Sound Editing, K3b cdaudio burning, Sound is slowed?? solved

[Cuddles]

Ok, I need to do my job here...

I have a home business that takes analog sound sources - usually from speaches on cassette tape - and digitize them, edit them, cut out pre and post "silence", break the speaches up from one side of a 45 minute tape, into individual speaches, saving them as individual files, and then "burn" them onto a Audio CD, to be used by my customers...

This process was easy in Windows, create, edit, burn, and it worked.

In Knoppix/Debian, it appears it isn't...

I have wasted more than two days on the following trial:

(1) Using Audacity, I've created, both a oog, and a wav, file formats - initial 45 minute tape extraction, edited that file - both oog and wav - to strip to individual speaches - then using K3b, burned the oog, and also the wav "tracks" to a Audio CD.

PROBLEM:
Upon trying to play the K3b Audio CD, the pitch of the speaker is way lower than it should be, like they were talking in slow motion.

I have tried using oog through the complete process, till I burned it to the cd, and the same with wav - both file formats appear to create a Audio CD with these same results. What it sounds like is, if a male speaker is talking, their voice is lowered, and slowed down, like if they were a suprano, they sound like a bass.

I have tried playing the cd through XMMS and KsCD, same results - but if I save the wav/oog file in Audacity, and reload it, after using the form of export "format", the loaded file sounds fine.

I have tried everything in Audacity as far as settings - prefered settings are what I used in Windows - 44.1KHz 16 bit PCM. though at the start I had tried using the defaults, which was 32 bit float 44.1KHz. Oog compression was at mid-point - 5, but that doesn't really mean much considering I also did a wav format, and that is uncompressed.

I tried other editor/creation software that I had obtained: ReZound, and Ardour GTK - but ReZound screams about a OOS something having an error, and Ardour appears to want to deal only with internet streaming.

I need to get my business work done here, and so far, I have only wasted two days, with customers beating down on my back, and nothing to show for it.

Where is the problem, why does everything run great, sound great, until I burn it to a cd? Digital is digital right? How can something that sounds fine get so screwed up (digitally) after it is placed on a cd? Does K3b change digital bits when it burns? Has anyone had this problem, and if so, how was it resolved?

I have an Optirite CD-RW - 52x32x52 - detected exactly by both Knoppix/Debian, and by K3b - I didn't "overburn", and I stayed below the recommended "write" speed of the cd's I am using.

I have a AMD 1.7 GHz, 512 RAM, 41 gig hard drive, w/ 500 meg Swap - more than 21 gig free space on the file system hard drive, and Knoppix hard drive installed v3.3

Any assistance on getting my business back on "working" order again, will be greatly appreciated,
Cuddles

[fingers99]

I've no idea what the solution is here, but I have experienced the opposite (that is, stuff speeded up) when burning oggs created by a rather nasty conversion program (on Windows) from poor quality .wma to CD.

My guess -- nothing more -- is that it has something to do with the frequency of the recording. (In my case they played fine through XMMS.)

You might try looking at

/usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-html/MP3-CD-Burning/

to see if it gives you any clues. (For example, k3b is really just a front end to command line programs which are. at least, likely to hurl error messages at you.) Alternatively, about the most knowledgeable sound people out there are the Alsa folk on

https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user

I'm (reasonably) sure that the answer is simple, so don't despair.

[Cuddles]

Fingers99,

the /usr location didn't exist after the point of /usr/share/ ... I searched for the "en..." part, and even for the "HOWTO..." part, and lastly, for the "MP3..." part - no find...

I did hit the ALSA location, but, I don't think they will be able to help - I don't think I am using it - I never started it, never set it up, and I think ArTS, or some capitalization of that, is what I am using. (possibly why ReZound is yelling at me? )

I will still (hope) that someone "here" can still help me - I think this is my "best" shot for getting it resolved :D

Thanks though Fingers99,
Cuddles

[fingers99]

Ah, you need to

apt-get update && apt-get install doc-linux-html

and you'll find them -- well worth having.

Maybe you should be using Alsa. But to see, try

alsamixer

from the command line.

Alsa is generally believed to be the canine's gonads as regards Linux sound!

[Cuddles]

Hmm, gonna have to check out the apt-get part on a later time, but...

Upon doing a "alsamixer" in a shell, I get the following response:

# alsamixer

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory

I think "I'm" missing something ?? [giggle]

Clues?
Cuddles

[fingers99]

Could be either that you don't have alsa (which would be odd, but you could check by popping open synaptic and seeing if it's listed under installed packages) or that it's there, but not started, in which case try

alsa_init

I've seen Stephen (who knows a lot more than me) refer to (IIRC)

alsa autoconfig

but I've not had to use that post 3.2 (I'm not sure it's in 3.3).

You'll probably have to do some tinkering with Kde's Control Centre after starting Alsa to get the system sounds working again, but this is the least of your problems :wink: and Alsa really is where it's at.

[Cuddles]

First of all Fingers99 -=- 73.4 MB :!: for the doc-linux-html install - heck! - better be worth it dude -=- its on d/l [slash] install as I type...

I tried alsa_init - it appeared to "do something", until it hit "permission denied" messages upon saving out configs - dummy me - I wasn't logged in as Root - (see seperate post on Root/Noob question) - so I did a su, and did it again - this time it saved out configs - tried to do a "alsamixer", and same error as previously posted.

I did a apt-cache search, and only thing that came up was "alsamixergui" - tried to run it, to see it I already had it, it couldn't find it...

In preperation for doing ALSA, I went into Control Center, and disabled Arts from auto-starting any more...

What would my next step be? After I finish with the html install, I thing I need to reboot to make the arts shutdown, or not restart change, and who knows, would you think that alsa needs a reboot to activate it???

Cuddles

[Stephen]

The proper line is /etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig to configure the alsa then you need the default levels setup on boot alsamixer should do that once the devices are created. If not then the line aumix -w 75 -v 75 in the /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh near the bottom will work, do not really know about the rest of the problem I just play audio no mix and record type of things. You may want to try debian-user@lists.debian.org mailing list although some there can be a little snotty when they hear you are using Knoppix. As long as you are asking a smart question you should be alright and remember to request a CC if you want to get a email reply instead of searching the archives if you are not subscribed. Oh and there is no reboot needed with the alsa or almost anything else you do in Linux except installing a new kernel.

[champagnemojo]

I think using ALSA is a good idea if you're going to be recording and such. I don't think ALSA is installed by default though...unless maybe you used the alsa cheatcode when you installed. :?: So I'm not sure you really have the drivers and all yet. You can try Kano's (http://kano.mipooh.net) script to install ALSA. It's always worked great for me in the past...it didn't seem to work the last time I ran it, but that was on the 3.4 C't edition and I found that installing it yourself isn't all that bad.

Also, if you want your KDE system sounds to still play with ALSA, you can just go into the Control Panel->Sound & Multimedia->System Notifications and click on "Player Settings". If you choose "use external player" and put in "aplayer" they'll all work great. I'm using KDE 3.2 though...but I'm sure the "use external player" option is in 3.1 somewhere. :)

I've recorded some stuff on my computer, but I've never actually tried burning it with K3B. I'll give it a shot and see if the same thing happens to me. Another option might be to use Snd rather than Audacity.

[Cuddles]

Stephen, I am not sure if this "did" anything, how can I check?

I did the /etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig -=- and added aumix -w [space] 75 -v [space] 75 to the script you stated - and then rebooted. I still can not get alsamixer to run, I get the same error:

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory

-=- As a side note -=-
I have been working with the ALSA email group, and from what we have found - my sound card, a VIA82xx on-motherboard sound card - can't use 44.1KHz, and when I run Audacity from a console window, upon hitting record, it pops out the following error:

Pa_SetupDeviceFormat: warning - requested sample rate = 44100 Hz - closest = 48000

This is coming from audacity - which is configured to a Sample Rate of 44100 Hz, everything associated with the sound recording in audacity is configured to this - even the export to wav options. Now when I do a "file [test.wav]" from a console - I get the following:

$ file test.wav
test.wav: RIFF (little-endian) data, WAVE audio, Microsoft PCM, 16 bit, stereo 44100 Hz

Which the folks in ALSA say this is "exactly" what it should be. The going census is, audacity is "sampling" at 48KHz, and then converting it down to 44.1KHz when it is being saved...

Problem is that if I open the "test.wav" file in any other program, and play it, it sounds fine - if I take this same "test.wav" file, and burn it to a cd, as a CD Audio disc, it plays back slow - as mentioned in previous posting. What is changing it?

Is audacity a problem program, should I be using another? If so, I need "visual" of actual sound - so I can locate blank, silence, and starts of new speaches - I also have to have the ability to load/record up to as much as 50 to 60 minutes in a single file, and then edit out and save "partial" sound speaches from this single file. I need it to be in 44.1KHz PCM 16bit, 2 channel stereo -0- from what I hear -0- this is mandatory for a audio file to be burned, and properly played back on any cd player.

Sorry, I am a little "on edge", my business is suffering from the lack of being able to get this working properly, so take pitty, if not for the attiuide, for the situation...
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Champagnemojo,

I tried Stephen's idea of alsa-autoconfig, instead of your link to kano - not sure if ALSA is running, or working, or anything...

Upon assuming, ALSA is, I figured since I am "going" to be pointing KDE to "aplayer", that aplayer must exists on my system already. So I tried "aplayer test.wav", from a console - it errored out with the following:

$ aplayer test.wav
bash: aplayer: command not found

Then - getting the brain-dead idea of "looking" for it, with a apt-cache search alsa, came up with way too much ...alsa.... stuff - shesh, this is worse than typing "kids" in an internet search engine - you get BILLIONS of "porn" sites, but in this case, thousands of packages that have alsa in the "somewhere", and which the descriptions don't give me a clue what I want, need, or have, to have...

Consider that frustrations are at an "all time" high right now - can someone just "tell me" what I need, exactly, specifically, and to ensure that alsa is working, what do I need to find that out. Second, what mixer, appears alsamixer is NOT a package that can be gotten, but I did see in the thousand package search from above, a "xalsamixer" and a "xaplayer" - I think.

This is getting way too complex for me here, when I am running without my business doing its work, and my money-maker, "tid-bit" information, in which I need to run everywhere, and waste more time looking, for, what appears, nothing I can find, is more time away from getting my business back into running again. Can I get "exactly" what I need to do here?

After I get my business up and running again, then, I can play "find out where the "X" is? You can search for it, or do a search on the internet for anything having to do with "alsa" :. Then tangle with the fact that this OS is so new to me, that I haven't a clue what I am doing, or what I need, or how to do it, or anything, and I can't get my work done in the meantime...

Sorry, I haven't been myself lately, since finding out I can't do my business work now...
Cuddles

[gowator]

Cuddles,
This might not help but a while ago I downloaded a few .wav's (kinda cute ones with star treck computers saying things like "incoming message"
.. yeah all very childish and trivial....

However everything was screwy in terms of what you describe about the sampling... from micky mouse on helium to baritone Lt. Uhura.

Eventually i sorted some of these (all I wanted was a nice mail notification) using CLI tools...
I seem to remember using LAME and deliberately changing the inoput and output bitrates..... It was more trail and error than anything educated but I played around and unfortunately its not the sort of thing you document (if your just trying to get a cool mail notification as opposed to running a business)

[Stephen]

Stephen, I am not sure if this "did" anything, how can I check?

I did the /etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig -=- and added aumix -w [space] 75 -v [space] 75 to the script you stated - and then rebooted. I still can not get alsamixer to run, I get the same error:

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory



You can check with the lsmod to make sure the modules are getting loaded and there should have been an /etc/modutils/alsa file that would have been created as well that contains the settings for the card. You should also remove or put a # character in front of the line for the via module in the /etc/modules if it is there that will stop alsa from loading properly.

[champagnemojo]

I'm terribly sorry Cuddles. I was working off memory as I was at work and didn't have Linux handy.

I should have said "aplay" and not "aplayER"

It should work as long as ALSA is working to type "aplay somefile.wav".

Sorry for adding to your confusion. :oops: Watch the dealsites for cheap soundcards too...you can get them really cheap at times.

[champagnemojo]

Consider that frustrations are at an "all time" high right now - can someone just "tell me" what I need, exactly, specifically, and to ensure that alsa is working, what do I need to find that out. Second, what mixer, appears alsamixer is NOT a package that can be gotten, but I did see in the thousand package search from above, a "xalsamixer" and a "xaplayer" - I think.

I know what you mean. The mixer to install is "alsamixergui". You can also use aumix.

The way I installed ALSA this past time without Kano's script was to get the 1.0.2c alsa drivers package and compile and install that. Then I got the libasound2, alsa-base and alsa-utils debs for 1.0.2c from here (http://debian.cli.unipi.it/debian/pool/main/a/) (the drivers package is here too, but I got it from the ALSA site). I used dpkg to install those. Following the instructions for my card on the ALSA site it really wasn't very hard to get it going.

Snd isn't a bad program...it's a nice alternative to Audacity I like it's record interface much better than Audacity's. It shows you your levels and such. When you get to the editing part, it's very stripped-down in terms of menu options. But it would do recording and deleting silence very well. Audacity is more user-friendly for editing though.

Since you're going from an analog tape it doesn't seem like recording at 22,050 would be too bad either...I'm just throwing that out in case your VIA card can't record at 44,100 in Linux.

[Durand Hicks]

Cuddles,

I'm a newbie as well, but I had to compile alsa from source and insert the modules into the kernel for it to work. Not only that, you'll need to apt-get remove --purge knx-alsa as it doesn't seem to work on a hd install. You'll need to apt-get install alsa-base and alsa-source at the very least and then compile it to your kernel or make your own kernel and compile it along with the kernel (whichever works for you). If you haven't done any compiling before, it's not too hard once you get the hang of it. I'm using linux for all of 3 weeks, believe it or not, and got my sound from the alsa modules instead of the oss drivers (which was correct btw, but won't output sound). Once you have it compiled you can insert the module to be run by the kernel and test to see if it's working upon your next boot. Alsa-mixer should also work if the module is loaded as well. I should mention that you'll need to unload the oss driver for the sound card prior to loading alsa. The *only* oss driver you need is the snd module and nothing else, alsa should pick up and load the necessary additional modules as needed.

[Cuddles]

Ok, I think I did "something" right - but at a cost -=- I think :cry:

With the help from ALSA group, I think I resolved the Sample Rate on the recording issue...

Appears that my sound card can only record 48KHz - either that, or audacity can - either case, I found a way to work this out -=- Record speaches from audio tape using 48KHz in audacity, save/export the work as WAV - then open ReZound, and perform a Resample to the right Sample Rate of 44.1KHz - resave the file back out - and it APPEARS the file sounds like it should. I have played the file from the computer, and used K3b to burn the file to a Audio CD, so far, my CD players I have don't like CD-RW discs, so I am not sure on boom-boxes, etc... if the sound is right - but I am able to play the CD using XMMS - and it sounds perfect...

Now, along the lines of ALSA - (this is where I think I mucked things up...)

I tried doing a lot of "apt-get installs" - unfortunatelly, the output from all of that was posted into ALSA group, so I am just going to "copy/paste" the complete post below:

-=- Inclusion of ALSA posting (start)
Ok, I have been fighting this for a few days now, first trying to get WAV to
work after I burn it onto a CD, and now, can't get - I think - ALSA to start/
run/install - as far as I can tell...

I tried to run alsa-autoconfig - appeared to run, but not sure if it was up
and running... So,

Upon searching for "packages", I located alsa-utils, alsa-base, and
alsadriver...

I tried to apt-get install alsa-utils - which wanted to install alsa-base, and
suggested alsadriver.

Apt-get install of alsa-utils and alsa-base - died with the following:

$ apt-get -u install alsa-utils
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
alsa-base
Suggested packages:
alsadriver
The following NEW packages will be installed:
alsa-base alsa-utils
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 477 not upgraded.
Need to get 142kB of archives.
After unpacking 393kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://ftp2.de.debian.org testing/main alsa-utils 0.9.8-1 [91.5kB]
Get:2 http://ftp2.de.debian.org testing/main alsa-base 1.0.1-1 [50.0kB]
Fetched 142kB in 45s (3104B/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package alsa-utils.
(Reading database ... 107361 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking alsa-utils (from .../alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
(--unpack):
trying to overwrite `/usr/bin/alsamixer', which is also in package knx-alsa
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Selecting previously deselected package alsa-base.
Unpacking alsa-base (from .../alsa-base_1.0.1-1_all.deb) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

With these errors, I tried to install the alsadriver, which caused the
following:

$ apt-get -u install alsadriver
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Package alsadriver is a virtual package provided by:
alsa-modules-2.4.16-k7 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-k6 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-686-smp 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-686 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-586tsc 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-586 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
alsa-modules-2.4.16-386 0.9+0beta10+1+2.4.16+1
You should explicitly select one to install.
E: Package alsadriver has no installation candidate

Didn't have a clue on this one, so tried the "686" one:

$ apt-get -u install alsa-modules-2.4.16-686
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
alsa-base: Depends: alsa-utils but it is not going to be installed
alsa-modules-2.4.16-686: Depends: kernel-image-2.4.16-686 (= 2.4.16-1) but
it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a
solution).

As - I guess - this wasn't something I should have done... So, tried the
alsa-base, and then alsa-utils, seperately, and as a single install...

$ apt-get -u install alsa-base
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
alsa-base is already the newest version.
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
alsa-base: Depends: alsa-utils but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a
solution).

$ apt-get -u install alsa-utils
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Suggested packages:
alsadriver
The following NEW packages will be installed:
alsa-utils
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 477 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/91.5kB of archives.
After unpacking 246kB of additional disk space will be used.
(Reading database ... 107385 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking alsa-utils (from .../alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
(--unpack):
trying to overwrite `/usr/bin/alsamixer', which is also in package knx-alsa
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

This time I thought the problem was in knx-alsa, so I tried a install of that:

$ apt-get -u install knx-alsa
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
knx-alsa is already the newest version.
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
alsa-base: Depends: alsa-utils but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a
solution).


Figuring - I need TO READ the suggestion to resolve this, I tried the
suggested resolve:

$ apt-get -f install
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Correcting dependencies... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
alsa-utils
Suggested packages:
alsadriver
The following NEW packages will be installed:
alsa-utils
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 477 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B/91.5kB of archives.
After unpacking 246kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 107385 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking alsa-utils (from .../alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
(--unpack):
trying to overwrite `/usr/bin/alsamixer', which is also in package knx-alsa
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/alsa-utils_0.9.8-1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

NOW - I'm stuck - I don't have a clue what to do - someone help me out here -
I'm a noob within Linux, and other than what I have done so far, is pretty
much the extent of my knowledge base.

How can I resolve this, and how do I get ALSA running, and then, lastly, how
do I know if ALSA is running when I get done?

Thanks to ANYONE who can get me through this...
-=- Inclusion of ALSA posting (end)

Nice thing is - with the help of Stephen and ChampangeMojo - I think all of ALSA is running - even with all the above junk still pending...

I can't run "aplay" - it says the command doesn't exist,
But I am able to run "alsamixer" - shessh, that is a bad interface, text-based graphics - Yikes :!: -=- the following is from lsmod:
$ lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
lp 7492 0 (autoclean)
snd-mixer-oss 11256 0 (autoclean)
snd-via82xx 10540 0 (autoclean)
snd-pcm 56544 0 (autoclean) [snd-via82xx]
snd-timer 14824 0 (autoclean) [snd-pcm]
snd-ac97-codec 30784 0 (autoclean) [snd-via82xx]
snd-page-alloc 4000 0 (autoclean) [snd-via82xx snd-pcm]
snd-mpu401-uart 3056 0 (autoclean) [snd-via82xx]
snd-rawmidi 12288 0 (autoclean) [snd-mpu401-uart]
snd-seq-device 3764 0 (autoclean) [snd-rawmidi]
snd 27556 0 (autoclean) [snd-mixer-oss snd-via82xx snd-pcm snd-timer snd-ac97-codec snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device]
soundcore 3428 3 (autoclean) [snd]
ipt_state 632 48 (autoclean)
ipt_REJECT 3256 4 (autoclean)
ipt_limit 1080 6 (autoclean)
ipt_LOG 3352 6 (autoclean)
ip_conntrack_ftp 3888 0 (unused)
ip_conntrack_irc 3088 0 (unused)
ip_conntrack 18952 3 [ipt_state ip_conntrack_ftp ip_conntrack_irc]
iptable_filter 1736 1 (autoclean)
ip_tables 11576 5 [ipt_state ipt_REJECT ipt_limit ipt_LOG iptable_filter]
nls_cp437 4348 2 (autoclean)
autofs4 8756 0 (unused)
efs 7436 0 (unused)
hfs 76832 0 (unused)
minix 19848 0 (unused)
xfs 525120 0 (unused)
reiserfs 169616 0 (unused)
agpgart 38296 0 (unused)
nls_iso8859-1 2844 2
ntfs 51168 0 (unused)
msdos 4652 0 (unused)
parport_pc 24840 1
parport 22496 1 [lp parport_pc]
serial 51972 0
usb-storage 60960 0 (unused)
usb-uhci 21836 0 (unused)
usbcore 57472 0 [usb-storage usb-uhci]
rtc 6908 0
ext3 63940 1
jbd 46100 1 [ext3]

Is everything that belongs "their" there????

Last thing, how do I get rid of the following, when I do the following? Do I have to uninstall everything and start again - considering "apt-get" is now mucked up???
$ apt-get -u install alsamixergui
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
You might want to run `apt-get -f install' to correct these:
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
alsa-base: Depends: alsa-utils but it is not going to be installed
alsamixergui: Depends: libfltk1.1c102 (>= 1.1.3+1.1.4rc2) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt-get -f install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

I "did" try the apt-get -f install (with nothing after it, see above, in the post made to ALSA Group) - it didn't change anything - I blew it, didn't I?

Funny thing about Linux - once you try fixing "one" thing, something else happens, ( I promise Stephen, I am "really" trying to learn here ).

I bet the problem is that one of these "packages" was a release 0.9.something, and one of the dependancies was something like 1.x.something? (did I guess right?) Taking my hypothosis further, the "broken pipe", I remember seeing way back when I started doing the installs, stated the version numbers - and I think the next thing I did, was another apt-get install to try and correct the problem - I think the problem with all of this is that I "installed" two, or more, packages that "depend" on each either to be same versions, and they aren't (did I get this one right too?)

Now, the fun part, how, if I guessed this right, do I undo what I screwed up???

Thanks to everyone, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel again, and I can thank all three of you for that one :D Thanks...
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Almost forgot Stephen - here is the output from /etc/modules...
$ cat modules
# /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file should contain the names of kernel modules that are
# to be loaded at boot time, one per line. Comments begin with
# a `#', and everything on the line after them are ignored.
rtc
usb-uhci
usb-storage
serial
parport_pc
# commented below out for ALSA support 20040226
#via82cxxx_audio
msdos
ntfs
nls_iso8859-1
ext3
agpgart
reiserfs
xfs
minix
hfs
efs
autofs4

And here is the output from /etc/modutils...
$ cat alsa-0.9-knoppix
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---

Does all of this look like it should? Did I do right Stephen????
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

I don't think ALSA is working, or it appears it isn't, if it looks like it is, that is....

XMMS freezes when you click play on a valid audio cd in the Play Location list, and I realized that it used to point to OSS for playback, I changed that to an ALSA setting, same lock-up when you click play - I have to use xkill and then a ctrl-c to regain my Konsole window prompt, user prompt - the only message that shows up when I fire off XMMS in the shell is "Message: output format: 7" - and then it just freezes - XMMS gui up to the point of pressing play, is scrolling the title of the cd, when you click play, the scrolling "marque" of the title just locks up.

I think I still need some help on this one - something is definatelly not right,
Cuddles

[windos_no_thanks]

I don't think ALSA is working, or it appears it isn't, if it looks like it is, that is....

XMMS freezes when you click play on a valid audio cd in the Play Location list, and I realized that it used to point to OSS for playback, I changed that to an ALSA setting, same lock-up when you click play - I have to use xkill and then a ctrl-c to regain my Konsole window prompt, user prompt - the only message that shows up when I fire off XMMS in the shell is "Message: output format: 7" - and then it just freezes - XMMS gui up to the point of pressing play, is scrolling the title of the cd, when you click play, the scrolling "marque" of the title just locks up.

I think I still need some help on this one - something is definatelly not right,
Cuddles
If you are using KDE I think your applications should be using arts instead of the "real" sound driver, for xmms that would mean installing the xmms-arts package and configure xmms to use it for playback. (at least that applies when using oss, don't know if it applies to alsa too)

[champagnemojo]

If it were me I would "apt-get remove --purge alsa-utils alsa-base knx-alsa" before anything else. And I think you're better off just compiling the drivers yourself. I promise it's not hard if you follow the instructions on the ALSA page specifically for your card. And in the link I posted before, the libasound2, alsa-utils and alsa-base packages are all specifically made for the 1.0.2c driver. So you won't have to worry about mismatching there as long as you get and compile that driver release. It's worked for me...so I know it can work for you. And I don't think you've done any real damage by apt-getting those things. Just remove and purge them and then try again...this time compiling the drivers for your card.

[champagnemojo]

If you are using KDE I think your applications should be using arts instead of the "real" sound driver, for xmms that would mean installing the xmms-arts package and configure xmms to use it for playback. (at least that applies when using oss, don't know if it applies to alsa too)

No, alsa works fine with KDE apps. :D

[Cuddles]

ChampagneMojo,

I think you're right, and "I am me" [giggle]

Here is what I have done, so far...

$ apt-get --purge remove alsa-base alsa-utils knx-alsa
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
Package alsa-utils is not installed, so not removed
The following packages will be REMOVED:
alsa-base* knx-alsa*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 477 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 0B of archives.
After unpacking 3150kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 107384 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing alsa-base ...
Purging configuration files for alsa-base ...
Removing knx-alsa ...

Now, before I muck it up again, what do I do next?

From what I understand...
(1) Get the "right" drivers for my sound card - which is...
...From Info Center:
......IO Ports -> VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 AC97 Audio Controler
......PCI -> same as above with (rev 50) appened
...Get drivers from ALSA? What is the location?
(2) Compile, and install those drivers - stated previously, intructions are included with the drivers.
(3) After installing above drivers, what do I need to do after that?

Please explain as simple as possible - when possible, give exact information, and details - I would do a lot better. (I don't want to muck this up like my last attempt :D)

Thanks for all, and any, help,
Cuddles

oops, almost forgot...
Knoppix, hard drive installed, on a AMD 1.7GHz, 512M RAM, 41gig hard drive, Knoppix v 2.4.22-xfs

[Cuddles]

OMG - NOW I REALLY NEED HELP HERE :!:

After doing the apt-get remove, I happened to "accidently" do a reboot...

I got TONS of messages, approximatelly 100 or more messages that flew by on the screen during the restart, looking at dmesg has entries only as far as the mounting of my ext3 "main" file partition, and the adding of my swap partition - nothing else....

AND WORSE YET -=-
My external MODEM no longer works. Appears that whatever I removed, has removed even my seriel port for my modem - I need to get this back...

Sheesh, why does something that deals with my soundcard, now cause problems with the seriel port - port ttyS0 - which exists, and /dev/modem points to that - as it did before...

HELP :!:
I need my modem, and I think I need something that was removed, back...

Don't leave me here...
Cuddles

[champagnemojo]

I'll try to explain coherently Cuddles...I hope I remember correctly. :D

Get alsa-driver-1.0.2c.tar.bz2 from here (http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa/ftp/driver).

Follow the directions on the ALSA page for your card (http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/doc-php/template.php?company=VIA&card=&chip=via82c686a&module=via82xx) to compile and install...I'll copy em here too:



bunzip2 alsa-driver-1.0.2c.tar.bz2
tar -xf alsa-driver-1.0.2c.tar
cd alsa-driver-1.0.2c
./configure --with-cards=via82xx --with-sequencer=yes
make
make install


Then go here (http://debian.cli.unipi.it/debian/pool/main/a/alsa-lib/) and get libasound2_1.0.1-0sherpya1_i386.deb. Go here (http://debian.cli.unipi.it/debian/pool/main/a/alsa-utils/) and get alsa-utils_1.0.2-0sherpya1_i386.deb. Not completely sure if this one's necessary, but to be safe, go here (http://debian.cli.unipi.it/debian/pool/main/a/alsa-driver/) and get alsa-base_1.0.2c-0sherpya3_all.deb. So you've saved all of those to some directory. Now you go to that directory in a shell and use dpkg...which I'm sure you know well, but I'll put the code for the heck of it. :D


dpkg -i libasound2_1.0.1-0sherpya1_i386.deb alsa-utils_1.0.2-0sherpya1_i386.deb alsa-base_1.0.2c-0sherpya3_all.deb

Then just insert all of the modules and test to see if it works. Inserting the modules is described in the ALSA page for your card too...but all you do is


modprobe snd-via82xx
modprobe snd-pcm-oss
modprobe snd-mixer-oss
modprobe snd-seq-oss

Now you'll have to set the levels...you can use aumix for that. If you've installed alsamixergui you can also use that. Try using the aplay command on some wav file you have now. It should play the file you chose and give a description.

[champagnemojo]

OMG - NOW I REALLY NEED HELP HERE :!:


Uhoh...I step out of the office for a second...come back and hit send and suddenly there's a bigger problem. :? I don't understand how anything you've done with ALSA could do that. Hopefully one of the linux experts here can help you with this though, cuz I have no clue. :?:

[Durand Hicks]

Cuddles,

You could open a shell window and log as root. Type modconf, and scroll down to the driver for your modem to see if it was unloaded. It may have been unloaded somehow and not loaded again when you rebooted (just a theory). If it shows that it was unloaded, load the module and then exit modconf. Type update-modules to update the modules.conf file. Exit from root. Your modem should be initialized upon your next reboot. If not, post back the error referring to the port ttyS0. One more thing, you might want to edit modules.conf or /etc/modutils to make sure alsad (alsa daemon) is unloaded before you have your alsa driver and modules compiled. Having it running without a driver/module present can cause errors.

[Cuddles]

Durand Hicks,

My modem is an external modem (hardware) - connected to seriel port #1, off the main board - it doesn't have any drivers - just seriel port#1 & #2. I have a link pointing /dev/modem -> ttyS0 -

KPPP states that it is Unable to locate modem on either /dev/modem or /dev/ttyS0 - minicom (sp) won't stay open - it just dies...

Are "WE" sure that "something" wasn't removed with the knx-alsa package, maybe something I need for my seriel ports? (or something related?)

I can't locate any other messages, ones that are on the boot screen, scroll by too fast to read - and they don't show up in dmesg -=- also, If I need to apt-get anything right now, it isn't going to be easy w/o my modem...

I am sitting next to the "defunct" knoppix system, on a backup Win98 system for access to the internet, so I can "relay" messages, or errors, or "stuff" from the knoppix "dead" system...

H*E*L*P :!:
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Ok, On reboot, same errors go flooding across the screen, before I can read them, when they start to slow down, my Debian Login Screen replaces it - so - I did a ctrl+shift+f1 - and this is what "appears" to be repeating across my screen - Hopefully this will give "someone" any idea of what happened, and what I can do about it...

modprobe: Can't open dependencies file /lib/modules/extras/modules.dep (no such file or directory)
iptables v1.2.9: can't initialize iptables table 'filter': iptables who? (do you need to insmod?)
Perhaps iptables or your kernel needs to be upgraded.

(these three lines repeat for about 20 or 30 screen-fulls, then...

done.
INIT: Entering runlevel: 5 ( then some services, like CUPSys, then KDE)

What happan to my poor sys?????
(its sick, can someone make it better, (then we can tackle the ALSA))
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

OK, I think I might have my own answer, but want to confirm my suspicions, first - then what do I do if I am right...


modprobe: Can't open dependencies file /lib/modules/extras/modules.dep (no such file or directory)
iptables v1.2.9: can't initialize iptables table 'filter': iptables who? (do you need to insmod?)
Perhaps iptables or your kernel needs to be upgraded.

I did some digging, looking in /etc/modules - i found my messages from above - pointing to ALSA files/programs/folders - I also looked in modules.conf - and it too had these same entries - but at the top of modules.conf it states not to modify the file directly, but to look in /etc/modutils/ and use update-modules - to keep insmod and something from freaking out -=- freaking out :!: This couldn't be closer to the truth here...

So, going into /etc/modutils/ I found two "suspicious" files:

alsa-0.9-knoppix and 1alsa

doing a cat alsa-0.9-knoppix and a cat 1alsa -=- the contents of these two files are EXACTLY the garbage error messages that my boot and shutdown screens are flooding with - now - the tough question...

Do I blow away both of these ALSA files above, and then do a update-modules ??? Will that correct my boot/shutdown messages? - I also noted that in the same /etc/modutils/ folder is a file called setserial - which I would guess is my configuration settings for my serial ports - they may never get to be running due to the ALSA gunk flooding, and thereby, no serial ports, and no modem (could I be right on this?)

From what I can tell... Debian fires off /etc/modules (or modules.conf) which is built from "update-modules" - which is built by the files located in the /etc/modutils/ folder - if I remove the ALSA files mentioned above, then re-do a update-modules to have the new modules (or modules.conf) rebuilt to exclude the removed ALSA files mentioned above, wouldn't that effectively remove all "referances" to the ALSA stuff I just got through (yesterday) doing a apt-get --purge remove on????

Someone get me going again... Tell me str8, do we have a chance to save the patient???? ( I SERIOUSLY DO NOT WANT TO REINSTALL FROM SCRATCH - please :!: not now :!: )

Thanks,
Cuddles

[Durand Hicks]

Cuddles,

Before you try going on the internet, first thing to do is as Champagnemojo said: apt-get remove --purge all alsa related files that you previously downloaded. That should take the defeunct alsa files out of /lib/modules/current kernel folder. If you see another kernel folder besides the one you're using, the alsa modules aren't installed to work with the correct kernel. This is where you're having problems for starters. This means you'll have to apt-get remove --purge all the alsa-base, alsa-utils, alsa-modules stuff you apt-get installed earlier. Then open a terminal shell, and stop alsad or kill it. Then apt-get remove --purge alsad and you should recover your modem drivers and settings, hopefully. Reboot. If that does takes care of your modem, then going forward for sound, you'll only need to apt-get install alsa-base, alsa-utils and alsa-source, nothing else. Unpack the alsa source into /usr/src/modules directory and then cd to alsa. Open a terminal in that folder, then type ./configure, let it do its thing, then type make and let it do its thing. Finally, switch to root and use your password then type make install to install your alsa module(s). Then type modconf to load the sndcore and alsa module. Exit and then type update-modules and then reboot. Hopefully, alsa will kick in and load the appropriate additional modules as needed for sound and you should be good to go from there without any further problems.

[Cuddles]

Ok, I've done the following, and then did them again... So, this was the outcome...

apt-get --purge remove alsa-base
Result: Package not installed, so not removed...
apt-get --purge remove alsa-utils
Result: Package not installed, so not removed...
apt-get --purge remove alsadriver
Result: Package not installed, so not removed...
apt-get --purge remove alsad
Result: Package not installed, so not removed...

Upon reboot, same error messages, same files mentioned in above post, and same no-modem.

It appears that "apt-get" is not completely removing all of what it was told to remove, and purge... Time to fall-back, and re-group yet???

Cuddles

[Durand Hicks]

Cuddles,

You may have to delete the alsa files manually. I have done the same when I ran into dependency issues like you did. First thing I did though, was to delete them from the hard drive before I found out about the apt-get remove --purge command. I wish I had known that, but it didn't do my installation any worse by deleting the files and directories manually. (This habit is a leftover from my windows background, so don't feel left out.) Despite being a newbie in Linux, I kind of knew what to look for and blew it away and started over. You can go ahead and delete those alsa files you found that weren't properly removed. Then I would suggest that you open a terminal and check for any orphans by typing deborphan for any strays that needs to be removed. Once you delete those, post back and let us know if it restores the modem functionality. I don't know if it's too sick to be nursed back to health, but this would count as a valuable learning experience for all of us if you somehow succeeded in getting your installation working again.

[Stephen]

Make sure that the brltty I think is called is purged as well it takes over the serial port to connect to a braille terminal, it may have been started somehow or the settings may be interfering.

[Cuddles]

Ok, lets step back and re-group here...

2Stephen, apt-get --purge remove brltty - doesn't exist, or installed message...

Can someone just "read" my last two post, or maybe three - NOTHING ALSA is installed - yet, if I look in /lib/modules/... no file or directory called "extra" exists - so my BOOT MESSAGES - that I POSTED in a previous post, are correct...

AGAIN -=- I found the modules that are "including" these "false" locations in /etc/... (see my previous post) and was wondering if they could be removed to solve the boot/shutdown problems.

SOMEONE -=- PLEASE -=- READ MY PREVIOUS POSTS -=- NOTHING EXISTS ON MY SYSTEM THAT IS ALSA AT ALL -=- BUT -=- I still have modules that are being "trying" to load, but DON'T EXIST.

In /etc/modutils/ -=- I still have two files: alsa-0.9-knoppix and 1alsa - these two files are EXACTLY what my boot/shutdown messages are screaming about - and these SAME TWO files have folder locations that are no longer existant, but point to ALSA specific locations, again, that DON'T EXIST anymore...

To be more redundant, because no one ever gave me any feedback on the original post that had that information...

SOMEONE -=- PLEASE -=- READ MY PREVIOUS POSTS

Thank you, can we proceed here - I think I can only run "apt-get remove --purge" on the EXACT SAME FILES only so many times, and then it becomes redundant to do them anymore - we are currently around five times of them, all, now. If I run them SIX times, I don't think it is going to change anything, anymore.

Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Lets start again, here is what I did, and then all the things I undid...

I had done...
apt-get -u install alsa-base alsa-utils

Commented out my sound card entry in /etc/modules
Added in bootmisc.sh -- aumix -w 75 -v 75

What I have undone...
apt-get --purge remove alsa-base alsa-utils knx-alsa

and then apt-get --purge remove alsad

Uncommented out my sound card in /etc/modules and commented out aumix in bootmisc.sh

Have done repeated apt-get removes from all above, and even apt-get -f thing without anything after it...

What I have gotten...
No Modem connection...
Modules that are related to ALSA, even though the modules themselves don't exist, the system is STILL TRYING to load them, and unload them, on boot/shutdown.

I have installed NOTHING else, nor have I removed anything else - though I can locate the modules that are being fired off in the /etc/modutils folder, these files contain entries to NON-EXISTANT ALSA locations, AND, are the exact messages that on boot/shutdown that are failing with the messages I reported in my previous posts.

I have proposed possible resolve of these problems, and nothing has been said to if those assumptions are correct, false, or even acknowledged.

All I know is: I can't get to my external modem through my serial port, that used to work, until I did the apt-get remove of alsa-base alsa-utils and knx-alsa -=- of these three packages - I NEVER installed knx-alsa, but DID remove it. Messages (errors) are showing up on boot, and shutdown, that can be found directly in /etc/modutils/ folder in two files named alsa-0.9-knoppix and 1alsa, and as far as modules for different kernel versions - I only have one directory under the one mentioned, the one for my kernel - no extra, frivalous, or unknown kernel images other than the one I am on - 2.4.22-xfs

Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Some files and contents from "extracting" on the "defunct" system, using a floppy to get output to working (internet) system...

modules contents:
# /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file should contain the names of kernel modules that are
# to be loaded at boot time, one per line. Comments begin with
# a `#', and everything on the line after them are ignored.
rtc
usb-uhci
usb-storage
serial
parport_pc
# commented below out for ALSA support 20040226
#via82cxxx_audio
msdos
ntfs
nls_iso8859-1
ext3
agpgart
reiserfs
xfs
minix
hfs
efs
autofs4

modules.conf contents...
### This file is automatically generated by update-modules"
#
# Please do not edit this file directly. If you want to change or add
# anything please take a look at the files in /etc/modutils and read
# the manpage for update-modules.
#
### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/0keep
# DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE!
# This file is not marked as conffile to make sure if you upgrade modutils
# it will be restored in case some modifications have been made.
#
# The keep command is necessary to prevent insmod and friends from ignoring
# the builtin defaults of a path-statement is encountered. Until all other
# packages use the new `add path'-statement this keep-statement is essential
# to keep your system working
keep

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/0keep

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/1alsa
path[]=/lib/modules/extra/alsa
depfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.dep
generic_stringfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string
pcimapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap
isapnpmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap
usbmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap
parportmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
ieee1394mapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map
pnpbiosmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/1alsa

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/actions
# Special actions that are needed for some modules

# The BTTV module does not load the tuner module automatically,
# so do that in here
post-install bttv insmod tuner
post-remove bttv rmmod tuner


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/actions

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/aliases
# Aliases to tell insmod/modprobe which modules to use

# Uncomment the network protocols you don't want loaded:
# alias net-pf-1 off # Unix
# alias net-pf-2 off # IPv4
# alias net-pf-3 off # Amateur Radio AX.25
# alias net-pf-4 off # IPX
# alias net-pf-5 off # DDP / appletalk
# alias net-pf-6 off # Amateur Radio NET/ROM
# alias net-pf-9 off # X.25
# alias net-pf-10 off # IPv6
# alias net-pf-11 off # ROSE / Amateur Radio X.25 PLP
alias net-pf-17 af_packet # Packet socket (tcpdump)
# alias net-pf-19 off # Acorn Econet

alias via82cxxx via82cxxx_audio
alias char-major-10-175 agpgart
alias char-major-10-200 tun
alias char-major-81 bttv
alias char-major-108 ppp_generic
alias /dev/ppp ppp_generic
alias tty-ldisc-3 ppp_async
alias tty-ldisc-14 ppp_synctty
alias ppp-compress-21 bsd_comp
alias ppp-compress-24 ppp_deflate
alias ppp-compress-26 ppp_deflate

# Crypto modules (see http://www.kerneli.org/)
alias loop-xfer-gen-0 loop_gen
alias loop-xfer-3 loop_fish2
alias loop-xfer-gen-10 loop_gen
alias cipher-2 des
alias cipher-3 fish2
alias cipher-4 blowfish
alias cipher-6 idea
alias cipher-7 serp6f
alias cipher-8 mars6
alias cipher-11 rc62
alias cipher-15 dfc2
alias cipher-16 rijndael
alias cipher-17 rc5

# Name inconsistency in 2.4 Kernel series
alias ide_cs ide-cs
alias usbcore off
alias autofs autofs4

# If both mousedev and usbmouse are insmodded, neither of them works right.
# Adding solution proposed by Kai Lehmann:
alias usbmouse mousedev
# Same for USB keyboards, which should be used in hid generic mode instead
alias usbkbd hid

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/aliases

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/apm
alias char-major-10-134 apm
alias /dev/apm_bios /dev/misc/apm_bios
alias /dev/misc/apm_bios apm
options apm power_off=1

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/apm

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/autofs
probe autofs autofs4 autofs

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/autofs

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ftape-util
#
# load ftape/zftape automatically
#

# valid for all versions with zftape
alias char-major-27 zftape

# Bleeding edge ftape driver from ftape-module

options ftape ft_fdc_driver=ftape-internal,none,none,none
options ftape-internal ft_fdc_base=0x3f0 ft_fdc_irq=6 ft_fdc_dma=2
pre-install ftape-internal /usr/bin/swapout 15

# ftape driver from 2.2 kernel (Comment previous three lines and uncomment the next one)

# options ftape ft_fdc_rate_limit=1000 ft_fdc_threshold=16 ft_fdc_base=0x360 ft_fdc_irq=9 ft_fdc_dma=3

# You may need to fine tune the parameters. See the ftape documentation for more details

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ftape-util

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ipx.aliases
alias net-pf-4 ipx

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ipx.aliases

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/irda
alias tty-ldisc-11 irtty
# The following is for new kernel.
alias char-major-161 ircomm-tty

# The following is for old kernel.
alias char-major-60 ircomm_tty

# To be able to attach some dongles
alias irda-dongle-0 tekram
alias irda-dongle-1 esi
alias irda-dongle-2 actisys
alias irda-dongle-3 actisys
alias irda-dongle-4 girbil
alias irda-dongle-5 litelink
alias irda-dongle-6 airport
alias irda-dongle-7 old_belkin

# FIR device drivers.
# options smc-ircc ircc_irq= ircc_dma=
# alias irda0 smc-ircc
# options toshoboe max_baud=
# alias irda0 toshoboe
# options w83977af_ir io= io2= irq= qos_mtt_bits=
# alias irda0 w83977af_ir

# To use the NSC driver on a Thinkpad laptop: uncomment the following:
# options nsc-ircc dongle_id=0x09
# alias irda0 nsc-ircc

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/irda

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/mt-st
# Reset the st driver on module insertion...
post-install st /etc/init.d/mt-st modload > /dev/null 2> /dev/null

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/mt-st

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/paths
# This file contains a list of paths that modprobe should scan,
# beside the ones that are compiled into the modutils tools
# themselves.


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/paths

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ppp
alias /dev/ppp ppp_generic
alias char-major-108 ppp_generic
alias tty-ldisc-3 ppp_async
alias tty-ldisc-14 ppp_synctty
alias ppp-compress-21 bsd_comp
alias ppp-compress-24 ppp_deflate
alias ppp-compress-26 ppp_deflate

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ppp

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/raidtools2
alias md-personality-1 linear
alias md-personality-2 raid0
alias md-personality-3 raid1
alias md-personality-4 raid5

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/raidtools2

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/setserial
#
# This is what I wanted to do, but logger is in /usr/bin, which isn't loaded
# when the module is first loaded into the kernel at boot time!
#
#post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial start | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module reload"
#pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial stop | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module uload"
#
alias /dev/tts serial
alias /dev/tts/0 serial
alias /dev/tts/1 serial
alias /dev/tts/2 serial
alias /dev/tts/3 serial
post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial modload > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial modsave > /dev/null 2> /dev/null

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/setserial

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/arch/i386
alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
alias char-major-10-144 nvram
alias binfmt-0064 binfmt_aout
alias char-major-10-135 rtc
# no warnings to stderr on KNOPPIX
insmod_opt=-q

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/arch/i386

1alsa contains...
path[]=/lib/modules/extra/alsa
depfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.dep
generic_stringfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string
pcimapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap
isapnpmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap
usbmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap
parportmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
ieee1394mapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map
pnpbiosmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap

alsa-0.9-knoppix contains...
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---

Cuddles

[fingers99]

Cuddles, for comparison, my files:

/etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file should contain the names of kernel modules that are
# to be loaded at boot time, one per line. Comments begin with
# a `#', and everything on the line after them are ignored.
rtc
apm power_off=1
usb-uhci
usb-ohci
hid
mousedev
keybdev
usb-storage
serial
bttv
nls_cp437
nls_iso8859-1
tvaudio
tuner
msdos
ntfs
ext3
agpgart
reiserfs
xfs
minix
hfs
efs
snd-via82xx
autofs4
snd-pcm-oss
~

/etc/modules.conf

### This file is automatically generated by update-modules"
#
# Please do not edit this file directly. If you want to change or add
# anything please take a look at the files in /etc/modutils and read
# the manpage for update-modules.
#
### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/0keep
# DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE!
# This file is not marked as conffile to make sure if you upgrade modutils
# it will be restored in case some modifications have been made.
#
# The keep command is necessary to prevent insmod and friends from ignoring
# the builtin defaults of a path-statement is encountered. Until all other
# packages use the new `add path'-statement this keep-statement is essential
# to keep your system working
keep

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/0keep

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/1alsa
path[]=/lib/modules/extra/alsa
depfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.dep
generic_stringfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string
pcimapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap
isapnpmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap
usbmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap
parportmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
ieee1394mapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map
pnpbiosmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/1alsa

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/actions
# Special actions that are needed for some modules

# The BTTV module does not load the tuner module automatically,
# so do that in here
post-install bttv insmod tuner
post-remove bttv rmmod tuner


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/actions

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/aliases
# Aliases to tell insmod/modprobe which modules to use

# Uncomment the network protocols you don't want loaded:
# alias net-pf-1 off # Unix
# alias net-pf-2 off # IPv4
# alias net-pf-3 off # Amateur Radio AX.25
# alias net-pf-4 off # IPX
# alias net-pf-5 off # DDP / appletalk
# alias net-pf-6 off # Amateur Radio NET/ROM
# alias net-pf-9 off # X.25
# alias net-pf-10 off # IPv6
# alias net-pf-11 off # ROSE / Amateur Radio X.25 PLP
alias net-pf-17 af_packet # Packet socket (tcpdump)
# alias net-pf-19 off # Acorn Econet

alias via82cxxx via82cxxx_audio
alias char-major-10-175 agpgart
alias char-major-10-200 tun
alias char-major-81 bttv
alias char-major-108 ppp_generic
alias /dev/ppp ppp_generic
alias tty-ldisc-3 ppp_async
alias tty-ldisc-14 ppp_synctty
alias ppp-compress-21 bsd_comp
alias ppp-compress-24 ppp_deflate
alias ppp-compress-26 ppp_deflate

# Crypto modules (see http://www.kerneli.org/)
alias loop-xfer-gen-0 loop_gen
alias loop-xfer-3 loop_fish2
alias loop-xfer-gen-10 loop_gen
alias cipher-2 des
alias cipher-3 fish2
alias cipher-4 blowfish
alias cipher-6 idea
alias cipher-7 serp6f
alias cipher-8 mars6
alias cipher-11 rc62
alias cipher-15 dfc2
alias cipher-16 rijndael
alias cipher-17 rc5

# Name inconsistency in 2.4 Kernel series
alias ide_cs ide-cs
alias usbcore off
alias autofs autofs4

# If both mousedev and usbmouse are insmodded, neither of them works right.
# Adding solution proposed by Kai Lehmann:
alias usbmouse mousedev
# Same for USB keyboards, which should be used in hid generic mode instead
alias usbkbd hid
alias char-major-195 nvidia

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/aliases

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/alsa
### DEBCONF MAGIC
# This file was automatically generated by alsa-base's debconf stuff

alias char-major-116 snd
alias char-major-14 soundcore

options snd major=116 cards_limit=4

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
alias /dev/dsp* snd-pcm-oss

alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx

alias snd-slot-0 snd-card-0
alias sound-slot-0 snd-slot-0

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/alsa

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/apm
alias char-major-10-134 apm
alias /dev/apm_bios /dev/misc/apm_bios
alias /dev/misc/apm_bios apm
options apm power_off=1

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/apm

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/autofs
probe autofs autofs4 autofs

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/autofs

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ftape-util
#
# load ftape/zftape automatically
#

#

# valid for all versions with zftape

alias char-major-27 zftape

# Bleeding edge ftape driver from ftape-module

options ftape ft_fdc_driver=ftape-internal,none,none,none
options ftape-internal ft_fdc_base=0x3f0 ft_fdc_irq=6 ft_fdc_dma=2
pre-install ftape-internal /usr/bin/swapout 15

# ftape driver from 2.2 kernel (Comment previous three lines and uncomment the next one)

# options ftape ft_fdc_rate_limit=1000 ft_fdc_threshold=16 ft_fdc_base=0x360 ft_fdc_irq=9 ft_fdc_dma=3

# You may need to fine tune the parameters. See the ftape documentation for more details

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ftape-util

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ipx.aliases
alias net-pf-4 ipx

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ipx.aliases

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/irda
alias tty-ldisc-11 irtty
# The following is for new kernel.
alias char-major-161 ircomm-tty

# The following is for old kernel.
alias char-major-60 ircomm_tty

# To be able to attach some dongles
alias irda-dongle-0 tekram
alias irda-dongle-1 esi
alias irda-dongle-2 actisys
alias irda-dongle-3 actisys
alias irda-dongle-4 girbil
alias irda-dongle-5 litelink
alias irda-dongle-6 airport
alias irda-dongle-7 old_belkin

# FIR device drivers.
# options smc-ircc ircc_irq= ircc_dma=
# alias irda0 smc-ircc
# options toshoboe max_baud=
# alias irda0 toshoboe
# options w83977af_ir io= io2= irq= qos_mtt_bits=
# alias irda0 w83977af_ir

# To use the NSC driver on a Thinkpad laptop: uncomment the following:
# options nsc-ircc dongle_id=0x09
# alias irda0 nsc-ircc

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/irda

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/linux-wlan-ng
# Aliases to tell insmod/modprobe which module to use when bringing up the
# wlan0 interface.

# Uncomment the line corresponding to the type of prism2 device you have.
alias wlan0 prism2_pci
#alias wlan0 prism2_usb
#alias wlan0 prism2_cs
#alias wlan0 prism2_plx


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/linux-wlan-ng

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/lvm-common
# The Logical Volume Manager uses these block and char numbers
alias block-major-58 lvm-mod
alias char-major-109 lvm-mod

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/lvm-common

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/mt-st
# Reset the st driver on module insertion...
post-install st /etc/init.d/mt-st modload > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/mt-st

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/paths
# This file contains a list of paths that modprobe should scan,
# beside the ones that are compiled into the modutils tools
# themselves.


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/paths

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/ppp
alias /dev/ppp ppp_generic
alias char-major-108 ppp_generic
alias tty-ldisc-3 ppp_async
alias tty-ldisc-14 ppp_synctty
alias ppp-compress-21 bsd_comp
alias ppp-compress-24 ppp_deflate
alias ppp-compress-26 ppp_deflate

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/ppp

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/raidtools2
alias md-personality-1 linear
alias md-personality-2 raid0
alias md-personality-3 raid1
alias md-personality-4 raid5

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/raidtools2

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/setserial
#
# This is what I wanted to do, but logger is in /usr/bin, which isn't loaded
# when the module is first loaded into the kernel at boot time!
#
#post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial start | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module reload"
#pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial stop | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module uload"
#
alias /dev/tts serial
alias /dev/tts/0 serial
alias /dev/tts/1 serial
alias /dev/tts/2 serial
alias /dev/tts/3 serial
post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial modload > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial modsave > /dev/null 2> /dev/null

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/setserial

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/arch/i386
alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
alias char-major-10-144 nvram
alias binfmt-0064 binfmt_aout
alias char-major-10-135 rtc
# no warnings to stderr on KNOPPIX
insmod_opt=-q

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/arch/i386


/etc/modutils/1alsa:


path[]=/lib/modules/extra/alsa
depfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.dep
generic_stringfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string
pcimapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap
isapnpmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap
usbmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap
parportmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
ieee1394mapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map
pnpbiosmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap

/etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix:

# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---


Which is as clear as mud, to me, at least. But it does suggest that a shedload of modules are not being loaded.

I think that something pretty catastrophic has happened. I think that chances of recovery in the short term are slim. I'd be inclined to backup (should be easy enough if you've a seperate /home) and re-install.

First you might like to boot from the CD with

knoppix alsa

at the boot: prompt. If you can play sound, at least we know that Alsa will work on your system! Test that alsamixer works.

Next, with the CD booted with knoppix alsa, do a knx-hdinstall through a Konsole or Xterm (not in console only mode). This should -- it does on my system anyway -- force Alsa to be loaded. Why is something of a mystery, but may explain why I've not needed to run /etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig.

alsa_init should start alsa. This should be the very first thing you test, before you migrate your /home and so on.

You're looking at maybe a couple of hours work to get up and running again. Then you can start earning money!

[Durand Hicks]

Cuddles,

I re-read all of the posts in this thread. The clue to the source of the error messages?:

(1)
Begin:

Stephen, I am not sure if this "did" anything, how can I check?

I did the /etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig -=- and added aumix -w [space] 75 -v [space] 75 to the script you stated - and then rebooted. I still can not get alsamixer to run, I get the same error:

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory

End:

That's what is trying to initialize alsa the whole time. Also, I noticed these entries in your modutils file:

(2)
Begin:

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/1alsa
path[]=/lib/modules/extra/alsa
depfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.dep
generic_stringfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.generic_string
pcimapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pcimap
isapnpmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.isapnpmap
usbmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.usbmap
parportmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.parportmap
ieee1394mapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.ieee1394map
pnpbiosmapfile=/lib/modules/extra/modules.pnpbiosmap

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/1alsa
<snip>
### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---


### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/alsa-0.9-knoppix
<snip>
(3)
*What happened here? Looks like the serial port was unloaded and turned off*

### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/setserial
#
# This is what I wanted to do, but logger is in /usr/bin, which isn't loaded
# when the module is first loaded into the kernel at boot time!
#
#post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial start | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module reload"
#pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial stop | logger -p daemon.info -t "setserial-module uload"
#
alias /dev/tts serial
alias /dev/tts/0 serial
alias /dev/tts/1 serial
alias /dev/tts/2 serial
alias /dev/tts/3 serial
post-install serial /etc/init.d/setserial modload > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
pre-remove serial /etc/init.d/setserial modsave > /dev/null 2> /dev/null

### update-modules: end processing /etc/modutils/setserial
<snip>

alsa-0.9-knoppix contains...
# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF version 0.9.0-knoppix ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-via82xx
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
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
options snd major=116 cards_limit=1 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
options snd-via82xx index=0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---

End:

Notice that there are references to 2 different types of alsa drivers. You'll have to open Konqueror and delete the /etc/moduitls/alsa-0.9-knoppix folder manually or copy it to an archive file preferably in gzip format. You don't have to apt-get remove anything anymore at this point as that has already served its function. Now, if you're more worried about the serial port first, then look at the serial lines I pointed out. It's been commented out, and I'm not sure why, but I'm not that advanced enough to sort out what did that. You could make a copy of this file and then edit it by uncommenting the lines referring to the setserial ports. It may be overridden when you reboot afterwards, but anything worth a try. As for alsa, you're pretty much finished with it, but take out the lines in your bootmisc.sh referring to alsa so it doesn't start.

[Cuddles]

O M G

I got it to work !

I blew away the alsa-knoppix and the 1alsa files found in /etc/modutils - and did a update-modules -=- and after examining the modules file, and the modules.conf files - everything looked like it did before I did all of this - considering I was forced with a "complete reinstall" - I really didn't have anything to loose here - upon reboot - no messages, and the system is back to its normal (modem usable) state :!:

I took the time, to get the drivers from ALSA, the base, utils, and such, from deb, did the compile, and dpkg, and was able to fire off alsamixer on the first go...

So, now I need to add the aumix -w 75 -v 75 right? BTW - i'm doing an apt-get install of the alsamixergui as I speak...

From what I know, you need to run the alsamixer (or aumix) to "prep" the audio on boot right? Does this "prep" set the volume levels, or is it just to get it running? I tend to like my volume settings on specific things, just a certain way: Master=75, PCM=75, Line=(record) and 75, and CD=75 - if I set these up in the mixer, will they "hold" between shutdowns? They did when I used whatever sound I had before.

After all of this, I think EVERYONE in this thread has been fantastic, thank you to everyone :!:

Cuddles
ps -=- I haven't tried aplay yet, I haven't had the chance, besides, with all the hell that broke loose, I deleted all of my wav files to test with... But, considering that alsamixer is up, I think it is ok [?]

[fingers99]

O M G

I got it to work !

You are a star, Cuddles!


So, now I need to add the aumix -w 75 -v 75 right?

Yep!


if I set these up in the mixer, will they "hold" between shutdowns

I think so: only way is to suck it and see: I've never used such sophisticated settings! :wink: