[SOLVED] alsa, intel AC'97 : no such device

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

Hello time has past since the last time i had to configure my gentoo system.
Now that im back to gentoo, i'm getting in troube with my soundcard. Thing that never happened to me before.

Here is the problem:

DaggyStyle · Watchman Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5910

did you've tried alsa driver?
can you locate the modules?

GNUtoo · Veteran Joined: 05 May 2005 Posts: 1919

recompile the kernel and the modules
and make modules_install

layperson · n00b Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

You might also try the hda-intel driver, listed as intel hd audio in menuconfig. The alsa sound card matrix indicates members of the ICH6 family are split between this and the 8x0 module. Also, it seems there were some fixes for this driver beginning with alsa-1.0.14rc1.

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

thanks for help im still in troubles:

GNUtoo :
I recompiled my kernel modules (before i also reemerged gentoo-sources and linux-headers) : but with no luck.

DaggyStyle :
I tried the alsa-drivers via portage, same error : no sound

layperson :
When i compiled all the modules relative to ac97 i also tried the hda-intel one.
A friend told me that he have an ac97 and has to use this one.
But when i run alsaconf it list me this :

layperson · n00b Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

The unknown symbol error usually means a conflict between the in kernel modules and alsa-driver modules or a mismatch of the two. Have you tried [/url]http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/alsa-guide.xml[url]
and followed its instructions. There is a small section in that guide specifically about unknown symbols error and their solution, as well as some other helpful knowledge.

The intel8x0 is probably the correct device if the modem is listing seperately.

P.S. not sure if the html listed correctly so just look up "gentoo alsa guide"

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

layperson : Well i tried to follow the alsa-guide you provided without succes.

But there is somethink new, i hardlinked all alsa related stuff in the kernel and now when i start kde kmix display the mixer (before it displayed that no soundcard were found!)
The problem is still here with alsaconf.

naviathan · Apprentice Joined: 12 Dec 2004 Posts: 231

Are you loading the modules? Post the output from lsmod.
_________________
I respect faith, but doubt is what gives you an education.
-- Wilson Mizner

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

No now they are harlinked, but before they couldn't be load (lots of error as shown). But before the ouptut of lsmod would have been show something like 'codec ac97' but not the intel8x0 modules that were not loaded..

By now i don't have any modules, i've harlinked as mush as possible into the kernel.

layperson · n00b Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

Alsa sometimes doesn't like modules compiled directly into the kernel since it makes it difficult to pass options to the driver, but its not always unworkable so ymmv.

I don't have the same chipset to test so we are kind of shooting in the dark here but there may be a few more things to check. Make sure that you OSS is not selected to compile (Not the OSS options
under alsa config but the deprecated OSS directly under the audio config menu. Also, try to select only the intel8x0 driver under the PCI cards section, other drivers, including sometimes the modem driver, could be conflicting with the driver you want. Lastly, you may want to move any old alsa configs that an unmerge may have left and rerun alsaconf.

Sorry we can't be more specific/helpful. It may help to post the relevant section of your kernel config, maybe something is getting left out

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

Ok layperso i will retry to compile only the appropriate driver as a module. But for now i have hardlinked ony the audio one (not the modem) and it still fails.
Can you tell me how 'to move any old alsa configs that an unmerge may have left' ? I thought about it but not sure how to proceed...

layperson · n00b Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

To get rid of any old modules: "rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/alsa-driver"

Also, delete "/etc/modules.d/alsa" and others you may see. Check "/etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6" to make sure that its not trying to load anything that might interfere. I also read that on occasion, though probably not in this case, an aborted kernel compile can leave around the kind of trash that might cause something like this, so you may want to "make clean" your kernel source dir. Make sure the alsa driver package has been unmerged and you may want to reemerge the other relevant options with the --noconfmem flag. Sorry, this is a shotgun approach but its the best I can come up with and it has worked for my inexplicable and frustrating alsa problems before.

Hope I'm being of help.

jph_void · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 82

IT WORKS !!

I rebooted the computer and the kmix icon was different today, it showed me that the card was muted.
So i suspect there were a conlict between old alsaconf and my actual config.

My configuration is now :
/etc/init.d/alsasound : DISABLED, it still fails
only the intel ac97 hardlinked into the kernel (not the ac97modem)
not any alsaconf or something wich fails now because there is no modules.

well i wil try to get the ac97 modem one too, to see if it conflicts or not.
Thanks for your help.

Just a last question, i cleaned old modules with "rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/alsa-driver" and removed /etc/modules.d/alsa. Should the file /etc/modules/aliases beeing removed ?

layperson · n00b Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

"Should the file /etc/modules/aliases beeing removed ?" : No it shouldn't. The aliases file is for other services.

Its odd that it doesn't work as a module but glad you've got sound back. Good luck.