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Noobie sound trouble: KDE sound server 1

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marquitico

Technical User
Aug 11, 2004
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The short version:

New to LINUX (about two weeks); trouble with my install. What does this mean, please:

Sound server informational message:

Error while initializing the sound driver:

Can't set playback format (_format=-1, asked driver to give 16, got 8)

The sound server will continue, using the null output device.

The long version:

Tired of Windows, and trying to learn LINUX by myself before moving to a new computer with a real, robust distro on it and leaving MicroSoft altogether (probably Christmas). In the meanwhile I am using two LINUX alternatives, mainly as learning instruments, and so I am aware that any problems I may have may be due to the fact that the distros themselves are suspect. But here goes:

The problem (see error message above) occurs when booting up WinLinux2003 (see This pseudo-distro is described as "simulates a Linux on a running Windows operating system (only Windows 95, 98 and Me are supported. Does not run on Windows 2000, NT, XP). The current version is WinLinux 2003. It runs like a Windows application and does not require a separate boot or partition."

It is based upon Red Hat 7.3, Kernel 2.4.18-5wl, and the gui is KDE 3.0.0-10 (it's all obsolete, I know). Everything works fine, except the audio. After login, as KDE is coming up, the error I copied above is shown.

My computer is a no-brand-name generic running Windows98 SE. In Windows, my audio devices are either "Sound Blaster Pro or compatible" on IRQ 5, and "Avance AC '97 Audio for VIA Audio Controller" on IRQ 3. The WinLinux setup auto-detected only "Sound Blaster Pro or compatible".

Is this enough to suggest to a LINUX expert what the problem might be? If you need me to look something up somewhere, I'll be happy to; just tell me where. I am comfortable at the command line, so no hesitation opening a terminal window. I just don't know what to look for.

I know my sound hardware could work in LINUX, assuming that the distro were any good, that is! Sometimes I boot up using a LiveCD mini-distro (PuppyLinux, a Mandrake-Slacker-Vector hybrid, I think), just for kicks. The sound works just fine with that.

In the meanwhile, I will run and re-run the config utility, and select different sound card choices, in case it's simply a question of finding the right one.

I am really asking this question to learn more about how hardware is configured in LINUX, and where you look for for solutions to problems. For example, when the error said, "...asked driver to give 16, got 8", what is it referring to? Where is the driver located, and is it a text-based script file, or what? And what is "_format=-1"?

I fully understand that it could be that this pseudo-distro is simply bogus. Also, if anything here is easily answered in some LINUX for newbies website somewhere on the WWW, point me there. Be happy to study it. Thanks in advance for your patience and suggestions.

Mark
"marquitico"
 
OK, first I agree that trying to fix a pseudo distro is probably bad effort spent; but I applaud your trying.

Second, I haven't seen any references here to that distro in the long time I've been hanging about.

Third, if it's really RH7.3, then you should be able to run the command "sndconfig" and get to the guts of the sound configuration. But that's, of course, predicated on your wrapper distro (Win) behavinng itself.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
 
some good commands for hardware (man for everyone):

[tt]lspci
setpci
modinfo
modprobe
rmmod
lsmod[/ll]

and take a look to the [tt]/proc[/tt] folder.

Cheers.

Chacal, Inc.
 
Thank you for your suggestions! I will be spending a happy weekend poking around!

Mark
"marquitico"

 
OMIGOD. I have sound. Bogus pseudo-distro or not, sndconfig DOES exist in my setup, and it works. So that was the solution, in case some other poor soul tries WinLinux2003 besides me.

Thanks, thedaver
 
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