Newbie questions: kernel upgrade & sound
I recently aquired a new motherboard (Jetway ATi Radeon Xpress 200)
with onboard sound), new CPU (AMD64) and new graphics card (nVidia
geForce). I previously preferred Knoppix because of its good hardware
detection, but this time it let me down and I was without sound. Enter
Debian... I installed from the "network installation ISO" Debian
stable and everything works fine except for the sound.
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
On Windows I installed the ALC880 driver that came with the
motherboard and it works. Googled, found a linux driver at
www.opendrivers.com. Tried to install it: It seems it is
alsa-driver-1.0.4 . It won't compile...
make[3]: *** [/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.4/kbuild/../pci/via82xx.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.4/kbuild/../pci] Error 2
make[1]: *** [_module_/usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.4/kbuild] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernel-headers-2.6.8-2-386'
make: *** [compile] Error 2
Googled: apparently some ALC880 problems in alsa-driver-1.0.9 were
only fixed in alsa-driver-1.0.10
(http://www.alsa-project.org/changes/v1-0-9--v1-0-10.txt). Moreover,
there seems to be problems with the alsa-driver and kernels older than
2.6.15. But apt (&Synaptic) can't find a kernel 2.6.15! I would like
not to break the current system, as I already installed most of the
programs I want (games excluded because of the lack of sound). And the
current kernel 2.6.8-2 is working just fine for everything else. I
would like to stay with sarge, because of the stability. I added
testing (and unstable) to sources.list and created
/etc/apt/preferences with:
Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 50
Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1
nobix:/etc/apt#
Running the aadebug script, I get:
ALSA Audio Debug v0.1.0 - Sat Jan 21 17:10:11 SAST 2006
http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php?page=aadebug
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt
Kernel ----------------------------------------------------
Linux nobix 2.6.8-2-386 #1 Tue Aug 16 12:46:35 UTC 2005 i686 GNU/Linux
Loaded Modules --------------------------------------------
snd_pcm_oss 48168 0
snd_mixer_oss 16640 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 85384 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 11144 1 snd_pcm
snd_timer 23300 1 snd_pcm
snd 50660 4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
Modprobe Conf ---------------------------------------------
# snd module options
options snd device_mode=0660
alias char-major-116 snd
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1
alias sound-slot-2 snd-card-2
alias sound-slot-3 snd-card-3
alias sound-slot-4 snd-card-4
alias sound-slot-5 snd-card-5
alias sound-slot-6 snd-card-6
alias sound-slot-7 snd-card-7
above sound-slot-0 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-1 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-2 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-3 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-4 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-5 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-6 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
above sound-slot-7 snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-seq-oss
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
above snd-pcm snd-pcm-oss
above snd-mixer snd-mixer-oss
above snd-seq snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi
# Cause a script to be run after snd-emu8000-synth module initialization
post-install snd-emu8000-synth /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu8000-synth
post-install snd-ad1816a /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ad1816a
post-install snd-ad1848 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ad1848
post-install snd-ali5451 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ali5451
post-install snd-als100 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-als100
post-install snd-als4000 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-als4000
post-install snd-asihpi /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-asihpi
post-install snd-atiixp /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-atiixp
post-install snd-au8810 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8810
post-install snd-au8820 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8820
post-install snd-au8830 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-au8830
post-install snd-azt2320 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-azt2320
post-install snd-azt3328 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-azt3328
post-install snd-azx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-azx
post-install snd-ca0106 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ca0106
post-install snd-cmi8330 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cmi8330
post-install snd-cmipci /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cmipci
post-install snd-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4231
post-install snd-cs4232 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4232
post-install snd-cs4236 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4236
post-install snd-cs4281 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs4281
post-install snd-cs46xx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-cs46xx
post-install snd-darla20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-darla20
post-install snd-darla24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-darla24
post-install snd-dt019x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-dt019x
post-install snd-emu10k1 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu10k1
post-install snd-emu10k1x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-emu10k1x
post-install snd-ens1370 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ens1370
post-install snd-ens1371 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ens1371
post-install snd-es1688 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1688
post-install snd-es18xx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es18xx
post-install snd-es1938 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1938
post-install snd-es1968 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es1968
post-install snd-es968 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-es968
post-install snd-fm801 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-fm801
post-install snd-gina20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gina20
post-install snd-gina24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gina24
post-install snd-gina3g /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gina3g
post-install snd-gusclassic /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusclassic
post-install snd-gusextreme /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusextreme
post-install snd-gusmax /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-gusmax
post-install snd-harmony /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-harmony
post-install snd-hdsp /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-hdsp
post-install snd-hdspm /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-hdspm
post-install snd-ice1712 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ice1712
post-install snd-ice1724 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ice1724
post-install snd-indigo /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigo
post-install snd-indigodj /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigodj
post-install snd-indigoio /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-indigoio
post-install snd-intel8x0 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-intel8x0
post-install snd-interwave /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-interwave
post-install snd-interwave-stb /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-interwave-stb
post-install snd-korg1212 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-korg1212
post-install snd-layla20 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-layla20
post-install snd-layla24 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-layla24
post-install snd-layla3g /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-layla3g
post-install snd-maestro3 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-maestro3
post-install snd-mia /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mia
post-install snd-mixart /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mixart
post-install snd-mona /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mona
post-install snd-mpu401 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mpu401
post-install snd-msnd-pinnacle /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-msnd-pinnacle
post-install snd-mtpav /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-mtpav
post-install snd-nm256 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-nm256
post-install snd-opl3sa2 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opl3sa2
post-install snd-opti92x-ad1848 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install
snd-opti92x-ad1848
post-install snd-opti92x-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install
snd-opti92x-cs4231
post-install snd-opti93x /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-opti93x
post-install snd-pc98-cs4232 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pc98-cs4232
post-install snd-pcxhr /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pcxhr
post-install snd-pdaudiocf /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pdaudiocf
post-install snd-pdplus /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-pdplus
post-install snd-portman2x4 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-portman2x4
post-install snd-powermac /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-powermac
post-install snd-rme32 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme32
post-install snd-rme96 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme96
post-install snd-rme9652 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-rme9652
post-install snd-sa11xx-uda1341 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install
snd-sa11xx-uda1341
post-install snd-sb16 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sb16
post-install snd-sb8 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sb8
post-install snd-sbawe /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sbawe
post-install snd-serialmidi /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-serialmidi
post-install snd-serial-u16550 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-serial-u16550
post-install snd-sgalaxy /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sgalaxy
post-install snd-sonicvibes /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sonicvibes
post-install snd-sscape /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sscape
post-install snd-sun-amd7930 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-amd7930
post-install snd-sun-cs4231 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-cs4231
post-install snd-sun-dbri /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-sun-dbri
post-install snd-trident /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-trident
post-install snd-usb-audio /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-usb-audio
post-install snd-usb-usx2y /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-usb-usx2y
post-install snd-via82xx /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-via82xx
post-install snd-vx222 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vx222
post-install snd-vxp440 /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vxp440
post-install snd-vxpocket /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vxpocket
post-install snd-wavefront /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-wavefront
post-install snd-ymfpci /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-ymfpci
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-bt87x index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
# alias snd-atiixp-modem off
# alias snd-intel8x0m off
# alias snd-via82xx-modem off
Proc Asound -----------------------------------------------
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.4 (Mon May 17
14:31:44 2004 UTC).
Compiled on Aug 16 2005 for kernel 2.6.8-2-386.
--- no soundcards ---
33: : timer
cat: /proc/asound/hwdep: No such file or directory
cat: /proc/asound/seq/clients: No such file or directory
Dev Snd ---------------------------------------------------
controlC0 timer
CPU -------------------------------------------------------
model name : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+
cpu MHz : 2200.491
RAM -------------------------------------------------------
MemTotal: 906736 kB
SwapTotal: 1052216 kB
Hardware --------------------------------------------------
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: ATI Technologies Inc: Unknown device 5950 (rev 01)
If I left out anything, just ask.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is there any problems with the stability of the newer kernels? Why
is it not included in sarge?
2. Do I need to compile a new kernel or is it possible to just apt-get
install a new kernel version? Will doing this have any effect on the
rest of the system? (I.e. will I still have a Debian stable version at
the end of the day?)
3. I it possible to just add the new kernel and still keep the
"official" current kernel as an option in GRUB? How? (Links to
how-to's?)
4. Isn't there some kind of wrapper module that one can use to just
wrap around the Windows drivers provided by the hardware
manufacturers?
Thank you!
Koos van der Merwe
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