[Alsa-user] Re: Slackware-8.0 and Alsa drivers

[wayne <wa...@ae...>]

A Guy Called Tyketto writes:

> On Wed, Jan 16, 2002 at 09:44:14AM +0800, Wayne Chan wrote:
>> Hi, 
>> 
>> Just some info for Slackware-8.0 users that I have discovered. 
>> 
>> For those who install the kernel 2.4.5 image and source, please note that
>> the kernel is compile with "/dev file system support" enable under "File
>> systems". 
>> 
>> This create a problem when compiling alsa driver. Alsa config will assuming
>> that devfs will be automatically mounted at boot. So after compiling and
>> install the alsa drivers, when you do a modprobe, the alsa driver will tries
>> to create the "/dev" directory under devfs (Under normal case, "/dev" should
>> be at /proc/asound). So without this "/dev" directory, even though you see
>> the driver loaded correctly, there will no sound and all alsa utilities
>> throw out error like "mixer not found" blah blah blah. 
>> 
>> Solutions: Before compiling alsa drivers, do either 
>> 
>> 1) With kernel 2.4.5 and higher source,
>>     - do "make menuconfig".
>>     - Unselect "/dev file system support" under file system.
>>     - Save and exit
>>     - do "make dep"
>>     (Recompile of kernel not necessary)
> 
>         recompilation of the kernel would be necessary since you are going to 
> have to compile that kernel for not having that support. any other previous 
> kernels, unless you had compiled them yourself, will have DevFS support and 
> loadable at boot time (Pat V. throws in a monolithic kernel for stock 
> installation).

Thanks for your input. 

Yap, your're right and I'm wrong. Recompile is necessary. 


> 
>> Or 
>> 
>> 2) Recompile kernel with "/dev file system support" AND "Automatically mount
>> at boot" enable.
>>     (Note: Slackware-8.0 have already prepared /etc/rc.S to mount devfs
>> whenever necessary)
> 
>         This totally has worked for me since alsa 0.5.10. If you're enabling 
> DevFS support, it will have to be started BEFORE you do your modprobe for the 
> alsa module. If not, it'll croak, or you'll have to use ./snddevices to create 
> the device before doing the modprobe. It's best that if you do use DevFS that 
> you SHOULD enable it at boot time. (there is no reason for you to NOT mount it 
> at boot time.)

Trouble is Slackware-8.0 kernel 2.4.5 is compiled with devfs but not mounted 
by default. So when I grep alsa-driver 0.5.12 and compile, it just doesn't 
work even when I use ./snddevices to create the device. 

Took me quite a few recompiling of the kernel and the driver before I 
realize. :( 

Anyway, for those who are using slackware-8.0, just take note of devfs. :) 

> 
>         BTW.. make xconfig works wonders. :) 
> 
>                                                         BL.
> -- 
> Brad Littlejohn                         | Email:        ty...@wi...
> Unix Systems Administrator,             |           ty...@oz...
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