[Solved] ALSA - unable to open slave

FilthyPitDog · Last edited by FilthyPitDog on Sat Dec 28, 2024 3:00 am; edited 1 time in total

When I try playing any audio with alsa I get this below

FilthyPitDog · Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 2:59 am Post subject:

Solved

FranciscoJaimes · n00b Joined: 15 Jan 2025 Posts: 24 Location: Mexico

The error you're encountering is related to ALSA trying to access files in /var/tmp/portage, which is not a typical location for ALSA configuration or data files. This might be caused by a broken or misconfigured ALSA installation.

To resolve this:

Check your ALSA configuration:
Make sure your /etc/asound.conf or ~/.asoundrc files are set up correctly, especially if you're using a custom setup. They should not reference /var/tmp/portage.

Rebuild ALSA libraries:
Try rebuilding the ALSA libraries to ensure everything is properly configured. You can do this with:

bash
sudo emerge --rebuild media-libs/alsa-lib
Clear temporary files:
If there are leftover files in /var/tmp/portage, you can safely remove them (since they are temporary) with:

bash
sudo rm -rf /var/tmp/portage/*
Check the ALSA device:
Make sure the audio device exists and is accessible by running:

aplay -l
After doing these steps, try running speaker-test again to check if the issue is resolved.