missing /dev/dsp and Skype

[jonathanhaddock]

Hi all,

I hope you can help me cos this is driving me round the bend! I installed skype, hoping that it would work unlike the Kphone install I had but they both have the same problem. If i attempt to make a phone call the mic buzzes like anything (and I know the mic works as I have tested it on several machines now).

In desperation I looked to the internet "get alsaconf" so :

apt-get install alsaconf

Which installed all its dependancies nicely. The problem however wasn't solved but worsened.

/dev/dsp is now missing, as is /dev/audio but I can hear the mic when I unmute it in the mixer (very quietly). Skype now complains thus:

volume_open: error opening /dev/mixer: No such file or directory
volume_open: error opening /dev/mixer: No such file or directory
volume_open: error opening /dev/mixer: No such file or directory
/dev/dsp-1: No such file or directory

Now I could run alsaconf again but I'd rather be told what to do so i don't mess it up completely. I've not played with linux sound systems before. Help! Card is an AC97 and is supported by the way.

Thanks in adavance...
Jonathan[/quote]

[Aris]

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?p=5082#5082

I wrote that "tutorial" for another friend who has the same problem as you.
AC'97 Intel Soundcard module is provided with the kernel modules in Debian so the only thing you have to do is what the link says.

Also, If you have sound you must NOT install any alsa utilities, now the module has been removed, so you have to install it again via this proccedure.

Moreover, after installing the module and have sound again, be sure that any of your art/sound engines, /usr/bin/artsd for example is not running so the soundcard is not busy, in order both kphone (or how) and skype be able to work properly

-- Aris V.

[jonathanhaddock]

Hello Arts,

Thanks for your reply but I hate to tell you this, it didn't help.
I uninstalled ALSA stuff (including ALSAUTILS) and then ran modconf (had to install it) but I have no idea what it actually does. The sound module for sound/pci/ac97 is already installed apareantly.

/dev/dsp and /dev/audio still have not rematerialised. XMMS gives me the same error as before so I won't even bother to try skype. I went into the KDE Control Centre and it also said it couldn't find /dev/dsp. Can I just mkdir /dev/dsp?

Jonathan

[anon]

If you're running a 2.6 with udev (gnome pulls it in), the that might be the problem, as udev is supposed to create those devices itself for devfs compability. (If you're tracking sid note that you need a 2.6.12 kernel to get udev working at all, it turns itself off otherwise, for added confusion the linux kernel image packages have been renamed, its now linux-image-2.6.12)

[anon]

It seems unreasonable that you should have to uninstall the alsa packages, you should be able to install the alsa-oss package to provide backwards compability.

[Aris]

jonathanhaddock: are you sure that it is already installed? remove it, and the re-install it please from modconf and try again
Also, tell us your kernel version. (uname -r)

-- Aris V.

[jonathanhaddock]

Hello,

Kernel version:

>uname -r
2.6.8-1-686

Upon attempting to remove ac97 module using modconf:

Removing module snd-ac97-codec...

FATAL: Module snd_ac97_codec is in use.

snd-ac97-codec was not removed.

Something went wrong. You might want to write down the error messages
before you continue. Please press ENTER when you are ready.

The motherboard is an ASRock P4VT8+ if that is any help to anyone? Sound was originally working and now isn't so the module surely can't have just gone poof?!

I'm not familiar with this bit of linux so a bit more detail in any instructions would be nice (assumed knowledge is always dangerous imo).

Cheers,
Jonathan

[anon]

kernel 2.6.8-1 is outdated, and was afaik removed pre sarge, if you're tracking stable get 2.6.8-2, the /dev/mixer is supposed to be created by udev (if you got it, otherwise it shoud be created by devfs, in which case you'd probably be looking at a permission problem). There was a bunch of problems with hotplug and discover pre sage aswell (this would manifest itself as not loadin the correct sound modules or loading both oss/alsa, in which case it breaks), check with lsmod, post the output here if you need help. Try doing an apt-get update and reinstall udev, hotplug, discover just to make sure you're not hit by some old bug. Just reboot to get rid of the alsa kernel module and make sure it's not listed in /etc/modules, it's not worth the time to sort it out if a reboot fixes it and you need to reboot anyway for the new kernel.

[jonathanhaddock]

The kernel I'm using may be updated but the ones that got downloaded last time I received any kernel update had funny names and just plain didn't boot.

Udev dis, absolutely nothing:

JonathanL:/home/jon# udev
JonathanL:/home/jon#

And I ran it as root. I know it isn't a permissions problem as I checked in /dev as root.
Just installed discover, whatever it is for?

Setting up discover-data (2.2005.02.13-1) ...
Setting up libdiscover2 (2.0.7-2.1) ...

Setting up discover (2.0.7-2.1) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/discover ...
debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Gnome
debconf: (Unable to load Gnome -- is libgnome2-perl installed?)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Dialog
Unregistering obsolete debconf question(s)...done.
Discovering hardware: sata_via via82cxxx uhci-hcd ehci-hcd snd-via82xx via-rhine
Skipping Module sata_via. It's already loaded.
Skipping Module via82cxxx. It's already loaded.
Loading uhci-hcd:
Loading ehci-hcd:
Loading snd-via82xx:
Loading via-rhine:

So now rebooting...

Well, booted up fine. Still no /dev/dsp or /dev/audio. lsmod provides the following:

Module Size Used by
ipv6 264612 15
lp 11176 0
af_packet 22600 2
psmouse 20360 0
floppy 61200 0
analog 11968 0
parport_pc 36900 1
pcspkr 3592 0
rtc 12760 0
xpad 6208 0
whiteheat 49412 0
wacom 12832 0
ovcamchip 23208 0
w9968cf 78752 0
i2c_core 24176 2 ovcamchip,w9968cf
visor 18128 0
vicam 12064 0
uss720 9632 0
parport 41832 3 lp,parport_pc,uss720
usbtest 17868 0
usb_storage 69152 0
usbnet 28552 0
usbmouse 5664 0
usb_midi 24132 0
usblp 13088 0
usbled 4448 0
usblcd 5860 0
usbkbd 7424 0
ultracam 15884 0
touchkitusb 5440 0
tiglusb 9604 0
stv680 28748 0
speedtch 15152 0
sn9c102 53832 0
se401 18404 0
safe_serial 8204 0
rtl8150 13824 0
rio500 7060 0
pwc 53008 0
powermate 7072 0
pl2303 17732 0
phidgetservo 6240 0
pegasus 24296 0
ov511 87740 0
omninet 6596 0
ohci_hcd 21764 0
mtouchusb 5792 0
microtek 7808 0
mdc800 11108 0
mct_u232 10692 0
legousbtower 16868 0
konicawc 13768 0
kobil_sct 12996 0
kl5kusb105 13764 0
keyspan_pda 15172 0
keyspan 31188 0
kbtab 5280 0
kaweth 21888 0
ir_usb 10700 0
ipaq 11568 0
io_ti 50320 0
io_edgeport 88072 0
ibmcam 59468 0
usbvideo 31140 3 ultracam,konicawc,ibmcam
hpusbscsi 7808 0
gadgetfs 19532 0
net2280 24588 1 gadgetfs
ftdi_sio 30820 0
empeg 9352 0
dsbr100 6304 0
videodev 10016 9 w9968cf,vicam,stv680,sn9c102,se401,pwc,ov511,usbvideo,dsbr100
digi_acceleport 19620 0
cytherm 6176 0
cyberjack 10148 0
cdc_acm 12384 0
catc 13408 0
belkin_sa 9732 0
usbserial 29896 19 whiteheat,visor,safe_serial,pl2303,omninet,mct_u232,kobil_sct,kl5kusb105,keyspan_pda,keyspan,ir_usb,ipaq,io_ti,io_edgeport,ftdi_sio,empeg,digi_acceleport,cyberjack,belkin_sa
auerswald 17600 0
audio 48512 0
ati_remote 12968 0
aiptek 21056 0
pciehp 99084 0
shpchp 101996 0
pci_hotplug 34640 2 pciehp,shpchp
via_agp 9056 1
agpgart 34696 1 via_agp
joydev 9984 0
evdev 9600 0
mousedev 10476 1
tsdev 7392 0
via_rhine 21576 0
mii 5120 2 usbnet,via_rhine
crc32 4320 4 usbnet,speedtch,catc,via_rhine
usbhid 32192 0
snd_via82xx 29540 0
snd_ac97_codec 70020 1 snd_via82xx
snd_pcm 98728 1 snd_via82xx
snd_timer 25668 1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc 11752 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
gameport 4704 2 analog,snd_via82xx
snd_mpu401_uart 7968 1 snd_via82xx
snd_rawmidi 25156 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 8200 1 snd_rawmidi
snd 57156 7 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 10336 3 usb_midi,audio,snd
ehci_hcd 32004 0
uhci_hcd 33136 0
usbcore 119012 72 xpad,whiteheat,wacom,w9968cf,visor,vicam,uss720,usbtest,usb_storage,usbnet,usbmouse,usb_midi,usblp,usbled,usblcd,usbkbd,ultracam,touchkitusb,tiglusb,stv680,speedtch,sn9c102,se401,safe_serial,rtl8150,rio500,pwc,powermate,pl2303,phidgetservo,pegasus,ov511,omninet,ohci_hcd,mtouchusb,microtek,mdc800,mct_u232,legousbtower,konicawc,kobil_sct,kl5kusb105,keyspan_pda,keyspan,kbtab,kaweth,ir_usb,ipaq,io_ti,io_edgeport,ibmcam,usbvideo,hpusbscsi,ftdi_sio,empeg,dsbr100,digi_acceleport,cytherm,cyberjack,cdc_acm,catc,belkin_sa,usbserial,auerswald,audio,ati_remote,aiptek,usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
sata_via 7428 0
dm_mod 59804 1
capability 4520 0
commoncap 7232 1 capability
ide_cd 42656 0
cdrom 40732 1 ide_cd
reiserfs 247760 1
ext2 71848 0
ext3 127240 2
jbd 62616 1 ext3
mbcache 9348 2 ext2,ext3
ide_generic 1408 0
ide_disk 19296 6
via82cxxx 14332 1
ide_core 139908 5 usb_storage,ide_cd,ide_generic,ide_disk,via82cxxx
sd_mod 21696 0
ata_piix 8164 0
libata 41700 2 sata_via,ata_piix
scsi_mod 125196 5 usb_storage,microtek,hpusbscsi,sd_mod,libata
unix 28692 100
font 8320 0
vesafb 6656 0
cfbcopyarea 3840 1 vesafb
cfbimgblt 3040 1 vesafb
cfbfillrect 3776 1 vesafb

and an ls of /dev give:

agpgart hdd ram10 tty tty28 tty48 ttyS1 ttyS3 ttyS7
cdrom initctl ram11 tty0 tty29 tty49 ttyS10 ttyS30 ttyS8
cdrom1 input ram12 tty1 tty3 tty5 ttyS11 ttyS31 ttyS9
cdrw kmem ram13 tty10 tty30 tty50 ttyS12 ttyS32 urandom
console kmsg ram14 tty11 tty31 tty51 ttyS13 ttyS33 vcs
core log ram15 tty12 tty32 tty52 ttyS14 ttyS34 vcs1
dvd loop ram2 tty13 tty33 tty53 ttyS15 ttyS35 vcs2
evms lp0 ram3 tty14 tty34 tty54 ttyS16 ttyS36 vcs3
fd lvm ram4 tty15 tty35 tty55 ttyS17 ttyS37 vcs4
fd0 MAKEDEV ram5 tty16 tty36 tty56 ttyS18 ttyS38 vcs5
full mapper ram6 tty17 tty37 tty57 ttyS19 ttyS39 vcs6
hda mem ram7 tty18 tty38 tty58 ttyS2 ttyS4 vcs7
hda1 net ram8 tty19 tty39 tty59 ttyS20 ttyS40 vcsa
hda2 null ram9 tty2 tty4 tty6 ttyS21 ttyS41 vcsa1
hda3 port random tty20 tty40 tty60 ttyS22 ttyS42 vcsa2
hda4 ppp rtc tty21 tty41 tty61 ttyS23 ttyS43 vcsa3
hdb printer shm tty22 tty42 tty62 ttyS24 ttyS44 vcsa4
hdb1 psaux snd tty23 tty43 tty63 ttyS25 ttyS45 vcsa5
hdb2 ptmx sndstat tty24 tty44 tty7 ttyS26 ttyS46 vcsa6
hdb3 pts stderr tty25 tty45 tty8 ttyS27 ttyS47 vcsa7
hdb4 ram0 stdin tty26 tty46 tty9 ttyS28 ttyS5 xconsole
hdc ram1 stdout tty27 tty47 ttyS0 ttyS29 ttyS6 zero

Any ideas?
Jonathan

[anon]

You have the snd_ac97 alsa modules loaded, (and discover loaded the additional snd_via82xx). Hotplug and discover tend to overlap and since you managed fine without discover, you'll probably be better off without it.

Now, the only way I know that snd_ac97 could have been loaded is either by hotplug in wich case you have the alsa-base package installed or if you have it listed in /etc/modules (I belive this is fine btw).


Your ls /dev shows that you indeed are using hotplug, but lack some devices, here's what i have (2.6 udev alsa alsa-oss etc):

adsp ptybf ptyq6 ptyud ptyz4 tty4 ttyc9 ttyr0 ttyS8 ttyvf
agpgart ptyc0 ptyq7 ptyue ptyz5 tty40 ttyca ttyr1 ttys9 ttywf
audio ptyc1 ptyq8 ptyuf ptyz6 tty41 ttycb ttyr2 ttyS9 ttyx0
cdrom ptyc2 ptyq9 ptyv0 ptyz7 tty42 ttycc ttyr3 ttysa ttyx1
cdrw ptyc3 ptyqa ptyw0 ptyz8 tty43 ttycd ttyr4 ttysb ttyx2
console ptyc4 ptyqb ptyv1 ptyz9 tty44 ttyce ttyr5 ttysc ttyx3
core ptyc5 ptyqc ptyw1 ptyza tty45 ttycf ttyr6 ttysd ttyx4
dsp ptyc6 ptyqd ptyv2 ptyzb tty46 ttyd0 ttyr7 ttyse ttyx5
dvd ptyc7 ptyqe ptyw2 ptyzc tty47 ttyd1 ttyr8 ttysf ttyx6
dvdrw ptyc8 ptyqf ptyv3 ptyzd tty48 ttyd2 ttyr9 ttyt0 ttyx7
fd ptyc9 ptyr0 ptyw3 ptyze tty49 ttyd3 ttyra ttyt1 ttyx8
fd0 ptyca ptyr1 ptyv4 ptyzf tty5 ttyd4 ttyrb ttyt2 ttyx9
full ptycb ptyr2 ptyw4 ram0 tty50 ttyd5 ttyrc ttyt3 ttyxa
hda ptycc ptyr3 ptyv5 ram1 tty51 ttyd6 ttyrd ttyt4 ttyxb
hda1 ptycd ptyr4 ptyw5 ram10 tty52 ttyd7 ttyre ttyt5 ttyxc
hda2 ptyce ptyr5 ptyv6 ram11 tty53 ttyd8 ttyrf ttyt6 ttyxd
hda5 ptycf ptyr6 ptyw6 ram12 tty54 ttyd9 ttys0 ttyt7 ttyxe
hda6 ptyd0 ptyr7 ptyv7 ram13 tty55 ttyda ttyS0 ttyt8 ttyxf
hdb ptyd1 ptyr8 ptyw7 ram14 tty56 ttydb ttys1 ttyt9 ttyy0
hdb1 ptyd2 ptyr9 ptyv8 ram15 tty57 ttydc ttyS1 ttyta ttyy1
hdb2 ptyd3 ptyra ptyw8 ram2 tty58 ttydd ttyS10 ttytb ttyy2
hdb5 ptyd4 ptyrb ptyv9 ram3 tty59 ttyde ttyS11 ttytc ttyy3
hdc ptyd5 ptyrc ptyw9 ram4 tty6 ttydf ttyS12 ttytd ttyy4
hpet ptyd6 ptyrd ptyva ram5 tty60 ttye0 ttyS13 ttyte ttyy5
initctl ptyd7 ptyre ptywa ram6 tty61 ttye1 ttyS14 ttytf ttyy6
input ptyd8 ptyrf ptyvb ram7 tty62 ttye2 ttyS15 ttyu0 ttyy7
kmem ptyd9 ptys0 ptywb ram8 tty63 ttye3 ttyS16 ttyu1 ttyy8
kmsg ptyda ptys1 ptyvc ram9 tty7 ttye4 ttyS17 ttyu2 ttyy9
log ptydb ptys2 ptywc random tty8 ttye5 ttyS18 ttyu3 ttyya
loop ptydc ptys3 ptyvd rtc tty9 ttye6 ttyS19 ttyu4 ttyyb
MAKEDEV ptydd ptys4 ptywd shm ttya0 ttye7 ttys2 ttyu5 ttyyc
mem ptyde ptys5 ptyve snd ttya1 ttye8 ttyS2 ttyu6 ttyyd
mixer ptydf ptys6 ptywe sndstat ttya2 ttye9 ttyS20 ttyu7 ttyye
(trimmed it bit)

A snip from my lsmod:
snd_intel8x0 33856 0
snd_ac97_codec 83000 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm_oss 54496 0
snd_mixer_oss 19968 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 93448 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer 24644 1 snd_pcm
snd 56644 6 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore 9824 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 9988 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm

Which to me implies that you need the alsa-oss package:
apt-get remove --purge alsa-base alsa-utils alsa-oss
apt-get install alsa-base alsa-utils alsa-oss
alsaconf

When you say that the last kernel update had funny names, are you referring to the kernel-image-*, linux-image-*, transition that happend in unstable or something else? (If you are using an udev package from unstable =>0.60 then you'll need a 2.6.12 kernel or use devfs instead of udev).

[jonathanhaddock]

Hi,

apt-get remove --purge alsa-base alsa-utils alsa-oss
apt-get install alsa-base alsa-utils alsa-oss
alsaconf

Thanks, I now have working sound but the microphone is so quiet it's pretty much useless.
AS for the kernel names it was they're names in GRUB menu that were strange. Not the file names.

EDIT:
I found the switch in the KMix that allows me to add +20db to the mic but that still is only audible if the mic is almost at my mouth. What sampling rate should I be using?

Jonathan