[2.6.9-rc2] ALSA nm256 driver causes system lockup

[2.6.9-rc2] ALSA nm256 driver causes system lockup

[Jan De Luyck]

Hello list,

I'm trying to configure a laptop (Dell Latitude CXs) with 2.6.9-rc2. All runs 
well, except the ALSA nm256 driver for the Neomagic Audio chip. Loading this 
driver results in an immediate and complete system lockup....

I've tried appending "vaio_hack=1" on the kernel command line, but that didn't 
really do anything.

ALSA is compiled as modules.

Any pointers?

Thanks.
-- 
You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

Re: [2.6.9-rc2] ALSA nm256 driver causes system lockup

[Takashi Iwai]

At Tue, 28 Sep 2004 14:47:17 +0200,
Jan De Luyck wrote:
> 
> Hello list,
> 
> I'm trying to configure a laptop (Dell Latitude CXs) with 2.6.9-rc2. All runs 
> well, except the ALSA nm256 driver for the Neomagic Audio chip. Loading this 
> driver results in an immediate and complete system lockup....
> 
> I've tried appending "vaio_hack=1" on the kernel command line, but that didn't 
> really do anything.
> 
> ALSA is compiled as modules.
> 
> Any pointers?

Try to load snd-nm256 driver before X.  The chip uses the video RAM
for the sound buffer.  It seems that X clears all video RAM that
confuses the sound driver.  I.e. if you already started X, there is no
way back :)


Takashi

Re: [2.6.9-rc2] ALSA nm256 driver causes system lockup

[Jan De Luyck]

On Tuesday 28 September 2004 17:48, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> At Tue, 28 Sep 2004 14:47:17 +0200,
>
> Jan De Luyck wrote:
> > Hello list,
> >
> > I'm trying to configure a laptop (Dell Latitude CXs) with 2.6.9-rc2. All
> > runs well, except the ALSA nm256 driver for the Neomagic Audio chip.
> > Loading this driver results in an immediate and complete system
> > lockup....
> >
> > I've tried appending "vaio_hack=1" on the kernel command line, but that
> > didn't really do anything.
> >
> > ALSA is compiled as modules.
> >
> > Any pointers?
>
> Try to load snd-nm256 driver before X.  The chip uses the video RAM
> for the sound buffer.  It seems that X clears all video RAM that
> confuses the sound driver.  I.e. if you already started X, there is no
> way back :)

Yups, so I read in the documentation accompanying the kernel. It's being 
loaded by hotplug during bootup, but even at that early stage it locks up 
completely.

Jan

-- 
BOFH excuse #259:

Someone's tie is caught in the printer, and if anything else gets printed, 
he'll be in it too.

Re: [2.6.9-rc2] ALSA nm256 driver causes system lockup

[Takashi Iwai]

At Tue, 28 Sep 2004 17:55:14 +0200,
Jan De Luyck wrote:
> 
> On Tuesday 28 September 2004 17:48, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> > At Tue, 28 Sep 2004 14:47:17 +0200,
> >
> > Jan De Luyck wrote:
> > > Hello list,
> > >
> > > I'm trying to configure a laptop (Dell Latitude CXs) with 2.6.9-rc2. All
> > > runs well, except the ALSA nm256 driver for the Neomagic Audio chip.
> > > Loading this driver results in an immediate and complete system
> > > lockup....
> > >
> > > I've tried appending "vaio_hack=1" on the kernel command line, but that
> > > didn't really do anything.
> > >
> > > ALSA is compiled as modules.
> > >
> > > Any pointers?
> >
> > Try to load snd-nm256 driver before X.  The chip uses the video RAM
> > for the sound buffer.  It seems that X clears all video RAM that
> > confuses the sound driver.  I.e. if you already started X, there is no
> > way back :)
> 
> Yups, so I read in the documentation accompanying the kernel. It's being 
> loaded by hotplug during bootup, but even at that early stage it locks up 
> completely.

Does changing latitude_workaround = 0 in nm256.c have any influence?


Takashi