Creative X-FI Soundblaster Drivers released v1.18 [HOWTO]

blubbi · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:31 am Post subject:

Okay, here's a wiki to collect all stuff regarding x-fi:

http://x-fi.olausson.de/

Feel free to fill the wiki

coolone · Apprentice Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 278

thanks a lot guys..for ur efficient work.
I havent compiled it till now, just wanna know hows the quality of the SOUND?
Does that work ok?
I am goin 2 compile tonite, hopefully， everything can be done successfully。

Regards
_________________
No Rolex on my wrist Or platinum on my chest 'Cause I don't need that shit to impress

swalko · n00b Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 9

coolone · Apprentice Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 278

nationdemon · n00b Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 30 Location: Dresden

At first my usually excuse for my worse english. Second many thanks for the tutorial.

I've got two problems by now:
KMixer shows sliders for all speakers, but only front and master react.
Second prob and the most pressing one: Amarok (using xine) shutters the played tracks.
mplayer plays without shuttering but it sounds like a very old record player.

maybe someone gots a hint...

dmesg shows the whole list of unknown symbols posted by someone on page 1 and 2.
No other errors emerged, no warnings nor anything else unsuspected happend.

ps.: I take comfort by telling me that this is just (but finally - waited 8 months) a very early beta.

blubbi · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:51 pm Post subject:

thode · n00b Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 13

renaud91 · n00b Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Hello,

I am running a Gentoo
ortage 2.1.3.9 (default-linux/amd64/2007.0, gcc-4.1.2, glibc-2.5-r4, 2.6.22-gentoo-r8 x86_64)
=================================================================
System uname: 2.6.22-gentoo-r8 x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
Timestamp of tree: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:50:01 +0000
ccache version 2.4 [disabled]
app-shells/bash: 3.2_p17
dev-java/java-config: 1.3.7, 2.0.33-r1
dev-lang/python: 2.4.4-r5
dev-python/pycrypto: 2.0.1-r6
dev-util/ccache: 2.4-r7
sys-apps/baselayout: 1.12.9
sys-apps/sandbox: 1.2.17
sys-devel/autoconf: 2.13, 2.61-r1
sys-devel/automake: 1.6.3, 1.7.9-r1, 1.9.6-r2, 1.10
sys-devel/binutils: 2.17-r1
sys-devel/gcc-config: 1.3.16
sys-devel/libtool: 1.5.24
virtual/os-headers: 2.6.21
ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="amd64"
CBUILD="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"
CFLAGS="-march=nocona -O2 -pipe -fno-stack-protector"
CHOST="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"

After one day of fight against the X-Fi almost ended alpha² driver ..., I managed to have sound.
I followed your instructions, thanks to all.

But (yes there is a but :roll:

, a big but actually :wink:

- sometimes, at boot, the driver went mad, and crashed, showing a nice dump info (like shown in early post). Note that I am using the last Nvidia drivers (the one from nvidia web site), I am telling this because errors often happen after I install the driver and reboot, but there may be no link.
- when it works, sound is scratched, and it is just like if I was in my bathroom (as I saw in other posts I am not alone with this problem)
- amrakok, under kde, is looping every second of music,
- mplayer works fine (except for scratches)
- I am using a Yamaha sound system, connected to the front rack by an optical wire, my Yamaha sets itself in stereo mode, I think this is because the X-Fi is sending 96k sound, this may be the explanation of strange sound, so is there a parameter or a something somewhere to make it 48k ?
- for mplayer in command line hw=0.2 for me, I would like kde to take this as default sound system (using hw=0.2 in the configuration panel) but it does not work, any idea ?
- sometimes, ctsound stop by itself, and never restart, saying ctalsa is in use

One day, I will be able to listen music on linux with my X-Fi, ...

best regards,
Renaud.

ghost_zero · n00b Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 8

VLC Media Player seems to have normal sound...
Although I still don't know how to get 5.1 sound to work at all (not possible with current drivers?).

November Rain · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

Is there any chance that creative will release a 32bit driver with gcc 4.x support?

Does this driver support extended features like the crystilizer or the upmix stereo -> 5.1/7.1?

It sucks to use onboard sound

_________________
Gentoo Linux - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 - 32 Bit
4 GB G.Skill PC6400 DDR 2
MSI P35 Neo 2 FR
MSI GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB G92 OC & Club3D 8400 GS
Samsung 245B plus & HP w2408 Vivid Color

blubbi · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:54 am Post subject:

Hej, ho, keep expections low.....

This driver is not even a beta it's a pre pre pre alpha....
SOund... mmhh better call it "noise" works...

I would prefere, creative releases a real BETA driver which is capable of producing "Sound"

All other features can be released in following versions...

Ah and one more thing... a BETA please that works without a howto on page one..... and without the patches!

Shame on creative!

MacGoerk · n00b Joined: 04 Aug 2005 Posts: 17

Nice work patching the driver!
It works with Kubuntu 7.06.

Well...Amarok crashes, Mplayer does it's "crackling sound thing" but VLC and XMMS do their work fine.
VLC seems to increase the volume too much if the volume slider is used. That is also resulting in a crackling sound, but XMMS is my weapon of choice (at least for music -_-)

Still have to check for Surround Support or something like that...Mplayer recognizes as possible output "Surround 5.1" but isn't playing anything.

Keep up the good work ;D

demik · n00b Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 7

Bakou · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 42

Well I'm actually using gutsy beta right now (but all this BS makes me miss Gentoo..)

heres the bottom of my dmesg after make install error:

[ 401.933721] ctalsa: Unknown symbol bytes_to_order
[ 401.933929] ctalsa: Unknown symbol get_ossrv
[ 401.934004] ctalsa: Unknown symbol __stack_chk_fail
[ 401.934381] ctalsa: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.934437] ctalsa: Unknown symbol malloc_sizes
[ 401.934507] ctalsa: Unknown symbol ioctl_dispatch
[ 401.934558] ctalsa: Unknown symbol heap_free

So if I rebuild kernel with SLAB itll fix malloc_sizes, but what will it break? now what about the rest of the unkown symbols?

However there is also a bunch of other stuff that was actually printed directly above ctalsa:

[ 401.895436] ctossrv: Unknown symbol __stack_chk_fail
[ 401.897124] emupia: Unknown symbol InterlockedIncrement
[ 401.897147] emupia: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.897172] emupia: Unknown symbol stack_free_page
[ 401.897218] emupia: Unknown symbol stack_alloc
[ 401.897267] emupia: Unknown symbol get_ossrv
[ 401.897287] emupia: Unknown symbol unload_all_plugins
[ 401.897310] emupia: Unknown symbol stack_alloc_page
[ 401.897330] emupia: Unknown symbol ioctl_dispatch
[ 401.897350] emupia: Unknown symbol heap_free
[ 401.897393] emupia: Unknown symbol InterlockedDecrement
[ 401.897416] emupia: Unknown symbol stack_free
[ 401.898822] ctsfman: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.898904] ctsfman: Unknown symbol get_ossrv
[ 401.898924] ctsfman: Unknown symbol ioctl_dispatch
[ 401.898945] ctsfman: Unknown symbol heap_free
[ 401.902760] ct20xut: Unknown symbol InterlockedIncrement
[ 401.902788] ct20xut: Unknown symbol __stack_chk_fail
[ 401.902806] ct20xut: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.902829] ct20xut: Unknown symbol unregister_plugin
[ 401.902857] ct20xut: Unknown symbol heap_free
[ 401.902886] ct20xut: Unknown symbol register_plugin
[ 401.902904] ct20xut: Unknown symbol InterlockedDecrement
[ 401.911650] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol InterlockedDecrement
[ 401.911678] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol register_plugin
[ 401.911702] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol unregister_plugin
[ 401.911726] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol __stack_chk_fail
[ 401.911756] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.911782] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol InterlockedIncrement
[ 401.911801] ctexfifx: Unknown symbol heap_free
[ 401.913924] cthwiut: Unknown symbol InterlockedIncrement
[ 401.913951] cthwiut: Unknown symbol __stack_chk_fail
[ 401.913986] cthwiut: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.914008] cthwiut: Unknown symbol unregister_plugin
[ 401.914036] cthwiut: Unknown symbol heap_free
[ 401.914073] cthwiut: Unknown symbol register_plugin
[ 401.914091] cthwiut: Unknown symbol InterlockedDecrement
[ 401.930541] haxfi: Unknown symbol InterlockedDecrement
[ 401.930615] haxfi: Unknown symbol get_ossrv
[ 401.930689] haxfi: Unknown symbol heap_alloc
[ 401.930737] haxfi: Unknown symbol InterlockedIncrement
[ 401.930771] haxfi: Unknown symbol heap_free
_________________
--Laptop--
ThinkPad T500 Gentoo

--Desktop--
Intel Core Duo E6420 (8x333)
3 GB PC6400 DDR2 825mhz 4-4-4-15
nVidia 8800GT
Creative X-Fi (works in Gentoo)

demik · n00b Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 7

mallchin · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject:

Fails here on core2duo :-(

slapshot · n00b Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

XFiDrv_Linux_US-1.04$ sudo make install
Copy module files...
cp: cannot stat `ctossrv.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `emupia.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `ctsfman.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `haxfi.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `ctalsa.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `ct20xut.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `ctexfifx.ko': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `cthwiut.ko': No such file or directory

I'm running Ubuntu 7.10 Beta. I am not 100% proficient at the console yet, but I'm not that bad at it either. How should I go about fixing this. Thanks in advance

blubbi · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject:

do everything as user, than become root. I am not used to sudo.

So just do

hollovoid7 · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:18 am Post subject:

Also, after adding the cflag, make sure to recompile your, Gcc, Kernel and the xfi driver itself before trying again, mine wouldent work without all 3 of those being recompiled.
now just have to start on the rest of the system, its only a matter of time before something updates and doesnt agree to build off a package that has a different cflag. once I did that, I set ctsound to boot, alsasound to default and things got kickin from there, actually works pretty well over here, and headphone out on front works.. not sure about anything else.
_________________
MAO

terrifiedkiller · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 141

k i'm stuck on teh loading part it just stays like that doing absolutely nothing

mallchin · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:11 am Post subject:

terrifiedkiller · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 141

plainsane · n00b Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 14

does anybody have this working on mult cpu/core?

i get this when i load module (nothing new).

ctossrv: module license 'Creative Proprietary License' taints kernel.
Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0000000000000000 RIP:
[<0000000000000000>]
PGD 7dae1067 PUD 7d4f8067 PMD 0
Oops: 0010 [1] PREEMPT SMP
CPU 1
Modules linked in: ctossrv(P) snd_seq_midi_emul snd_seq snd_timer snd_seq_device snd soundcore scsi_wait_scan
Pid: 4210, comm: modprobe Tainted: P 2.6.22-gentoo-r8 #1
RIP: 0010:[<0000000000000000>] [<0000000000000000>]
RSP: 0018:ffff81007ea75cd0 EFLAGS: 00010246
RAX: ffffffff8060d120 RBX: ffff81007ef0f9c0 RCX: ffff81007ef0f9c0
RDX: 0000000000000002 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: ffff81007ef0f9c0
RBP: ffff81007ea75d38 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 00000000000081b6
R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 000000017ef0f9c0 R12: 0000000000000000
R13: ffff81007ea75d14 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000
FS: 00002b094b8e5ae0(0000) GS:ffff81007ff9cec0(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 000000008005003b
CR2: 0000000000000000 CR3: 000000007d975000 CR4: 00000000000006e0
Process modprobe (pid: 4210, threadinfo ffff81007ea74000, task ffff81007f927690)
Stack: ffffffff880382c6 0000000000000000 ffff81007d916b20 ffff81007ea75d38
0000000000000000 0000000000000000 ffffffff8803c35b ffffffff8805ba44
ffffffff8805ba44 ffff81007e9d5c00 ffffffff8805ba18 0000000000000028
Call Trace:
[<ffffffff880382c6>] :ctossrv:sysGetFileSize+0x4c/0x88
[<ffffffff8803c35b>] :ctossrv:_ZN5OSSrv8SeekFileEPvi13CTFILEIO_SEEK+0x3d/0x76
[<ffffffff8803e9cd>] :ctossrv:_ZN7Porting14SetFilePointerEPviPij+0x13/0x1a
[<ffffffff8803f51d>] :ctossrv:_ZN7VBDFile4SeekEjj+0x39/0x9c
[<ffffffff8803fb5f>] :ctossrv:_ZN7VBDFile4ReadEPvjj+0x51/0x10e
[<ffffffff8803f41b>] :ctossrv:_ZN7VBDFile4OpenEPKc10AccessMode+0x243/0x30c
[<ffffffff880461b1>] :ctossrv:_ZN9CRegistry14GetCreativeHdrEPKcP17CreativeHeaderTag+0x33/0x6e
[<ffffffff88048255>] :ctossrv:_ZN9CRegistry4InitEPKcP17CreativeHeaderTag+0x1b7/0x31e
[<ffffffff8803be10>] :ctossrv:_ZN5OSSrv19_CallCreateFunctionEP8_ComServRK5_GUIDP10ICtUnknownjS4_PPvS6_+0x74/0x80
[<ffffffff8803e82e>] :ctossrv:_ZN6DevReg10InitDevRegEPKcP17CreativeHeaderTag+0x15a/0x1dc
[<ffffffff8803ad98>] :ctossrv:OSSrv_InitDriver+0x100/0x13a
[<ffffffff8805d00b>] :ctossrv:ctossrv_init+0xb/0x17
[<ffffffff8024a600>] sys_init_module+0xad/0x168
[<ffffffff80209bee>] system_call+0x7e/0x83

Code: Bad RIP value.
RIP [<0000000000000000>]
RSP <ffff81007ea75cd0>
CR2: 0000000000000000

meteozwh · n00b Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 46

Same here. I've tried everything I can but none of them work.

terrifiedkiller · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 141

anyone know how to switch from gcc 4 to gcc 3?