alsa /dev/dsp does not exist) now a new problem

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

i emerged alsa and followed the directions fully. everything worked.
i emerged alsa-utils, and had no problems. the directions then told me to type 'amixer'
at the command prompt and it returned "amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such device." i researched the problem and found no answer. i checked /etc/modules.d/alsa many times, as welll as /etc/modules.conf many, many times. i did update-modules, and env-update and still i have the same problem?

there is no /dev/mixer, /dev/dsp, or /dev/midi
i found somebody who had the same problem and followed there answer. it told me to check /etc/modules.d/alsa and run modules-update and still the same problem
can somebody help PLEASE!!!!!!!!1 :evil:

MARIO18

mvr_rennes · Apprentice Joined: 23 Oct 2002 Posts: 155

have you installed alsa-oss? If yes, have you loaded the corresponding modules?
cheers!
M

dvink · n00b Joined: 12 Apr 2003 Posts: 55

Dear Mario18,

My 1 cent: First check, once again, whether you have sound enabled in your kernel, and remember to select everything related to sound as a module. Recompile the kernel plus modules and install them. Make sure you have emerged alsa-driver, also-utils, alsa-oss, alsa-mixer, thus everything alsa

Then make sure you add the "alsasound" script with "rc-update alsasound add boot". Do not load the modules using "/etc/modules.autoload", the aslasound script does this for you. Try again and see if there is any improvement.

deprecated · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 1:52 pm Post subject:

Actually, I know the alsasound script is supposed to load all of the modules for you, but I've had random times where the script returns success but doesn't actually load any modules. Anyways, the best way to be sure is to just type 'lsmod' at console and see what modules are loaded. The alsa ones generally have 'snd' in front of the module name. If you could list them here we could see if you're missing something.

The other big thing with alsa is that when you make a new kernel you must recompile the modules. Have you made a new kernel since you emerged alsa? Do a 'uname -r' to find the kernel you're running, and then check under /lib/modules/<kernel>/ and try and find the alsa modules for your kernel, if they aren't there, re-emerge alsa. (I don't remember exactly where they sit in that tree, at work right now, ick)

Best of luck

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

im emergeing all alsa right now, and no success yet. i did recompile my kernel and re-emerged alsa and what i posted earlier is what happened.
i did a lsmod and got this
bash-2.05b# lsmod
Module Size Used by Tainted: P
snd-mixer-oss 11128 0 (autoclean) (unused)
snd 25988 0 (autoclean) [snd-mixer-oss]
nvidia 1537984 10 (autoclean)
usbcore 55488 1
soundcore 3364 0 [snd]
tulip 39232 1

am i missing anything?

i did the "rc-update add alsasound boot" and rc-update del alsasound default
so thats not my problem. yesterday i went to the alsa site and got the source fot it and compiled alsa myself. /dev/dsp, /dev/mixer, and /dev/midi now exist but "amixer" and "aplay"
still return "amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such device", "aplay: main:480: audio open error: No such device"
when i start up KDE i get a new msg saying " /dev/sound doesnt exist, using null output."
how do i check /lib/modules/<kernel>/ ?
mario18
:roll:

Valken · n00b Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 26

Did you add soundcore or is it loaded by another module. I've got alsa working by following the howto and it doesnt say the soundcore module should be explicidly (sp) loaded...

In fact, an lsmod of my system shows that soundcore's not even there yet I'm having none of the problems other users of this forum are having with their audio.

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

no i diddnt load the soundsound core module, i think that alsa my have done that.
getting sound working on slackware was not such a task.
_________________
-Mario

Valken · n00b Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 26

I'm still a newbie but if you post your /etc/modules.d/alsa file I'll compare it to my own.

As for the devices being "missing" I was under the impression that alsa creates then when they are needed rather than in advance... I'm not too sure if this is correct but running stuff like Quake3 and Gaim with sound adds the devices needed to /dev/sound at runtime. I have not installed OSS or the alsa-oss package.

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

here it is:

# ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
# OSS/Free portion
alias char-major-14 soundcore

##
## IMPORTANT:
## You need to customise this section for your specific sound card(s)
## and then run `update-modules' command.
## Read alsa-driver's INSTALL file in /usr/share/doc for more info.
##
## ALSA portion
alias snd-card-0 snd-CMI8738
## alias snd-card-1 snd-ens1371
## OSS/Free portion
## alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
## alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1
##

# OSS/Free portion - card #1
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
## OSS/Free portion - card #2
## alias sound-service-1-0 snd-mixer-oss
## alias sound-service-1-3 snd-pcm-oss
## alias sound-service-1-12 snd-pcm-oss

alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss
alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss
alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss

# Set this to the correct number of cards.
options snd cards_limit=1

After i emerged alsa and alsa-utils i got am message telling me that i had 2 config files in /etc that need updating, any clue on how to do that?

:roll:

_________________
-Mario

deprecated · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2003 6:44 pm Post subject:

Hello again,

There are definately alsa modules missing from that.

Here's my full list (not just alsa) for comparison:

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

i followed what u did and this is what happened;

bash-2.05b# insmod snd
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/snd.o
insmod: a module named snd already exists
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-page-alloc
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/snd-page-alloc.o
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-timer
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/snd-timer.o
insmod: a module named snd-timer already exists
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-pcm
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/snd-pcm.o
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-mixer-oss
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/oss/snd-mixer-oss.o
insmod: a module named snd-mixer-oss already exists
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-pcm-oss
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/oss/snd-pcm-oss.o
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-seq-device
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq-device.o
insmod: a module named snd-seq-device already exists
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-seq
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/seq/snd-seq.o
insmod: a module named snd-seq already exists
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-rawmidi
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/acore/snd-rawmidi.o
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-mpu401-uart
Using /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/drivers/mpu401/snd-mpu401-uart.o
bash-2.05b# insmod snd-CMI8378
insmod: snd-CMI8378: no module by that name found

heres lsmod;

Module Size Used by Tainted: P
snd-mpu401-uart 2752 0 (unused)
snd-rawmidi 12288 0 [snd-mpu401-uart]
snd-pcm-oss 35524 0 (unused)
snd-pcm 53056 0 [snd-pcm-oss]
snd-page-alloc 4524 0 [snd-pcm]
snd-seq 30512 0 (autoclean)
snd-timer 12616 0 (autoclean) [snd-pcm snd-seq]
snd-seq-device 3808 0 (autoclean) [snd-rawmidi snd-seq]
snd-mixer-oss 11128 0 (autoclean) [snd-pcm-oss]
snd 25988 0 (autoclean) [snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-pcm-oss snd-pcm snd-seq snd-timer snd-seq-device snd-mixer-oss]
floppy 47036 0 (autoclean)
nvidia 1537984 10 (autoclean)
usbcore 55488 1
soundcore 3364 0 [snd]
tulip 39232 1

the modules that were there before, were placed there by alsa when i emerged it. last night i found that 2.4.20 kernel supported my sound card, so i compiled it with support with my sound card.
from command line i typed update-modules and got this:

bash-2.05b# update-modules
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/drivers/opl4/snd-opl4-lib.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/drivers/opl4/snd-opl4-synth.o
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/sound/i2c/other/snd-ak4xxx-adda.o

whats happening?

still no sound. typing amixer or aplay on command line will try but then says
"amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such device"
like its trying to attach to something but cant?
_________________
-Mario

jesterspet · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:48 pm Post subject:

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

thanks for that post it helped alot. i rebuilt my kernel and no problems, except
when i emerged the alsa stuff it diddnt get the snd-mixer-oss module and the snd-pcm-oss module. i insmoded them and got a msg saying that no modules by that name could be found.

whats up with that?

_________________
-Mario

jrz · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:46 am Post subject:

did you re-emerge all your alsa stuff? ^_^
_________________
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MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

i re emerged all the alsa stuff and edited the /etc files for my sound card amd no modules

any clue? :roll:

_________________
-Mario

antibiotic · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 6:21 am Post subject:

A shot in the dark: did you compile kernel sound support as modules? Sorry if being redundant....
_________________
"What??!! You went over my helmet??"

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

yes i did. its got to be alsa because i did an lsmod and got this:

Module Size Used by Not tainted
soundcore 4356 0
tulip 41888 1

so what next? :?:

_________________
-Mario

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

i finally have the answer.

i rebuit my kernel, and downloaded the alsa drivers and utils from the alsa site and compiled them myself. the emerge ebuilds were fucked and did not hel;p me at all.
lsmod showed this after the install:

Module Size Used by Not tainted
snd-cmipci 20800 0 (autoclean)
snd-opl3-lib 6660 0 (autoclean) [snd-cmipci]
snd-hwdep 5280 0 (autoclean) [snd-opl3-lib]
snd-mpu401-uart 3696 0 (autoclean) [snd-cmipci]
snd-rawmidi 14400 0 [snd-mpu401-uart]
snd-seq 41040 0 (unused)
snd-seq-device 4372 0 [snd-opl3-lib snd-rawmidi snd-seq]
snd-pcm-oss 40164 0 (unused)
snd-mixer-oss 13784 0 [snd-pcm-oss]
snd-pcm 65920 0 [snd-cmipci snd-pcm-oss]
snd-timer 15812 0 [snd-opl3-lib snd-seq snd-pcm]
snd-page-alloc 5392 0 [snd-pcm]
snd 32740 0 [snd-cmipci snd-opl3-lib snd-hwdep snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-seq snd-seq-device snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-timer]
soundcore 4356 7 [snd]
tulip 41888 1

and now im happy :lol:

thanks to all those who had imput on my problem.
_________________
-Mario

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

now i have a new problem.

when i start kde i get a msg from the server "cant open /dev/dsp (ist a directory) using null output."

i deleted the dir /dsp and rebooted and still the same msg. the alsa stuff works great
but arts is seriously messed up. what can i do about that?
_________________
-Mario

jesterspet · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:54 am Post subject:

Check your USE flags.

Make sure you have alsa arts oss listed. If any one of the three are not listed, put whatever is missing in, and then run

emerge -evp world |grep 'arts|alsa\oss'

to find out what needs to be recompiled, this will ensure that everything that can be wrapped in arts or alsa or oss will have the needed functionality you are looking for.
_________________
(X) Yes! I am a brain damaged lemur on crack, and would like to buy your software package for $499.95

dogshu · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 3:14 pm Post subject: I have the exact same problem

I am using alsa 0.9.4 (yes I know its considered unstable), and when I reboot, /dev/sound/dsp and some other devices disappear. I fix this by doing "ln -s /dev/dsp /dev/sound/dsp", but I have to do that on every boot.

I did not have this problem with alsa 0.9.4 under mandrake linux, so it seems like it is a problem with the ebuild, since I have my USE flags properly set and alsa-oss is installed.

MarioCorleone · Guru Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 336

where do i find my use flags? :roll:

_________________
-Mario

StuBear · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 4:15 am Post subject:

phr · n00b Joined: 10 Aug 2003 Posts: 1

i dont know if this has been mentioned because im too tired to read all the threads.
/dev/dsp and /dev/mixer don't really exist because of devfs they have been moved to /dev/sound/dsp and /dev/sound/mixer
all you need to do, that is if you are trying to use alsa-oss, is change /etc/modules.d/alsa so the part that has

alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss
alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss
alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss

to:
alias /dev/sound/mixer snd-mixer-oss
alias /dev/sound/dsp snd-pcm-oss
alias /dev/sound/midi snd-seq-oss

then you might need to change permissions on the devices to whatever you need, so either try it as root or use chmod 777 /dev/sound/blah temporarily to see if its working.
if all else is correct this ought to work. you can alsa 'emerge alsa-xmms' to get a plugin for alsa9 to use with xmms but i hate it so i just use oss emulation.
good luck,
phr