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Sound Card Configuration in Linux
Updated September 21, 2001
Created September 20, 2001

Configuring Linux to use the Sound Blaster PnP AWE 32

All I had to do for RH70 was to run "sndconfig": 


[root@server /root]# sndconfig

After I upgraded to RH71 my sound didn't work anymore. I took some of the following steps to get it working again: 


[root@server /root]# pnpdump >/etc/isapnp.conf
[root@server /root]# vi /etc/isapnp.conf

Uncomment the directive lines in the first configuration of each component (audio, game, wavetable). A configuration section goes from: 


# Multiple choice time, choose one only !
#     Start dependent functions: priority preferred

to the start of the next configuration section (sample shown here): 


#       Start dependent functions: priority acceptable

A directive will mostly be the lines that begin and end with parenthesis. Here are the directives I uncommented for audio (note that these are the only lines I uncommented, I did not uncomment any descriptor lines inbetween each of these directives: 


#     Start dependent functions: priority preferred
 (INT 0 (IRQ 5 (MODE +E)))
 (DMA 0 (CHANNEL 1))
 (DMA 1 (CHANNEL 5))
 (IO 0 (SIZE 16) (BASE 0x0220))
 (IO 1 (SIZE 2) (BASE 0x0330))
 (IO 2 (SIZE 4) (BASE 0x0388))

Note: There are about 5 descriptor lines inbetween each of these directives, those descriptors are left commented out. I didn't bother to put them here to save space on this page.

Here are the directives I uncommented for game: 


#     Start dependent functions: priority preferred
 (IO 0 (SIZE 8) (BASE 0x0200))

Here are the directives I uncommented for wavetable: 


#     Start dependent functions: priority preferred
 (IO 0 (SIZE 4) (BASE 0x0620))

I also uncommented the 3 "(ACT Y)" entries, each one corresponds with one of the 3 components (audio, game, wavetable). 


(ACT Y)
(ACT Y)
(ACT Y)

After editing /etc/isapnp.conf, you can try running isapnp /etc/isapnp.conf and you should get confirmation back that all 3 pieces are enabled. Their resourses must show in the listing as well.

Note: I was receiving the result that the components were enabled, not realizing that I must see the resources; otherwise, I can't use the card. 


[root@server /root]# isapnp /etc/isapnp.conf
Board 1 has Identity 40 07 a1 68 0f 9a 00 8c 0e: CTL009a Serial No    \
               128018447 [checksum 40]
CTL009a/128018447[0]{Audio               }: Ports 0x220 0x330 0x388;  \
               IRQ5 DMA1 DMA5 --- Enabled OK
CTL009a/128018447[1]{Game                }: Port 0x200; --- Enabled OK
CTL009a/128018447[2]{WaveTable           }: Port 0x620; --- Enabled OK

Note: I wrapped the first two lines for you so they wouldn't flow off the page.

If you get a listing like shown above then we are well on our way to getting sound working (again). I made the following additions to my /etc/modules.conf. I feel that there are probable extra stuff in here that doesn't really need to be to get it to work; however, when I got to this point it was really late and it finally started functioning. Also, this listing in /etc/modules.conf is what allows me to start using the sound card whenever I want instead of having to manually load modules myself. 


alias sound-slot-0 sb
options sound dmabuf=1
options opl3 io=0x388
alias synth0 awe_wave
post-install awe_wave /bin/sfxload /etc/midi/GU11-ROM.SF2
options sb io=0x220 irq=5 dma=1 dma16=5 mpu_io=0x620
options sb_audio io=0x220 irq=5 dma=1 dma16=5 mpu_io=0x620
below sb awe_wave
below awe_wave soundcore sound uart401 
pre-install awe_wave isapnp /etc/isapnp.conf

Note: I added the "below" and "pre-install" lines which is what did the magic for me to have it automatically load for me. I probably don't need all the entries on the "below awe_wave" line, I just threw each of the modules on there that necessary, I haven't tested to see which ones are required.

Note: Probably one of either "options sb" or "options sb_audio" can be deleted. For now it's working for as is, it will be a while before I go playing with it some more. Note the wise saying my grandpa gave me: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Now, after a reboot, I can go straight to "cdplay" or "play mywav.wav" and it works.

Here's an lsmod listing, you probably don't need it, but I grabbed it anyway: 


Module                  Size  Used by
sr_mod                 13216   0  (autoclean)
cdrom                  29088   0  (autoclean) [sr_mod]
parport_pc             16816   1  (autoclean)
lp                      5776   1  (autoclean)
parport                23520   1  (autoclean) [parport_pc lp]
ne                      6336   1  (autoclean)
8390                    5632   0  (autoclean) [ne]
ipchains               27648   0  (unused)
nls_iso8859-1           2848   1  (autoclean)
loop                    8112   2  (autoclean)
sb                      7120   0 
awe_wave              155520   0 
sb_lib                 31792   0  [sb]
uart401                 5936   0  [sb_lib]
sound                  53568   0  [awe_wave sb_lib uart401]
soundcore               3408   5  [sb_lib sound]
ncr53c8xx              49232   0 
cpqarray               16208   7 
sd_mod                 11104   0  (unused)
scsi_mod               84416   3  [sr_mod ncr53c8xx sd_mod]