No audio support

[Markus Petermann <markus.petermann@gmx.net>]

Hello,

I have a problem with the audio output of KDE 3.5.3 (the KDE version
currently used by Debian Etch Testing): There is absolutely no sound output.

After the first launch of KDE I got a pop-up with the error message:

"Sound server information message:
Error while initializing sound driver:
device: default can't be opened for playback (No such device)
The sound server will continue, using the null output device."

I started "kcontrol / Sound / Sound System / Hardware" and activated the
ALSA sound system. I installed the remaining alsa packages and ran
alsaconf. Then I used alsamixer and unmuted all channels (both actions
as root). I also used alsamixer as normal user and of cause kmix - no
effect.

Due to Bug report #362282 I replaced libasound2 with version 1.0.11-7 -
no effect.

After this I used the module-assistent to build the ALSA module drivers,
installed them and run alsaconf and alsamixer again - no effect.

I have two remarks concerning this issue:
1. The ALSA sound system works with Debian Sarge.
2. I tested two other distributions (Kubuntu 6.06 and SusSE 10.1) in the
last weeks: I had no sound on both distributions. On Ubuntu 6.06
(using GNOME) audio is available (but I have no idea about the used
sound system).


Here is a dump of the loaded sound modules:
saturn:~$ lsmod | grep snd
snd_intel8x0m          15372  0
snd_intel8x0           29436  3
snd_ac97_codec         82784  2 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0
snd_ac97_bus            2048  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss            43520  0
snd_mixer_oss          15584  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                74408  5
snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              20292  2 snd_pcm
snd                    46080  11
snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               8672  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          9800  3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm

Here is a hardware overview:
saturn:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to I/O
Controller (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82855PM Processor to AGP
Controller (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM
(ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM
(ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM
(ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2
EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 81)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface
Bridge (rev 01)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) IDE
Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M)
SMBus Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM
(ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01)
00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M)
AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon R250 Lf
[FireGL 9000] (rev 01)
02:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. IEEE 1394 Host
Controller (rev 80)
02:01.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 20)
02:02.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG
Network Connection (rev 05)
02:04.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB1410 Cardbus Controller
(rev 01)


I am looking forward for some help.

Greeting,
Markus