XFree 4 & sound problems

XFree 4 & sound problems

[Matt Haffner]

I'm a little confused why there is a problem with XFree 4 and sound
since I wouldn't think XFree does anything with it, but I'm getting hard
freezes when playing MP3's in XMMS and mpg123 whenever I do significant
X actions (switching desktops, starting Netscape, mousing a menu, etc.).
If I just let things go and don't touch anything, it plays fine. The
freeze requires a reset button reboot--the machine is not reachable at
all (i.e. it's not just X).

I'm on a rev. 1 B&W with a 2K install and 2.2.15pre14. These are the
only kernel sound flags set in my build:

CONFIG_SOUND=y

CONFIG_DMASOUND=y

CONFIG_SOUND_OSS=y
       (tried 'n' as well here since I thought dma took care of it all)

I suppose it could be a more subtle interaction with the new kernel as
well. I had pre3 originally but had to upgrade for XFree 4 USB. However,
I can play songs from a VT without running X with mpg123 without
trouble. Also, if I switch back to Xpmac.r128, everything works again
without crashing even under the new kernel.

Anyone else having this problem? I'm happy to muck around if you have an
idea where I can start looking for the problem. Is enabling any of the
kernel debugging options worthwhile in these hard freezes or is it too
quick to trigger any useful dumping?

mh
--
Matt Haffner                      /|------|\    University of Wisconsin
Dept. of Astronomy               /|--------|\            Madison
haffner@astro.wisc.edu          /|----------|\
           WHAM project -- http://www.astro.wisc.edu/wham

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Re: XFree 4 & sound problems

[Benjamin Herrenschmidt]

On Wed, Apr 5, 2000, Joseph Garcia <jpgarcia@execpc.com> wrote:

>running on a powerbook G3
>XFree86 3.3.6 (stock LPPC 2k)
>kernel 2.2.15pre14 from Linuxcare.
>soundcore compiled in, dmasound as module or compiled in.

That's interesting. I've "heard" about a few rough-edges with some
revisions of Apple DBDMA controller, but I'm not sure about which and
under which conditions. What model of PowerBook G3 are you using ? (an
"old" 3500, a WallStreet, a Lombard or a Pismo ?) they all have different
revisions of Apple hardware.


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Re: XFree 4 & sound problems

[Joseph Garcia]

Gavin Hemphill wrote:
> Well if its a powerbook G3 with the IBM-DYLA-28100 disk then it really
> is a hard drive problem.  SoundJam MP (for the MacOS) states in the
> readme file that on the powerbook G3 with the IBM drive you can cause
> random file corruption on the drive under certain circumstances. - they
> say "contact Apple" for a solution :-)

Yes, I have a PDQ/300, which has that particular drive.  I guess that answers
that.  I did a quick search in Apple TIL, but couldn't find anything directly
related to it.  There are mentions of Drive Setup revisions with updated UDMA
handlers.  I might still be using the original 8.5 or 8.6 drivers.  Do these
effect linux, Ben?  I'm use miboot 1.0d3.   Anyone happen to know what Apple's
solution to this is?  Is there an alternative to turning off DMA with hdparm?
the performance hit is too extreme (less than 1M/s, and CPU loaded)  Or do I
need a new drive?  (my year is up, and it looks like even though Apple cashed my
check before time, its 6 weeks to the day and have gotten nothing on my 3-year
AppleCare extention.  if something isnt in the mail today, it may be time to
call)

Fun...

--
Joseph P. Garcia      jpgarcia@execpc.com      jpgarcia@lidar.ssec.wisc.edu
CS Undergraduate                      Student Employee - Systems Programmer
University of Wisconsin - Madison                            UW Lidar Group

"Ask yourself, Why do you seek the developer kernel?  Is it for its glory,
 or for yours?"

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Re: XFree 4 & sound problems

[Nelson Abramson]

Matt Haffner wrote:

> If I just let things go and don't touch anything, it plays fine. The
> freeze requires a reset button reboot--the machine is not reachable at
> all (i.e. it's not just X).

Could you maybe check what parameters you have enabled on your disk via
hdparm?  I have had a few hard freezes, and I think they are related to a
small bug in either multiword dma or irq masking.  If I have those options
enabled, I occasionally get a machine freeze, caused by xmms (once by
slocate via cron)...(that's what the xmon debugger says anyways)

--Nelson Abramson

--
Shouldn't people be arrested and persecuted for engaging in their
constitutional rights?  http://www.opendvd.org


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Re: XFree 4 & sound problems

[Benjamin Herrenschmidt]

On Wed, Apr 5, 2000, Nelson Abramson <pogtal@erols.com> wrote:

>> If I just let things go and don't touch anything, it plays fine. The
>> freeze requires a reset button reboot--the machine is not reachable at
>> all (i.e. it's not just X).
>
>Could you maybe check what parameters you have enabled on your disk via
>hdparm?  I have had a few hard freezes, and I think they are related to a
>small bug in either multiword dma or irq masking.  If I have those options
>enabled, I occasionally get a machine freeze, caused by xmms (once by
>slocate via cron)...(that's what the xmon debugger says anyways)

That's really interesting since there is no bug I know of. Can you please
tell me:

  - The exact machine model
  - Did the problem began with a specific kernel or did you always had it
  - Do you use the "nap" mode for power management ? (assuming it's a
powerbook)

Ben.


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Re: Hard freezing w/ mp3s [Was: Re: XFree 4 & sound problems]

[Nelson Abramson]

Benjamin Herrenschmidt wrote:

> That's really interesting since there is no bug I know of. Can you please
> tell me:
>
>   - The exact machine model

Sawtooth G4 450

>   - Did the problem began with a specific kernel or did you always had it

Not sure.  I have only used your 2.2.15 to install and now 2.2.15pre14 that
I compiled (I am working on getting 2.3.99 to boot correclty)

>   - Do you use the "nap" mode for power management ? (assuming it's a
> powerbook)

It's a desktop.

It happens seemingly randomly, and generally only after being on for a while.
And I am 99% sure it only happens when I start tweaking w/ multiword and
unmask irq..

I even wrote down the exact xmon output one time :-)
    vector: 300  at pc=C003e6d0, msr=9032, sp=08459c60 [c8459bb0]
    dar=d453d724, dsisr=40000000
    current=c8458000, pid=6536, comm=slocate

I guess that is the slocate one...

I understand the basic information in that (I have taken my cpu and assembly
classes), but definately not enough to debug wtf it means is wrong.  I have
deduced the error from the fact that it happens during a period of data
transfer (mp3s or a database execution; the latter only happened once)
and that I am almost certain it only happens when I play with the ide
settings...

--Nelson Abramson


--
Shouldn't people be arrested and persecuted for engaging in their
constitutional rights?  http://www.opendvd.org


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Re: XFree 4 & sound problems

[Matt Haffner]

Arnaud Gomes-do-Vale wrote:
>
> Matt Haffner <haffner@astro.wisc.edu> wrote :
> > I'm a little confused why there is a problem with XFree 4 and sound
> > since I wouldn't think XFree does anything with it, but I'm getting hard
> > freezes when playing MP3's in XMMS and mpg123 whenever I do significant
> > X actions (switching desktops, starting Netscape, mousing a menu, etc.).
> > If I just let things go and don't touch anything, it plays fine. The
> > freeze requires a reset button reboot--the machine is not reachable at
> > all (i.e. it's not just X).
>
> Are you shure this is an X11 or kernel related problem ?
> For me it sounds like you are using ESD evironment (for
> example gnome and/or Enlightment WM). The Enlighment
> Sound Daemon in some cases can't access /dev/sound while
> something else use it (eg: xmms with OSS output or mpg123)
> so X events associated with sounds in E or Gnome waits until
> the sound can be played.

I know exactly what you are talking about, since I used to get this when
we had to run xmms with the OSS module in 1999, but I've been using ESD
since 2K was released. But this is much more severe than those hiccups.
I don't have Gnome sounds on (and ditched E a while ago). I can make it
happen as easy as start a song playing in xmms and then launch netscape
(even from the command line). As soon as the first window starts to
render, freeze...

Thanks for the reply though.

mh
--
Matt Haffner                      /|------|\    University of Wisconsin
Dept. of Astronomy               /|--------|\            Madison
haffner@astro.wisc.edu          /|----------|\
           WHAM project -- http://www.astro.wisc.edu/wham

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