Very Quiet System

[MrGreen]

Hi All,
I have just installed Gentoo (Gnome 2.2) and now find the system very quiet.I have enabled sound events but still no sound ...what do I do now?

Mr.G.

[GMFTatsujin]

It's hard to know where to start without more details, like if you're using ALSA, what sound card you've got, and whether you were getting sound before you emerged GNOME.

If you're using ALSA, you want to look here for how to install, configure, and troubleshoot it. There's a step involving alsamixer, which turns on your primary sound channels -- that may be a good place to start if you had sound before.

[MrGreen]

hi,
I have Realtek AC'97 Audio on board (MPU-401?)
I am not sure if ALSA is loaded how do I find out ?

Mr.G.

[GMFTatsujin]

I think we can probably assume that you're not using ALSA at the moment.

What's ALSA? It is one of the archetectures that Linux computers can use to drive their sound hardware. ALSA stands for Advanced Linux Sound Archetecture, and it is going to be built in to the next version of the Linux kernel, so you might as well start using it now. This way you'll be ready for the future.

(Like everything else Linux, there are alternatives. One major alternative to ALSA is OSS, which stands for Open Sound System or something along those lines. OSS seems to be gradually fading into the woodwork, but it is venerable and established. At some point when configuring ALSA, you'll have to opportunity to enable OSS compatibility. I figured I might as well do it, and I've had no problems, so I recommend that you do too.)

Just follow the bouncing ball in the document I referenced above. Scroll up, click the link, and print it out.

Here's a quick overview of what you'll do though -- basically what you're going to do is this:

- Configure your kernel to load the sound support module (this just makes your kernel aware of your sound hardware -- the kernel's job is to deal with hardware, after all)
- Compile the sound support module and install it (can't get very far without having a binary, can we?)
- Configure your make.conf to be alsa-aware (basically you add alsa to your USE flags if it's not there already, and add a line that sets a variable that stands for your sound hardware -- that trims down the compile time later)
- Emerge the alsa-driver package
- Add ALSA to your list of services
- Start ALSA for the first time
- Enjoy sound on your desktop!

It sounds like a lot. It's not. Really it's not. Again, look at the user documentation for ALSA and follow it step by step. It's just like baking bread, except that bread makes no sound.

Next, a tip.

The major tripping point for me is in installing your new sound-supporting kernel. You need to recall what boot loader you chose when you first installed Gentoo. I use LILO because it's simple. The other major option is GRUB. I can't tell you which one you use -- you have to remember or figure it out. The point is this, though: If you're using LILO, don't forget to run /sbin/lilo after you recompile your kernel and copy it to /boot!

That's important to know, so I'll say it again:

If using LILO as a boot manager, first, recompile kernel. Second, copy new kernel bzImage to /boot. Third, ***run /sbin/lilo!***

If you don't run /sbin/lilo, then the computer will probably load the old kernel, not the new recompiled one, even though you've copied the over the old one. This will lead to crazy behaviour. It has to do with how LILO deals with the /boot file system (read: STUPIDLY), and has caught me about a hundred times, but I've finally learned my lesson. Now I pass this knowledge on to you. Use it wisely.

This tip only counts if you're using LILO. I've never had the nerve to dive into GRUB, so you're on your own there. I use LILO because I understand how it breaks.

Hope that helps.

[MrGreen]

Hi There,
thank you for your posting ...I have some more work to do by the looks of things...

I use LILO (which was a pain to set up if you have never done it before)

I may have to change kernel ..I am tring to get network set up so that I can emerge

The strange thing is one of the gnome games has got sound...I must look at modules to see what is there...

I'm used to having all these things set up for me but I am finding it a great way to learn Linux (even its the hard way)

thank you again

Dave T.

[GMFTatsujin]

Gentoo is a learning person's Linux distro, all right. I've learned a ton just getting the system set up, and I still have a loooong way to go.

It pays off though.

The trick is to take it in chunks and to figure out what to pay attention to first. Networking is a big part of Gentoo, so that's probably where you should focus. You'll end up recompiling things a lot until it all settles in, but consider it practice and you'll get more nimble with each iteration. Pretty soon you'll know how to get what you want out of the system and you'll be comfortable doing what you need to make it work.

For example: I have a PS/2 trackball mouse that I use for desktop work, but that is no good for playing games. I have a USB mouse that works much better, but I had no idea how to get both mice to work at the same time. I remembered that configuring the PS/2 trackball had been a bit of a chore, and involved mucking around with X config files, so I was a bit daunted. I thought it was an overly-weird want on my part, so for months I just suffered with the trackball.

A few days ago, I got tired of that situation. I did a little research here on the forums, found a solution that was close to what I needed, and jumped right in. Experience with editing .conf files made it more comfortable for me.

Good luck!

[MrGreen]

Yes I agree the system is what you make it...

I am looking into networking (lots to read up on!)

When I started install I printed off instructions and followed them ..was O.k. till I got to LILO ....

Then I had XF86Config to sort out

I went for the Stage 3 install + GRP So I could have Gnome I even managed to get NVIDIA working but the system is still a little bare...

Where is the best place to learn about kernel compiling as it seems to be my next task...

Dave .T