Advanced Linux Sound Architecture - Driver
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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My card is not detected at all and is ISA based - non Plug & Play.
Can I try something?
A: If you have compiled driver with the ISA PnP support, you must force
the detection of non-PnP version of your card with some drivers (use
snd_isapnp=0 parameter - check the INSTALL file). This problem may
occur mostly in portable computers where vendors suppressed the ISA PnP
extension of sound chips.
Q: When I play something and I try to play something other the second attempt
will not fail but instead it hangs waiting for the completion of the first
sound.
A: This is definitely the standard behaviour as described in many official
documents that now ALSA follows. There is no reasons to complain about that
for the following reasons:
- it's the right (standard) way
- the application that want a different behaviour can open the device in
O_NONBLOCK mode
- all modern OSS drivers in mainstream kernel (cmpci, es1370, es1371,
esssolo1, maestro, sonicvibes, vwsnd) works in the same ways and the
others have to be intended buggy
- we want you ask to broken applications author to fix them ;-)
Q: The driver is installed and successfully loaded in the runtime kernel,
but it does not produce any sound. What's wrong?
A: You should raise the volume for mixer channels and/or unmute mixer channels.
Look for the alsa-utils package at http://www.alsa-project.org. There are
native mixers.
Q: How can I store and restore mixer settings?
A: Use the native alsactl program (strongly preferred) or an another ALSA mixer
program.
Q: The driver is loaded, but OSS programs say: Can't open /dev/mixer.
What is wrong?
A: The OSS compatible mixer emulation comes as an add-on module which is not
loaded by default. If you have got modified /etc/conf.module as suggested
in the INSTALL file, it should be loaded with kerneld or kmod. Check it -
if this method for some reason doesn't work - you need to insert
the 'snd-mixer-oss' module manually.
Q: The driver is loaded, but OSS programs say: Can't open /dev/dsp.
What is wrong?
A: The OSS compatible PCM (digital audio) emulation comes as an add-on module
which is not loaded by default. If you have got modified /etc/conf.module
as suggested in the INSTALL file, it should be loaded with kerneld or kmod.
Check it - if this method for some reason doesn't work - you need to insert
the 'snd-pcm-oss' module manually.
Q: Can I specify which DMA channel will be used for a specific direction with
Sound Blaster 16/AWE soundcards?
A: Yes, you may change the default settings (which is auto) through alsactl
utility. Look for "DMA 16-bit" switch in the alsactl.conf file.
Q: Noises in X-win?
A: Try comment out line in your XF86Config file:
#Option "pci_retry" # faster, but problematic for ISA/PCI soundcards
More information: http://www.xfree86.org/3.3.3.1/S39.html
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