Alsa-driver and vt82xx and AMD64 and kernel 2.6.3 rc2

[superpat]

Hi,

I have just recompiled the 2.6.3 kernel for the 999th time and still cannot get the "INBUILT" alsa-driver vt82XX to compile. It will not compile as a module either. I have tried unmerging all the alsa components, recompiling the kernel but the alsa driver never successfully compiles.

My chipset via8237 and ALC655 NEEDS the latest patched version of also-driver 1.0.2c which was recently patched by the kernel alsa maintainer to incklude the new via hardware! If the patch was included in the kernel build 2.6.3 rc2, then the "inbuilt" alsa-driver should be up todate.

When people bring up the fact that alsa-driver will not compile as a module, gurus stamp on them saying, you don't need to because its built into the kernel. The driver is NOT built into the kernel, it is a compile option. and when I select it it does not build, and I cannot find any errors in the log. If I try to build the driver as a module I get an error as in bug report 42062

There are a number of similar complaints under bug report 42062, this has been going on for three weeks now.

The also drivers are nearly vital to a useful system nowadays, the via82xx chipset is increasingly common, I cannot understand how Gentoo can release Gentoo.2004 for amd64's with this unfixed bug.

Has anyone got the above hardware and software to function together?

Most of Gentoo is working so far. I am typing this in Mozilla running in Gnome 2.4 on kernel 2.6.3 on my AMD 3000+ / Epox 8HDA3+ m/b.. Wish I could get the sound fixed!

cheers

Patrick

[wolf@zh]

will not help you, but it compiled cleanly for me (asus k8v, but same audiodriver). maybe you have too aggressive cflags, i use -02 -fomit-frame-pointer

[wolf@zh]

forgot: could you post your kernel-config and the compilation-error?

[brad_mssw]

_rc2 ?
Why are you using _rc2 ?
Do you mean -r2? BIG DIFFERENCE!

-Brad House
AMD64 Project Lead
brad_mssw@gentoo.org

[superpat]

Hi

I just had another look at the kernel compile error logs. What is now clear is that when I compiled the kernel, the via82xx module compiled in OK with no errors. ( I missed the line about the via82xx when I went through the kernel log before - sorry!

The problem is further down the alsa system, in that when the alsa system boots it does not find the built in module. I need to understand the alsa system in more detail!

(O.T.) I just found alsa-driver version 1.0.3.... When I tried to compile this it barfed with a statement saying that since I was compiling it against a kernel with inbuilt alsa drivers it would NOT compile as a module.... a really definite statement.

So I have to start again looking at this problem. I think I will print out the alsa howto document from the Gentoo docs, and fo through it line by line!

Any tips on diagnosing the problem would be gratefully appreciated

cheers

Patrick

[wolf@zh]

here the appropriate secetion of my .config:

#
# Sound
#
CONFIG_SOUND=y

#
# Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
#
CONFIG_SND=y
CONFIG_SND_BIT32_EMUL=y
CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER=y
# CONFIG_SND_SEQ_DUMMY is not set
CONFIG_SND_OSSEMUL=y
CONFIG_SND_MIXER_OSS=y
CONFIG_SND_PCM_OSS=y
# CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER_OSS is not set
CONFIG_SND_RTCTIMER=y
# CONFIG_SND_VERBOSE_PRINTK is not set
# CONFIG_SND_DEBUG is not set

#
# Generic devices
#
# CONFIG_SND_DUMMY is not set
# CONFIG_SND_VIRMIDI is not set
# CONFIG_SND_MTPAV is not set
# CONFIG_SND_SERIAL_U16550 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_MPU401 is not set

#
# PCI devices
#
# CONFIG_SND_ALI5451 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_AZT3328 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_BT87X is not set
# CONFIG_SND_CS46XX is not set
# CONFIG_SND_CS4281 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_EMU10K1 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_KORG1212 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_MIXART is not set
# CONFIG_SND_NM256 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_RME32 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_RME96 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_RME9652 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_HDSP is not set
# CONFIG_SND_TRIDENT is not set
# CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ALS4000 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_CMIPCI is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ENS1370 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ENS1371 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ES1938 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ES1968 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_FM801 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ICE1712 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_ICE1724 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_INTEL8X0 is not set
# CONFIG_SND_SONICVIBES is not set
CONFIG_SND_VIA82XX=y
# CONFIG_SND_VX222 is not set

#
# ALSA USB devices
#
# CONFIG_SND_USB_AUDIO is not set

#
# Open Sound System
#
# CONFIG_SOUND_PRIME is not set


and modules.conf:

### modules-update: start processing /etc/modules.d/alsa
# Alsa 0.9.X kernel modules' configuration file.
# $Header: /home/cvsroot/gentoo-x86/media-sound/alsa-utils/files/alsa-modules.conf-rc,v 1.1 2003/08/05 21:07:55 johnm Exp $

# ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
# options snd-via82xx dxs_support=1
# options snd-via82xx index=0 dxs_support=2

# OSS/Free portion
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0

##
## IMPORTANT:
## You need to customise this section for your specific sound card(s)
## and then run `update-modules' command.
## Read alsa-driver's INSTALL file in /usr/share/doc for more info.
##
## ALSA portion
## alias snd-card-0 snd-interwave
## alias snd-card-1 snd-ens1371
## OSS/Free portion
## alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
## alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1
##

# OSS/Free portion - card #1
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss

## OSS/Free portion - card #2
## alias sound-service-1-0 snd-mixer-oss
## alias sound-service-1-3 snd-pcm-oss
## alias sound-service-1-12 snd-pcm-oss

alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss
alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss
alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss

# Set this to the correct number of cards.
options snd cards_limit=1

### modules-update: end processing /etc/modules.d/alsa

and please do not try to emerge alsa-driver, just alsa-lib and alsa-utils, and do compile the via-driver into the kernel, not as module!

[superpat]

Hi Wolf,

Thank you for your time and effort posting your alsa configs here.

Besides being a VERY good way of distroing linux, these Gentoo forums are very helpful. Three weeks ago, before I discovered Gentoo I would not have believed it possible to compile a system, from scratch with so little pain and effort. When things go wrong as they are bound to, then it is generally possible to sort it out within a few hours or a day or so.

It is a lot more fun than just banging a dvd in the drive and getting a working system, that I never understood!

I will check my configs out line by line against yours!

First glance mine appears the same as yours, but I need to do a proper diff <g>.

This will keep me busy tonite!

thanks again

Patrick

[superpat]

Hi,

Siitting here listening to the Elgar's Enigma Variations from my system sounds wonderful!

Ther were two problems...

1. Although I only edit modules.d and modules-update, for some reason modules.conf had two copies of the Alsa settings uncommented both wrong! I corrected modules.conf.... (How do you obtain a vanilla copy again ??) and then I found

Hang my head in shame... I must confess

I had forgotten to copy my 997th and subsequent kernel bzImage files over to my boot disk, so every time I thought I was trying a new kernel I was in fact running the same kernel with screwed up ALSA configuration

Used Wolfe's config files and the Alsa doc to sort out the modules.d cockup

Gentoo ROCKS!

Thank you for the help!

cheers

Patrick

[thumper]

Do me a favor?

Check and see if you have midi in /dev/sound/

George