[solved] snd-hda-intel (stac92xx) problems

draino · Last edited by draino on Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:42 am; edited 1 time in total

ALSA kernel code [1.0.14] does not seem to work. The hda-intel (stac92xx) soundcard that is inside my Dell XPS M1730 will load the kernel modules, but with errors and does not setup a dsp device.

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:22 am Post subject:

draino,

You probably need a module option when the module is loaded to describe your setup to to snd-intel-hda.
Read /usr/src/linux/Documentation/sound/alsa/ALSA-Configuration.txt to see what you need.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

draino · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:53 pm Post subject:

NeddySeagoon,

Thankyou for your reply but it seems that some significant (unknown) options may have changed from alsa 1.0.13 - 1.0.14 as I have discovered that the Knoppix [5.1.1] LiveDVD seems to have kernel module (/lib/modules/2.6.19/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-codec.ko) that doesn't seem to exist on my system, whereas I only have snd-hda-intel.ko kernel module...

I think this might explain why it can't find the codecs but it surely doesn't explain why I don't have the module on the system I installed gentoo on.

Any ideas why this might be? anyone?

I am ready to post this as a bug to the alsa team, but I am hoping to get an answer here before I do.
_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:18 pm Post subject:

draino,

grepping the kernel source, it appears as if the snd-hda-codec module has been subsumed into snd-intel-hda.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

skunk · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

disable kernel's modules and install media-sound/alsa-driver-1.0.15, it works fine here...

draino · Posted: Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:42 pm Post subject:

I removed alsa from my kernel, unmasked alsa-driver-1.0.15 and emerged it, but with the same problem.
This is looking more and more like an alsa bug. ALSA version 1.0.13 (on Knoppix LiveDVD) does work but no other version from either the kernel source or the alsa-driver ebuilds works.

I am going to clean out the alsa-driver kernel modules (again) and I will try the live kernel source patch using mercurial svn method.

I don't understand why it's such a hard task to get something as simple as a supported soundcard to work.

_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject:

draino,

The problem is that there are lots of different snd-intel-hda chips that need slightly different driver options.
Worse, more are being added.

snd-intel-hda tries to autodetect the needed settings but doesn't always get it right, hence the requirement for you to supply load time module options.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

draino · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:11 am Post subject:

If that is the case, should I try to replicate the module load options from the Knoppix LiveDVD from it's /etc/modules.conf or /etc/modules.d/alsa?

BTW: I tried the Live kernel patch (http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Compile_Kernel_with_ALSA), but the alsa cloning using mercurial failed (something about an incorrect or unknown service?) and I didn't have time to sort that out before left for work.

When I get back home (next week) I will try some module config option tweaking and post the results.

By the way, when I bought this Notebook (It's actually more like a luggable

), I did upgrade the sound card to what Dell supposedly listed as "Sound Blaster" so it may be using that sound blaster codecs are licensed to intel (or Dell) for this sort of thing?

Thanks for your help (and patience) so far.
_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject:

draino,

Almost every sound card made is compatible with the original Creative Sound Blaster, as that became a defacto 'standard', so your sound blaster statement may mean nothing. However, coupled with the words "Dell" and "upgrade" I wonder if you actually have a emu10k1x which is/was a Creative chip specially crippled for Dell. It does not work with snd-intel-hda.

Please post your lspci output when you get a chance - that will tell use exactly whats in your system.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

draino · Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:21 pm Post subject:

Good news everyone!

I rolled my kernel back to a known working version [2.6.19-r7] and sound is instantly working. Is this not a kernel bug? The alsa drivers for this thing seem to have stopped working from somewhere between kernel 2.6.19 and 2.6.23...

Any suggestions on how I could follow this up so that I can run a newer kernel?
_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

PaulBredbury · Watchman Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 7310

draino · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:48 am Post subject:

ctgmao · n00b Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 32

Hello

To create the / dev / snd you tera complilar in the kernel that supports OSS

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:45 am Post subject:

ctgmao,

ALSA can create two groups of /dev entries.

/dev/snd, which is created by the ALSA PCI module and
/dev/sound which is the emulated OSS interface. /dev/snd can work alone (as long as OSS is not required) /dev/sound also needs /dev/snd.

The naming came about as real OSS was first and took /dev/sound.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

PaulBredbury · Watchman Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 7310

draino · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:15 am Post subject:

PaulBredbury,

It may have been an issue with my dhcpcd-generated /etc/resolve.conf at the time (my router doesn't seem to play nicely with linux as an unauthoritative DNS forwarder...), but I have been somewhat able to get the alsa-driver-9999.ebuild to fetch the sources (using hg) without errors but then the compile dies

I can not post the exact error message here yet because I am on-site again... I will resync my portage tree tomorrow (when I get back from work) and try it again and post the results here if you like, but I would prefer to avoid using this package and the manual live kernel patch.

I have also opened up an alsa bug for this as well (https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/view.php?id=3695)
_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

draino · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:12 am Post subject:

Fixed. Once 2.6.23 was released all sound related issue became non-existent, and sound works a treat. Sorry for the late reply to this. Please mark this as solved.
_________________

Dell XPS M1370 (MXG071) | Dell 2707WFP | IBM Model M (1391401) | Logitech MX320
Linux 2.6.24-tuxonice-r9 #1 SMP PREEMPT x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux