded"..

then one box appear stated that " OK, sound driver configured, will prepare the card for playing now. The alsa sound driver will be load and use amixer to raise the default volumes. You can change the volume later via a mixer program such as alsamixer or gamix
..
then when i press OK, it state "running update modules..."
loading driver...
setting default volumes...

now ALSA is ready to use. For adjustment, use your favourite mixer. have a lot of fun!..

then I start to play the song and open alsamixer to set up the volumes..I have pressed M at the '00' bars and it make them turn off..Is it true or I have misunderstood? (why we have to turn it off?)..but still no sound played!..

can you give me suggestion of what shoukd i do next? Thank you

[soccercisco]

I should really have some coffee before posting !

then I did alsaconfig..it returned "command not found"..so I try "alsaconf"..and the alsa configuration box appear..

My typo of course

I have pressed M at the '00' bars and it make them turn off..Is it true or I have misunderstood? (why we have to turn it off?)..but still no sound played!..

Again my typo... I meant press M on the ones that say MM and turn them into 00 (all the way to the end)... Pay careful attention on the last five bars (one of them as you press M will do the trick!)

So, sorry about before, I'm fully awake now... Change the MM to 00 by pressing M on all of the bars (as you play a song so you know when it works)

Finally, don't mean to be offensive with this (it actually has happened to me), but make sures that a) your speakers are working, b) they are on and have an appropiate volume setting (manual)

cheers,

[soccercisco]

A couple more things...

On the alsamixer


Make sure on the top it reads:
Card: Your Card
Chip: Some Chip that is obviously on your card
View: [Playback] Capture All (with the Playback highlighted; you can do so with Tab)
Item: Whatever item (volume bar) you are on (as you change with the Left and Right arrows it'll change)

Turn all the volumes up...

Cheers

[newbie07]

Hi soccercisco,

Really appreciate ur time (in fact i am also sleepy at that time..it's almost 3am)..Thanks..ok..i have re-do the steps ..of course this time is the reverse process (turn them all ON.. )..hehe just kidding!..ok..then..after alsaconf, then i played one of the song..yeah!..it's working..I can heard the sound of my favourite song..BUT..when i did 'alsamixer', I try to adjust the 'PCM' volume..to make it slower, suddenly, the sound is turn off, and even when i try to make it louder as before, it doesnt work anymore..

Then I have repeated the steps starting from './snddevices'..then again when I want to adjust the 'PCM' volume, the sound suddently turn off.. Is this means that I cannot 'touch' or adjust the default volume set by alsa?...

Anyway, Thanks..at least now I can play any song, (even with the loud volume).. But do you know what is the problem with the volume adjustment??

Thanks again..it make my life becomes colorful

[newbie07]

one more thing, do i need to run ./snddevices and the consercutives steps everytime i want to play songs??

[soccercisco]

I can heard the sound of my favourite song..BUT..when i did 'alsamixer', I try to adjust the 'PCM' volume..to make it slower, suddenly, the sound is turn off, and even when i try to make it louder as before, it doesnt work anymore..

WOW! This is a particular issue with the alsamixer program (which I haven't seen yet) and it falls outside my area of expertise. However, PCM Volume might not be the appropriate approach. When you get actual sound just use the very first column to the left (labeled "master" to control the volume, not the one labeled "PCM") then do the alsactl store. If unsure what I mean use the

alsamixer -s

, and change the volume on the only column that appears

Another option is use the command line interface (or a terminal window if you are using some window manager/desktop environment) to adjust volume (I'm not familar with the actual commands, but I'm sure you'll be fine with the above process).

[soccercisco]

Finally, if this works, make sure to change the title of the thread so it includes something like "[solved]", so other people that go through the same problems know that this thread could help.

Cheers,

[newbie07]

Hi soccercisco,

I have follow ur instructions, it works once only..(i can adjust the volume from my headphone as well as my the media player control volume)..then when i root into windows, and login back into knoppix, of course i have to re-configured the sound card..then..I played one song, but again i cannot adjust the volume..It will play the song without any sound (notice that this is not mute)..

but for me, i feel that it has solve more than half of the problem..maybe there is only small problem with the volume..at least i could now play the songs..may be we can take this opportunities to learn more about alsa..

ok..by the way..many thanks for your help..i really appreciate it..If u have any suggestion or solution, ur welcome..