Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

In an attempt to get my vxpocet sound card to work (see thread at 
alsa-user), I have installed the 2.6.16 kernel.  Now I would like to 
have a suitably recent ALSA along with it.

Should I go for the stable alsa release (1.0.10), or for the development 
release?

How do I proceed?  Just download all the packages and follow the INSTALL 
instructions?  Are there things I need to do to avoid conflicting with 
the kernel in any way?  Is there a _recent_ "Compile and Install ALSA 
Howto" or similar somewhere?

Any hints to get started in the right direction are most welcom.

With kind regards
Asbjørn


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Takashi Iwai]

At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:26:14 +0100,
Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> 
> In an attempt to get my vxpocet sound card to work (see thread at 
> alsa-user), I have installed the 2.6.16 kernel.  Now I would like to 
> have a suitably recent ALSA along with it.
> 
> Should I go for the stable alsa release (1.0.10), or for the development 
> release?

1.0.11rc4 please.  1.0.11 can't work with 2.6.15/16 kernels.

> How do I proceed?  Just download all the packages and follow the INSTALL 
> instructions?

Yes.
>  Are there things I need to do to avoid conflicting with 
> the kernel in any way?

No.

>  Is there a _recent_ "Compile and Install ALSA 
> Howto" or similar somewhere?

No, I don't know of.  If you have a proper kernel source tree,
configure should take care all.


Takashi


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Thu, Mar 23, 2006 at 11:43:53AM +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:26:14 +0100,
> Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > 
> > In an attempt to get my vxpocet sound card to work (see thread at 
> > alsa-user), I have installed the 2.6.16 kernel.  Now I would like to 
> > have a suitably recent ALSA along with it.
> > 
> > Should I go for the stable alsa release (1.0.10), or for the development 
> > release?
> 
> 1.0.11rc4 please.  1.0.11 can't work with 2.6.15/16 kernels.
> [...]

OK.
All packages downloaded in version 1.0.11rc4 (except alsa-oss and 
alsa-firmware, for which only 1.0.11rc3 were available)

All packages "./configure"-d and "make install"-ed.
(Exceptions: alsa-plugins, which needed a pkg-config script which I 
don't have, and alsa-oss, which I currently have no use for, I think.)
For alsa-tools, I configure-d and make installed-ed in the vxloader 
subdirectory, as it is the vxpocket I need support for.

However, after this (and after a reboot) "modprobe snd-vxpocket" gives 
the error message:
------------
dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# modprobe snd-vxpocket
FATAL: Module snd_vxpocket not found.
FATAL: Error running install command for snd_vxpocket
------------------


Searching for "vx" in /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime (the current 
kernel) does not find the vxpocket module:
---------------------------
dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# uname -a
Linux dhcp91 2.6.16-rt5-realtime #1 PREEMPT Thu Mar 23 11:54:28 CET 2006 i686 GNU/Linux
dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# find /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/ |grep vx
/lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/drivers/vx
/lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/drivers/vx/snd-vx-lib.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/pci/vx222
/lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/pci/vx222/snd-vx222.ko
--------------------------


I recompiled and re-installed the alsa-driver package, and as far as I 
can see, the vxpocket module is neither compiled nor installed.


Asbjørn



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Takashi Iwai]

At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:28:47 +0100,
Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Mar 23, 2006 at 11:43:53AM +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:26:14 +0100,
> > Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > > 
> > > In an attempt to get my vxpocet sound card to work (see thread at 
> > > alsa-user), I have installed the 2.6.16 kernel.  Now I would like to 
> > > have a suitably recent ALSA along with it.
> > > 
> > > Should I go for the stable alsa release (1.0.10), or for the development 
> > > release?
> > 
> > 1.0.11rc4 please.  1.0.11 can't work with 2.6.15/16 kernels.
> > [...]
> 
> OK.
> All packages downloaded in version 1.0.11rc4 (except alsa-oss and 
> alsa-firmware, for which only 1.0.11rc3 were available)
> 
> All packages "./configure"-d and "make install"-ed.
> (Exceptions: alsa-plugins, which needed a pkg-config script which I 
> don't have, and alsa-oss, which I currently have no use for, I think.)
> For alsa-tools, I configure-d and make installed-ed in the vxloader 
> subdirectory, as it is the vxpocket I need support for.
> 
> However, after this (and after a reboot) "modprobe snd-vxpocket" gives 
> the error message:
> ------------
> dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# modprobe snd-vxpocket
> FATAL: Module snd_vxpocket not found.
> FATAL: Error running install command for snd_vxpocket
> ------------------
> 
> 
> Searching for "vx" in /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime (the current 
> kernel) does not find the vxpocket module:
> ---------------------------
> dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# uname -a
> Linux dhcp91 2.6.16-rt5-realtime #1 PREEMPT Thu Mar 23 11:54:28 CET 2006 i686 GNU/Linux
> dhcp91:/home/asbjorn/alsa_dev_2006-03-23# find /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/ |grep vx
> /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/drivers/vx
> /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/drivers/vx/snd-vx-lib.ko
> /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/pci/vx222
> /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/pci/vx222/snd-vx222.ko
> --------------------------
> 
> 
> I recompiled and re-installed the alsa-driver package, and as far as I 
> can see, the vxpocket module is neither compiled nor installed.

I guess you didn't enable CONFIG_ISA (PC-card requires it) or proper
PCMCIA kernel configs. 


Takashi


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Thu, Mar 23, 2006 at 02:40:13PM +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:28:47 +0100,
> Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > 
> > [Compiling the newest ALSA in an attempt to get a vxpocket to work]

> > I recompiled and re-installed the alsa-driver package, and as far as I 
> > can see, the vxpocket module is neither compiled nor installed.
> 
> I guess you didn't enable CONFIG_ISA (PC-card requires it) or proper
> PCMCIA kernel configs. 

And right you were.  Enabling ISA solved this one.

I am still stuck, though.  The vxloader does not find the card.  
And neither does alsaconf.
(See the log below of the attempt to set up the card.)

The insertion of the card is reported in the logs, so the system is at 
least aware that a card is present.  And the module loads without any 
error messages.  (Which should be a good thing, I would guess.)  
(Output from a verbose module loading is shown at the bottom.)

I would have thought that as the module is loaded, the card is found and
set up, and after uploading of firmware it should be ready for use.
Can the module load without error messages if it does not find the card?
And if the module finds the card, why doesn't the firmware loader?

What do I do now?


Asbjørn 

-----------------------------
dhcp91:~# date
Thu Mar 23 22:34:46 CET 2006
dhcp91:~# uname -a
Linux dhcp91 2.6.16-rt5-realtime #1 PREEMPT Thu Mar 23 15:00:19 CET 2006 i686 GNU/Linux
dhcp91:~# # Insert vxpocket sound card
dhcp91:~# tail -3 /var/log/messages
Mar 23 22:32:47 dhcp91 kernel: Linux video capture interface: v1.00
Mar 23 22:32:47 dhcp91 kernel: [drm] Loading R200 Microcode
Mar 23 22:35:36 dhcp91 kernel: pccard: PCMCIA card inserted into slot 0
dhcp91:~# lsmod |grep vx
dhcp91:~# modprobe snd-vxpocket
dhcp91:~# lsmod |grep vx
snd_vxpocket           15200  0
pcmcia                 38716  1 snd_vxpocket
snd_vx_lib             33152  1 snd_vxpocket
snd_hwdep               9476  1 snd_vx_lib
snd_pcm                85920  5 snd_vx_lib,snd_intel8x0,snd_intel8x0m,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd                    52608  15 snd_vxpocket,snd_vx_lib,snd_hwdep,snd_intel8x0,snd_intel8x0m,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_os\
s,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
dhcp91:~# vxloader
vxloader: no VX-compatible cards found
dhcp91:~#
---------------------------------


If the snd-vxpocket module is removed, and loaded again with the
"verbose" parameter to modprobe, this (below) is the output.  Does the
"ignore-install" have any significance with respect to the current 
problem?
-------------------------------------------
dhcp91:~# modprobe -v snd-vxpocket
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/acore/snd-hwdep.ko 
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/drivers/vx/snd-vx-lib.ko 
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/lib/crc32.ko 
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/drivers/pcmcia/pcmcia.ko 
install modprobe --ignore-install snd-vxpocket  && /lib/alsa/modprobe-post-install snd-vxpocket
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.16-rt5-realtime/kernel/sound/pcmcia/vx/snd-vxpocket.ko 
----------------------------------

----- End forwarded message -----


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Takashi Iwai]

At Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:37:12 +0100,
Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> 
> (Takashi, sorry if you get this twice.  It seems I have had a problem 
> reaching the list, so I am resending.)
> 
> 
> On Thu, Mar 23, 2006 at 02:40:13PM +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > At Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:28:47 +0100,
> > Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > > 
> > > [Compiling the newest ALSA in an attempt to get a vxpocket to work]
> 
> > > I recompiled and re-installed the alsa-driver package, and as far as I 
> > > can see, the vxpocket module is neither compiled nor installed.
> > 
> > I guess you didn't enable CONFIG_ISA (PC-card requires it) or proper
> > PCMCIA kernel configs. 
> 
> And right you were.  Enabling ISA solved this one.
> 
> I am still stuck, though.  The vxloader does not find the card.  
> And neither does alsaconf.
> (See the log below of the attempt to set up the card.)

With the recent version, you don't need to load snd-vxload by
yourself.  And, you don't need vxloader, too.  But you need to install
the firmware files in alsa-firmware package to the appropriate
directory.  Usually the default should be OK.

Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt.

Then just plug the card in.  Then pcmcia stuff will load snd-vxpocket,
and kernel will get the firmware data automatically, set up the board
and ready.

At least, I can confirm that vxpocket v2 is working now fine with my
laptop with plain SUSE 10.0 + 2.6.16-rc3 kernel.


Takashi


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Lee Revell]

On Fri, 2006-03-24 at 16:57 +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
> get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt. 

Asbjørn,

Were you able to get this working?

Shouldn't these drivers that need firmware depend on CONFIG_FW_LOADER?

Lee



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Fri, Mar 24, 2006 at 04:57:52PM +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> At Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:37:12 +0100,
> Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:


> > > > [Compiling the newest ALSA in an attempt to get a vxpocket to work]


> > I am still stuck, though.  The vxloader does not find the card.  
> > And neither does alsaconf.
> > (See the log below of the attempt to set up the card.)
> 
> With the recent version, you don't need to load snd-vxload by
> yourself.  And, you don't need vxloader, too.  But you need to install
> the firmware files in alsa-firmware package to the appropriate
> directory.  Usually the default should be OK.

Well, the firmware should be OK:
---------------
dhcp91  ~ $ ls /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/vx
bd56002.boot  bx_1_vp4.b56  l_1_vp4.d56  x1_1_vp4.xlx  x1_2_v22.xlx
bd563s3.boot  bx_1_vxp.b56  l_1_vx2.d56  x1_1_vx2.xlx
bd563v2.boot  l_1_v22.d56   l_1_vxp.d56  x1_1_vxp.xlx
----------------


 
> Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
> get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt.

Actually, ALSA-Configuration.txt does not says this for the VXpocket, 
only for the snd_hdsp module.  
But yes, it is enabled (as a module, though):
------------------------
dhcp91  ~ $ zcat /proc/config.gz |grep FW_LOADER
CONFIG_FW_LOADER=m
-------------------------


> Then just plug the card in.  Then pcmcia stuff will load snd-vxpocket,
> and kernel will get the firmware data automatically, set up the board
> and ready.

Unfortunately not so here.  I get a log message saying that a pccard is 
loaded.  But the module is not loaded.
---------------
dhcp91  ~ $ tail -2 /var/log/messages 
Mar 27 11:24:24 dhcp91 kernel: [drm] Loading R200 Microcode
Mar 27 11:25:35 dhcp91 kernel: pccard: PCMCIA card inserted into slot 0
---------------- 

 
> At least, I can confirm that vxpocket v2 is working now fine with my
> laptop with plain SUSE 10.0 + 2.6.16-rc3 kernel.

Thanks, at least that is good to know!

The error is probably in my setup somewhere.  But surely I do have a 
hard time finding it.

Although manual loading of the module and the firmware should not be 
necessary, it should still work, shouldn't it?

(Hotplug is of course a nice thing to have.  But I can do very well 
without it.  A manual setup of the card would be fine with me, as long 
as it worked.)

Asbjørn


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Sun, Mar 26, 2006 at 09:15:22PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-03-24 at 16:57 +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
> > get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt. 
> 
> Asbjørn,
> 
> Were you able to get this working?

No, not yet.

If you would like to help me with a "hands-on" go at it, I can provide 
you with a login at the computer.  

Asbjørn



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Lee Revell]

On Mon, 2006-03-27 at 11:51 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 26, 2006 at 09:15:22PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> > On Fri, 2006-03-24 at 16:57 +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > > Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
> > > get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt. 
> > 
> > Asbjørn,
> > 
> > Were you able to get this working?
> 
> No, not yet.
> 
> If you would like to help me with a "hands-on" go at it, I can provide 
> you with a login at the computer.  

Sure, I can try, send me the info.

Do you have access to a different model laptop you can test this in?
Maybe it's an issue with the kernel's PCMCIA layer.

Lee



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Lee Revell]

On Mon, 2006-03-27 at 11:45 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> Actually, ALSA-Configuration.txt does not says this for the VXpocket, 
> only for the snd_hdsp module.  
> But yes, it is enabled (as a module, though):
> ------------------------
> dhcp91  ~ $ zcat /proc/config.gz |grep FW_LOADER
> CONFIG_FW_LOADER=m
> -------------------------
> 
> 

Is the firmware-class module loaded?

Lee



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Mon, Mar 27, 2006 at 03:54:03PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> On Mon, 2006-03-27 at 11:45 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > Actually, ALSA-Configuration.txt does not says this for the VXpocket, 
> > only for the snd_hdsp module.  
> > But yes, it is enabled (as a module, though):
> > ------------------------
> > dhcp91  ~ $ zcat /proc/config.gz |grep FW_LOADER
> > CONFIG_FW_LOADER=m
> > -------------------------
> > 
> > 
> 
> Is the firmware-class module loaded?

No.  But loading manually does not seem to make any difference.

Asbjørn



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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Asbjørn Sæbø]

On Mon, Mar 27, 2006 at 03:19:06PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> On Mon, 2006-03-27 at 11:51 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > On Sun, Mar 26, 2006 at 09:15:22PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> > > On Fri, 2006-03-24 at 16:57 +0100, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > > > Of course, CONFIG_FW_LOADER should be enabled in the kernel config to
> > > > get it working so, as described in ALSA-Configuration.txt. 
> > > 
> > > Asbjørn,
> > > 
> > > Were you able to get this working?
> > 
> > No, not yet.
> > 
> > If you would like to help me with a "hands-on" go at it, I can provide 
> > you with a login at the computer.  
> 
> Sure, I can try, send me the info.

Will do.


> Do you have access to a different model laptop you can test this in?
> Maybe it's an issue with the kernel's PCMCIA layer.

I may be able to dig one up, but it may take a few days before I have 
tested it.

(Sorry for the late answer.  I've been awfully busy.)

Asbjørn


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Re: Q: Compiling ALSA for 2.6.16

[Lee Revell]

On Wed, 2006-03-29 at 21:34 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 27, 2006 at 03:54:03PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
> > On Mon, 2006-03-27 at 11:45 +0200, Asbjørn Sæbø wrote:
> > > Actually, ALSA-Configuration.txt does not says this for the VXpocket, 
> > > only for the snd_hdsp module.  
> > > But yes, it is enabled (as a module, though):
> > > ------------------------
> > > dhcp91  ~ $ zcat /proc/config.gz |grep FW_LOADER
> > > CONFIG_FW_LOADER=m
> > > -------------------------
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > Is the firmware-class module loaded?
> 
> No.  But loading manually does not seem to make any difference.


Why would this have appeared to work without firmware loading enabled?
Shouldn't the driver have complained loudly?

Lee 



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