Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

I downloaded EasyPup 2.5.1 and burned it to a DVD yesterday. It booted ok but I can't get the audio to work. The motherboard has built-in audio and there's a PCI audio card as well. I tried the multiple audio card wizard and the card chooser in Alsamixer. Everything in Alsamixer is turned up to max.

EasyPup did find the PCI audio card, but the card seems to have a bad connection to the audio output jack, so I can't use it.

Every other Puppy sees the motherboard audio and uses it as the default, but not EasyPup 2.5.1. What can I do? Here's the Hardinfo summary:

-Computer-
Processor : 2x AMD A4-7300 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
Memory : 15570MB (2417MB used)
Machine Type : Physical machine
Operating System : Puppy Buster64
User Name : root (root)
Date/Time : Thu Sep 23 18:47:48 2021
-Display-
Resolution : 1600x900 pixels
OpenGL Renderer : AMD ARUBA (DRM 2.50.0 / 5.4.81, LLVM 7.0.1)
X11 Vendor : The X.Org Foundation
-Audio Devices-
Audio Adapter : CMI8738 - C-Media CMI8738
Audio Adapter : HDA-Intel - HDA ATI HDMI
Audio Adapter : HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
-Input Devices-
HID 04d9:1203
HID 04d9:1203 System Control
HID 04d9:1203 Consumer Control
Primax Kensington Eagle Trackball
Power Button
Power Button
Video Bus
PC Speaker
HDA ATI HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm : 3=
HD-Audio Generic Front Mic
HD-Audio Generic Rear Mic
HD-Audio Generic Line
HD-Audio Generic Line Out
HD-Audio Generic Front Headphone
-Printers (CUPS)-
CUPS-PDF : <i>Default</i>
-SCSI Disks-
ASUS BW-12B1ST
hp v165w
General USB Flash Disk

EasyPup did find the PCI audio card, but the card seems to have a bad connection to the audio output jack, so I can't use it.

why not remove the broken card?

Hi everyone
Ive been using/playing with EasyOS and Easypup for many months and i get no sound through my desktop speakers
connected to the jackplug on my lenovo computer, so its not a card issue but rather a software problem -libs not compiled in perhaps.

With Easypup I couldnt get any sound with HDA-Intel.

My /etc/asound.conf seemed ok
defaults.pcm.card 1
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 1

I installed Retrovol
http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/quirky ... pril64.pet

and set configuration to Hw:1
and then sound worked ok.
No idea what was wrong.

Thanks Philh
I downloaded the pet and it worked.

@Philh, thanks. I installed Retrovol and it seems to do something but no audio so far. Now I have 3 audio controllers: Alsamixer, Retrovol and the sound card wizard, and none of them seem to do the job.

when using the wizard, are you getting the confirmation after selecting the card/device?

williwaw wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 6:15 pm

when using the wizard, are you getting the confirmation after selecting the card/device?

I'm not sure what you mean. I can highlight a device in the multiple sound card window (by clicking on it), then click the "Test sound" button. The sound test window now only flickers into existence for only a moment on most devices; it used to stay, though no sound came out of the speakers.

I can highlight a device and click the "Select card/device" button, then the Retrovol window appears. After I close Retrovol, a green check mark remains on that device in the multiple sound card window. Is that what you mean by confirmation?

In retrovol full window I had to turn speaker, pcm and master to max.

You could try aplay -l to see your hw

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC3227 Analog [ALC3227 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Here's what aplay -l returns:

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: CMI8738 [C-Media CMI8738], device 0: CMI8738 [C-Media PCI DAC/ADC]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: CMI8738 [C-Media CMI8738], device 1: CMI8738 [C-Media PCI 2nd DAC]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: CMI8738 [C-Media CMI8738], device 2: CMI8738 [C-Media PCI IEC958]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
#

That looks pretty much the same as it does in every other Puppy I've tried in this computer. How can I tell which one of those devices Easypup thinks it's using?

Flash wrote: Sat Sep 25, 2021 8:26 pm

I can highlight a device and click the "Select card/device" button, then the Retrovol window appears. After I close Retrovol, a green check mark remains on that device in the multiple sound card window. Is that what you mean by confirmation?

I am actually using the wizard in easyOS, but after selecting card/device, I get not retrovol, but a gray yad? at the top for a few seconds

I have seen the wizard hang and the test sound dialog flash if trying a number of configs. does it work normal if you restart x or reboot? I have heard of the sound being set low on the slider on the taskbar (maybe pnmixer?), where the test sound is not very loud

I have several machines with 2 (or more) soundcards and have experienced this issue with EasyOS/EasyPup
For some reason, it loads the PCI soundcard as default when in fact I want the integrated (motherboard) soundcard to be the default.
I have found that the best fix for this is to edit the file /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and reboot
You will need to work out what are the 2 names of the kernel modules which correspond to the 2 soundcards
Then add 2 lines to the end of that file, defining index=0 for the default and index=1 for the second or non-default soundcard.
In one example I have here, I add the lines:-
options snd-hda-intel index=0
options snd-cmipci index=1
BUT those names (snd-hda-intel and snd-cmipci) might be different for your hardware so you have to use the right names
Obviously you need to be running with a save-file (or saving back to DVD)
Remember to reboot after saving the changes
That should ensure that the desired soundcard will always be the system default
I have always found that this works better than trying to use the wizard(s)
You still can set individual applications to use the second soundcard if you wish (in their settings and preferences).

Flash,

can you please post the outputs from dmesg and "cat ~/.asoundrc".

@snoring_cat, the output of dmesg is quite large, apparently from errors made while ripping an audio book from CDs. I don't want to post it in the forum as is. Is there anything I should look for? I don't see anything that looks like audio file errors.

Here's the output of "cat ~/.asoundrc"

# cat ~/.asoundrc
cat: /root/.asoundrc: No such file or directory
#

@OscarTalks, here's the contents of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:

# BK got this file from Ubuntu, May 2011.
# autoloader aliases
install sound-slot-0 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-0
install sound-slot-1 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-1
install sound-slot-2 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-2
install sound-slot-3 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-3
install sound-slot-4 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-4
install sound-slot-5 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-5
install sound-slot-6 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-6
install sound-slot-7 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-7

# Cause optional modules to be loaded above generic modules
install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-ioctl32 ; /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-seq ; }
#
# Workaround at bug #499695 (reverted in Ubuntu see LP #319505)
install snd-pcm /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-pcm $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-pcm-oss ; : ; }
install snd-mixer /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-mixer $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-mixer-oss ; : ; }
install snd-seq /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-seq $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-seq-midi ; /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-seq-oss ; : ; }
#
install snd-rawmidi /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-rawmidi $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-seq-midi ; : ; }
# Cause optional modules to be loaded above sound card driver modules
install snd-emu10k1 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-emu10k1-synth ; }
install snd-via82xx /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-via82xx $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist snd-seq ; }

# Load saa7134-alsa instead of saa7134 (which gets dragged in by it anyway)
install saa7134 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install saa7134 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet --use-blacklist saa7134-alsa ; : ; }
# Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
options bt87x index=-2
options cx88_alsa index=-2
options saa7134-alsa index=-2
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
options snd-usb-audio index=-2
options snd-usb-caiaq index=-2
options snd-usb-ua101 index=-2
options snd-usb-us122l index=-2
options snd-usb-usx2y index=-2
# Ubuntu #62691, enable MPU for snd-cmipci
options snd-cmipci mpu_port=0x330 fm_port=0x388
# Keep snd-pcsp from being loaded as first soundcard
options snd-pcsp index=-2
# Keep snd-usb-audio from beeing loaded as first soundcard
options snd-usb-audio index=-2

Is this what you expected to see?

I would try a quick set
retrovol config hardware to hw:2 as thats your onboard.
Assuming you are using the jack output and not hdmi.
Retrovol config tray may need setting to master playback volume.

aplay /usr/share/audio/2barks.au

Thats as far as I can go.

@Philh /all :-

Well, installing that 'forked' Retrovol .pet from wdlkmpx seems to have sorted MY "no-audio" issue in EasyOS Buster64 2.6.2. Everything's now working as it should. Just gotta figure out how to disable the other volume control from showing in the tray!

Mike.

Flash wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 5:36 pm

Is this what you expected to see?

Yes, you just have to add the 2 extra lines at the end (or at the bottom) of that.
Someone may know the best way of finding out what the 2 names of the soundcard kernel modules are in your case.

OscarTalks wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:17 pm

Someone may know the best way of finding out what the 2 names of the soundcard kernel modules are in your case.

I used the command below to find the names:
# cat /proc/asound/modules

EasyPup on my ThinkPad L440 returned the following:

 0 snd_hda_intel
 1 snd_hda_intel
29 thinkpad_acpi

ThinkPad L440 has an analog sound output and an HDMI. They happen to have the same name.
29 thinkpad_acpi is irrelevant here, I am afraid.

# cat ~/.asoundrc
cat: /root/.asoundrc: No such file or directory
#

Do you have the file /etc/asound.conf? This is where your default sound card should be defined.

Without it, media player apps won't know that you want to use Card 2.

rcrsn51 wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:21 pm

Do you have the file /etc/asound.conf? This is where your default sound card should be defined.

Without it, media player apps won't know that you want to use Card 2.

As a matter of fact there seem to be several such files:

/etc/asound.conf contains:

defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 0
#SND_HW_PROFILE='0+'

/etc/asound.conf. contains:

#SND_HW_PROFILE=''

/etc/asound.conf.0+ contains:

defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.ctl.card 0
#SND_HW_PROFILE='0+'

/etc/asound.state contains 1050 lines so I won't paste it here but they all go something like this:

state.CMI8738 {
control.1 {
iface PCM
device 2
name 'Playback Channel Map'
value.0 0
value.1 0
comment {
access read
type INTEGER
count 2
range '0 - 36'
}
}
control.2 {
iface MIXER
name 'Master Playback Volume'
value.0 24
value.1 24
comment {
access 'read write'
type INTEGER
count 2
range '0 - 31'

Posted by mistake.

Posted by mistake.

Sorry, I've been busy with other things. Give me a little more time.

@ Flash, 3 things if I may,
1-Out of curiousity, Whats the chipset (number and version/date please) on your motherboard?
2-Can you have a check at what the assigned interupts your onboard and sound card are using? They should not be the same one as this will cause problems, it's an old problem. You might have to change the sound card's one if your using both, or just disable the onboard one in the 'bios' if your using the sound card.
3- If you have the time and capacity, try downloading easypup 2.3.3, burn a CD, and see if that works, i'm finding that 2.3.3 is working correctly on hardware that 2.5.1 won't. I'm chasing what's wrong as I have quite a few boxes, and not all the same chipsets either, that I look after locally that would be affected if I upgrade them to 2.5.1. and it's time to move them up from mainly puppy 3's and 4's.

@everyone
I'm working on some updates for 233 and 251 at present, like an updated kernel to start with (5.10.69 for now, 5.14.8 hopefully as soon as I can sort out all the config changes needed) and some other fixes. I'm considering that I might just end up building an easypup bookworm64. I'll open a thread soon, when I'm at a stage to release anything much.

Hi Flash, long time no see!
I had a lot of problems with EasyPup 2.4 and 2.51, so I use 2.4.91 instead. Works flawlessly!

BTW, audio problems in Puppys has been debated up-and-down through the years, and now seem to migrate to EasyPup. I have never seen that in other forums, so I have a feeling that there must be an underlaying problem in basic source code somewhere. It may be a local US problem? I have never had any audio issues at all here in Norway, since I started using Puppy 2.something 14-15 years ago.

tallboy

Flash wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 5:51 pm

Sorry, I've been busy with other things. Give me a little more time.

And?

The weather cooled off, so I've been repairing and enlarging the sprinkler system in my yard. It's still not quite done, but it's working well enough that I can leave it for a while now. Some other things have been taking time as well. Then I have to re-read the suggestions and advice I've been given here.

@Flash
Flash, what do you think about using a 'LogiLink UA0053 USB to analogue' device? It works great with EasyPup 2.5.1 . I'm using this one on my Raspberry pi 4 too.

This USB soundcard will be identified in /etc like this: /etc/asound.conf.1+usb+0D8C:013C and /etc/asound.state.1+usb+0D8C:013C

Rem.: There is one weak point to it, it is the socket (mike/phone). To get around this you can use a short extender cable allowing you to plug and unplug many times.

@FeodorF, Thanks! You solved another problem for me. I had bought a USB D-to-A audio converter, similar to the one you pictured, a few years ago, on sale, tried it out and then set it aside and forgot about it until you reminded me. I found it, plugged it into the back of my computer, opened the sound card wizard in Easypup and there it was. So I clicked on it and then on the "Test sound card" button and it made noise. I didn't even have to reboot Easypup to get it to work. I did restart the X server before I tried it out on a YouTube video. So I'm going to mark this topic solved.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice and suggestions on getting my onboard audio to work, but I'll take the easy way out for now, as I don't have the time it would take to troubleshoot the audio.

Flash wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:41 pm

@FeodorF, Thanks! You solved another problem for me. I had bought a USB D-to-A audio converter, similar to the one you pictured, a few years ago, on sale, tried it out and then set it aside and forgot about it until you reminded me. I found it, plugged it into the back of my computer, opened the sound card wizard in Easypup and there it was. So I clicked on it and then on the "Test sound card" button and it made noise. I didn't even have to reboot Easypup to get it to work. I did restart the X server before I tried it out on a YouTube video. So I'm going to mark this topic solved.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice and suggestions on getting my onboard audio to work, but I'll take the easy way out for now, as I don't have the time it would take to troubleshoot the audio.

@Flash :-

There you go. See, you DID find a use for it in the end.....and just two simple controls.

More or less what was going on when I first tried Easy Buster 2.6.2. My headphones - wireless, with built-in sound card and two simple controls, just like this thing - worked straight away. But the onboard audio would NOT until I tried that "ported" re-build of Retrovol.....following which, everything just started behaving itself again!

The USB sound card I bought around the same time you did, I only bought it for ye anciente Dell lappie. That hardly gets any use now, so the sound card sits in my bottom drawer from one month to the next these days.....

(*sigh*)

Pays to hang onto stuff, mind. You NEVER know when ya might want it..!

Mike.