Via 8235 AC97 sound workaround

I'm finding a lot to like about Knoppix, but it won't operate onboard sound--Via 8235 AC97-- unless " knoppix alsa" is entered on the boot command line.

With hard drive Knoppix installation I've found no way to make the sound system work. Alsa is installed, according to KDE software configuration tables. The enable sound system box is checked on sound configuration panel, but no cigar. SuSE 9.0 runs the sound without any massaging.

What needs to be added or modified to start up Alsa at bootup on hard drive Knoppix installation?

Stumped Texan

If you use xmms, after installing knoppix you might try to ''apt-get install xmms-alsa'' in a shell as root.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rblanken

I'm finding a lot to like about Knoppix, but it won't operate onboard sound--Via 8235 AC97-- unless " knoppix alsa" is entered on the boot command line.

With hard drive Knoppix installation I've found no way to make the sound system work. Alsa is installed, according to KDE software configuration tables. The enable sound system box is checked on sound configuration panel, but no cigar. SuSE 9.0 runs the sound without any massaging.

What needs to be added or modified to start up Alsa at bootup on hard drive Knoppix installation?

Stumped Texan

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Hei rblanken

Does your lsmod look anything like this?

bash-2.05b# lsmod
Module Size Used by
tda9887 6532 0
tuner 16652 0
saa7134 86988 0
video_buf 16004 1 saa7134
i2c_core 18836 3 tda9887,tuner,saa7134
ir_common 3716 1 saa7134
tg3 78980 0
rivafb 45636 0
uhci_hcd 28428 0
snd_intel8x0 28552 1
snd_ac97_codec 63236 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_mpu401_uart 6144 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_rawmidi 19520 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_pcm_oss 48040 0
snd_pcm 80548 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 8840 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
snd_timer 20868 1 snd_pcm
snd_mixer_oss 17152 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd 44388 9 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_ra wmidi,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore 7520 2 saa7134,snd
sd_mod 15872 2
hisax 236740 2
isdn 131040 3 hisax
slhc 6400 1 isdn
unix 22832 222

and, can you run alsamixer and/or Kmix?

regards

Pulsar and Cintra:

Thanks for your replies. Package xxmx-alsa is not present on my installation, so I assume l need to download it in order to run " apt-get install xxms-alsa ". Will study the matter further.

My understanding of Linux is probably too limited to fully understand cintra's suggestion as stated. Running lsmod produced a return that did not resemble cintra's. Your listing was clearly sound oriented. The return I got was a simple listing of a variety of modules unrelated to sound.

Regarding alsamixer, it is not an option in Knoppix 3.4, as nearly as I can determine. K-Mix works when operating from CD, and sound works (with boot instruction" knoppix alsa", as I said before) The notation "VIA 8235 appears at the bottom of the mixer panel.

Operating Knoppix fom hard drive, K-Mix appears with fewer sliders controlling inputs and outputs, no sound present in any mode, and the notation "UNKNOWN" appears at the bottom of the mixer panel.

I may need further clarification regarding lsmod, in order to answer cintra's question.

Thanks again for your interest and responses, my friends.

rblanken

Typo correction on previous reply: I meant to type "xxms-alsa" package is not present.

rblanken

Hei again

I'm back on Knoppix.. the lsmod I sent you was from a similar Gentoo setup. I just wanted you to be sure you had the snd entries.

Here on knoppix I still use 'alsa' on the boot line of my grub menu.lst entry and notice, when booting now without it, that snd entries in lsmod look OK, alsamixer works OK, but I have no sound.. i.e. try putting alsa in your boot line..

regards

Try logging in as root and running:

Code:

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/etc/init.d/alsa-autoconfig

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Ran alsa-autoconfig as suggested, no error msg, but still no sound. Verified presence of /etc/init/d/alsa-autoconfig, and see a link to /usr.sbin/alsa_init. Also see alsa snddevices file in /usr/sbin.

In sound system panel of KDE control center when I select ALSA, and apply, I get a message that indicates error while initializing sound driver, & says default device can't be opened for playback (no sound driver)

rblanken

Reading /etc/init.d/alsaconfig with KWrite (I'm in way over my head, but this looks like C++), the remarks imply that onboard sound is not supported, only pci-pnp cards. I have the feeling a programmer could sort this out. Deep puzzlement as to why the sound can be made to work running a Knoppix CD, but not when running a hard drive installation. It seems to have been done intentionally. Maybe I'll just have to hope for the remedy in a future release of Knoppix.

rblanken

I don't know what to tell you. Could it be a bios setting? Maybe you have onboard sound turned off or something? It's possible someone could help you if you posted your lsmod output.

Onboard soundcards will work with linux. Don't give up...you'll figure it out.