gentoo-sources-2.6.30 and ALSA: no sound

Joseph K.

I'm not getting any sound after booting 2.6.30-r1. I can see some warning or error messages regarding alsa_ctl or something during the boot phase, but can't find those messages in /var/log. How do I make sure such messages are getting logged somewhere? Thanks, cheers.

TheAbu · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject:

Did you try the dmesg command ?

As for the problem, maybe it has to do with the fact that now the modprobe scripts need to have the conf extension (not totally sure but I think I saw a warning in the latest 2.6.29 releases
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Joseph K. · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject:

Yeah, there was nothing interesting in the dmesg output, it lists the correct card: Intel ICH6 with AD1981B at irq 21.

Hmmm, OK, I renamed all my files in /etc/modprobe.d/ to have a .conf extension but to no avail. And on additional inspection, the error is something about "invalid hardware" and a syntax error in /etc/init.d/alsasound. Seems like something weird is going on.

If someone can explain to me how to make sure those errors go through syslog, I'd sure appreciate it. Thanks, cheers.

Autie · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject:

re-run alsaconf can fix alot

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Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

I have the same issue. 2.6.30-r1 has no sound. All the modules are loaded, mixer levels are up, but no sound at all. Same config with 2.6.29 works fine. I'm on amd64.

Binkerton · n00b Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 12

I too have the same problem, run amd64, I think it might be the audio chipset a nvidia hda 262 I think

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

no, I'm on an old motherboard with the via82xx driver, so I think it is something other than the specific driver. I haven't noticed any warnings during the boot, and nothing shows up in dmesg or /var/log. All the modules are loading correctly as far as I can tell.

Binkerton · n00b Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 12

could it have something to do with a symlink to the newer kernel?

Jorgo · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:36 pm Post subject:

Same here. There ist only a crippled noise when playing some music or video.
Booting kernel 2.6.29 is working fine. Seems to be a specific kernel-2.6.30 problem.

platojones · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

Sounds like this could be a specific driver regression....I'm running the new kernel with the emu_10k1 drivers and no issues...amd64 platform.

doctork · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:18 pm Post subject:

Fest · n00b Joined: 06 Dec 2008 Posts: 3

I got same issue, after upgrade to 2.6.30 sound gone and all i heard was noise (i used hda-intel driver). But in my case answer was pretty simple - upgrade somehow turned off pcm output. So check alsamixer maybe it help.

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

I found my problem. In alsamixer are a few new controls, in mine they are called VIA DXS, VIA DXS 1, VIA DXS 2, and VIA DXS 3. These were all turned down all the way and turning them up brought up sound for different things. The DXS made my system sounds work and the DXS 2 made sound in Wine work. I have no idea what the DXS stands for, I'll need to look it up.

Jorgo · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:31 am Post subject:

Solved for me. PCM was totally disabled and didn't show up in control panel.

bastibasti · Guru Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 590

Make sure you do not enable PCSPKR under generic alsa drivers, as it will be loaded as your first "soundcard"

Joseph K. · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:26 pm Post subject:

Hmmm, after fixing the expected warning messages about ".conf" extension, sound worked on my desktop with Intel HDA without having to fiddle with any mixer settings. Now to see if I can magically get my laptop to work...

Joseph K. · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:53 am Post subject:

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

Joseph K.

dpaking · n00b Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 15

Had the same problem on 2.6.29-gentoo-r5. No errors on /etc/init.d/alsasound. aplay would play a file, but Banshee or Rhythmbox would not.

Solved by: rename /etc/modules.d/alsa /etc/modules.d/alsa.conf

I'm going to check if there is anything filed in bugs to change output of alsaconf to alsa.conf for versions >=2.6.29.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

robak · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject:

same problem here on i686 with 2.6.30-r1 kernel and hda-intel driver build into kernel.
sound works, all controlles show up in alsamixer but no microphones are working. i tried to recompile alsa-utils alsa-tools alsa-headers alsa-plugins alsa-oss alsa-lib without success.
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Joseph K. · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 3:11 am Post subject:

Here are the errors when alsasound starts at boot for 2.6.30*:

rahulthewall · Veteran Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1264 Location: Zürich

mv · Watchman Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Posts: 6780

imeridian · n00b Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Posts: 67

Add me to the list of users with broken sound also, similar error messages on boot about unknown hardware and "guessing" wrongly, of course.

I tried rahulthewall's instructions, but unfortunately they did not help me regain sound. The error message is gone, and I now get an annoying "pop" from my speakers when it comes to loading the alsa settings, but still no sound in Gnome.