While I’ve tinkered with Linux a bit in virtual machines, I am still pretty green and this is the first time I’ve run an install on a physical machine. I’m running into some driver issues (makes you really appreciate VMWare!) Any help would be appreciated.
The laptop is a Compaq Presario CQ50-110US. I am running Suse 11.1 x86 (though the CPU 64 bit capable). (Specs are here. Kernel version is 2.6.27.37-0.1-pae. Video drivers are working fine, wireless is a little wierd and sound is nonexistent.
For the wireless, I downloaded the linux specific driver from Broadcom and ran into problems during their install instructions . The following commands got it working, after consulting a forum:
modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip
insmod wl.ko
However, it seems I have to enter those two commands after every reboot, so I imagine the driver is not fully installed or I have to edit some bootup file somewhere. Help would be appreciated.
As far as the sound goes, I have updated ALSA, but don’t know where else to go. HP claims my device is a Conexant 221 HD Smart Audio chip, but it’s detected within lspci as:
I get a message on bootup that there’s a problem with the audio device and it’s failing over to an HDMI device, but there is no HDMI port on my laptop. I’m stumped.
If anyone can help with the wireless or sound, I’d be very grateful. If more information is need I will be happy to provide it, if you can give instructions. I’m going out of my comfort zone with linux here, so I’d really like the hardware to be working.
ALRIGHT, we need some info so we could help, go to my computer and open it up, look and see what you have for memory and graphics. this will also help solve some of the issues. in my compaq i am running a NVIDIA 8900 card and i run the libxine in kaffiene for sound . but first let us know what the system has there first.
Do you really need to use the Broadcom wl driver? Please post the
output of the following command:
/sbin/lspci -nnv | grep 14e4
Your wl module is not loading automatically because it is not in the
correct path for the kernel to find it. If it really is needed, then I
will give you the necessary commands that will load it.
mjung79 wrote:
> Well, before entering the commands, I have an eth0 and a loopback device
> only. Afterwards, I get an eth1 and can see wireless networks.
>
> Here’s the output of the command:
>
> 07:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312
> 802.11b/g [14e4:4315] (rev 01)
With the 4315, you have two options. You can use the Broadcom wl
driver, or you could install the appropriate compat-wireless package.
That card is supported there.
As you have already installed the Broadcom wl driver, we will stay
with it; however, if you get any instability with it, I would suggest
switching to c-w. The driver in it is rock-solid with the 4315.
To get the ieee80211_crypt_tkip module loaded, use YaST => System =>
/etc/sysconfig Editor. On the screen that follows, click on the + next
to System and Kernel, then click on MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT. Add
ieee80211_crypt_tkip module to that line.
The wl module will auto load once it is installed. Change to the
directory where you built the driver, and enter
sudo make install
Once you do the above two things, you should not need to enter those
commands.
Then after that is working we can help you with sound.
openSUSE by default installs the alsa driver for sound.
The general advice I give for sound problems is to start trying to work your way through the openSUSE audio troubleshooting guide: SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE .
Do NOT use the startup system sound as your criteria for stating sound does not work. Also be certain to check your mixer. Its not uncommon for a mixer setting (master, pcm or speaker) to be muted upon boot. In KDE your mixer is “kmix” (the small speaker in right hand corner). In Gnome your mixer is “alsamixer”.
Note, when testing if you have sound, please copy and paste the following speaker-test into a Gnome terminal or a kde konsole:
speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav
Note Linux is case sensitive, and “D” is not the same as “d”. To stop the above test, while the konsole/xterm has the mouse focus, press <CTRL><C> on the keyboard. Note you should check your mixer settings (kmix if using KDE, and alsamixer if using Gnome) to ensure that PCM and Master Volume are set around 95%. Once you have basic sound established you can back off to lower volume levels. Note the test for surround sound is different.
If that test yields errors (and its not uncommon to get errors there), try instead this more simple test: speaker-test -c2 -l5 -twavYou should hear a female voice saying ‘FRONT LEFT’, ‘FRONT RIGHT’ five times. Its quite common that one of those speaker tests will work and one will NOT work, so don’t be distressed if that is the case. IF that test gives sound, stop now, post that the sound test gives sound, and we will look at other possible causes for your applications not giving you the sound you want (such as missing codecs, using the wrong packaged version … etc … ).
Or alternatively, for testing the simple playback, use aplay program. Prepare a WAV file and simply run like:
aplay -vv somefile.wav
With the option -vv, aplay shows the verbose information of the PCM device, and a VU-peak meter during playing the file.
Try those speaker-tests as both a regular user, and also with root permissions. If you have a headset, try with your headset plugged in, and also with your headset not plugged in (for speakers).
Assuming no sound, can you provide more very detailed information so a good recommendation can be given? For openSUSE-11.1, you can do that, with your laptop connected to the internet, by opening a gnome-terminal or a kde konsole and twice copy and paste the following into that terminal/konsole
It will ask if you wish to share your audio information. Select YES. It will diagnose your PC’s hardware and software configuration for audio, and it will post its output on the Internet/web. It will give you the URL of the web site. Please post that URL here. JUST the URL.
Alternatively, you can run that by typing:
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh
to update it you need to run it as root. Otherwise run as a regular user. Be certain to select the SHARE/UPLOAD option so as to have it post the info on the web, so that you can share the URL of the script output.
Also, please copy and paste the following commands one line at a time into a gnome-terminal or a konsole and post here the output: rpm -qa ‘alsa’
rpm -qa ‘pulse’
rpm -q libasound2
uname -a
cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound… with that information I may be able to make a recommendation.
Also, do NOT waste too much time on this. Simply post on our forum if you get stumped, and continue to look for help that way
growbag wrote:
> Seeing as he is using 11.1, the first thing would be to remove
> pulseaudio wouldn’t it?
i agree…but, oldcpu is the master sound technician (who has
already forgotten more than i ever knew about sound) and i think i
read where he thinks we should continue working with pulse (else how
will it get better, i think he wrote that…near where i’d
recommended deleting pulseaudio to fix a problem)…
since i have no reason to nor want to question his thoughts on
anything to do with sound i think i stopped recommending it here
(still do on usenet–pulseaudio is not on my system, but i’ll not
recommend that to folks that oldcpu is trying to help keep it)
How do you know the problem is pulse? How do you know the problem is not a problem with the alsa autoprobe not configuring the card correctly? How do you know that the hardware on their PC may be new and not yet supported by 1.0.18 of alsa but rather might be 1.0.21 of alsa?
They state their hardware is a Conexant 221 HD Smart Audio chip and detected as nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] High Definition Audio (rev a1). What does that tell you? It tells me not much as I am not familiar with that, and so I asked for more information.
I’m trying very hard to follow a logical troubleshooting process, and not just random remove pulse suggestion. … There can be side effects to removing pulse, and pulse often is NOT the culpret.
So I prefer to try and get information, and attempt other approaches first, before a drastic removal of pulse.
Note I have 6 PCs at home, all with different hardware (4 of which are really OLD pcs) and all play sound in openSUSE-11.1 with no problem, WITH pulse. Plus my mother’s very old PC also plays sound very well with PULSE.
Is it co-incidence that 7 of 7 PCs play sound ok with Pulse? NO it is not a co-incidence. Yes pulse has problems. But the vast majority of PCs can play sound ok with Pulse. Its only a minority (an important minority, but still a minority) that have a problem.
Should we force the majority to immediately adopt a solution applicable to the minority, before first logically testing other alternatives?
To get the ieee80211_crypt_tkip module loaded, use YaST => System => /etc/sysconfig Editor. On the screen that follows, click on the + next to System and Kernel, then click on MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT. Add ieee80211_crypt_tkip module to that line.
The wl module will auto load once it is installed. Change to the directory where you built the driver, and enter sudo make install. Once you do the above two things, you should not need to enter those
commands.
I did these two things, but eth1 still does not show up after reboot. I no longer have to modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip, so I believe that part worked. I do still have to insmod wl.ko for eth1 to appear though. Once I do that, my wlan works perfectly and my eth0 (wired ethernet) worked out of the box.
Regarding the sound:
The general advice I give for sound problems is to start trying to work your way through the openSUSE audio troubleshooting guide: SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE .
Do NOT use the startup system sound as your criteria for stating sound does not work. Also be certain to check your mixer. Its not uncommon for a mixer setting (master, pcm or speaker) to be muted upon boot. In KDE your mixer is “kmix” (the small speaker in right hand corner). In Gnome your mixer is “alsamixer”.
I found the link to the SDB:AudioTroubleshooting page earlier and worked with that prior to my post. I went up through Step 4 and also step 6. I didn’t know what to do in step 5 because, as I stated, there seems to be some confusion about the detected model of my card.
I have adjusted the mixer settings in kmix and also the volume settings in YAST -> Hardware -> Sound. I also increased volume and toggled mute on/off using the laptop FN key combinations. I also have tried with PulseAudio enabled and disabled in YAST. No errors in either speaker test, but still no sound. Incidentally, sound works fine if I boot into Windows, so I know my hardware is functional.
I still think the detection of the sound chip as Nvidia is odd, but could be explainable with one vendor using another’s chipset. I think the most telling clue is the message I get on bootup. I got a better look at it this time. It reads:
The audio playback device HDA NVidia [CONEXANT Analog] does not work. Failing back to HDA NVidia, NVIDIA HDMI (HDMI Audio Output).
As I mentioned, the laptop does not have an HDMI out.
I am pretty experienced in Windows administration, but as you can tell my Linux is nearly nil. I appreciate all the help you guys are providing.
-it is difficult at first, as you learn more it will smooth out and
in the end you will save all that time installing virus protection,
cleaning out the malware, rebooting to solve problems, reinstalling to
regain speed and sanity, etc etc etc…
patience and study will pay off…
oh, and your experience WILL help, because it is obvious that you have
already learned it is easier to read the documentation BEFORE you
break it beyond any level of “back out” is impossible…
I have a pc with such a detection, and your explanation is IMHO correct.
There is more detail on the chipset that we need to dig out. The script I asked you to run: /usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh
will dig out that information, and it will post it to a private URL on the internet, which I need you to post the URL here. PLEASE read the more detailed instructions on my above post!
Alternative, if no internet, one can run: /usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh --no-upload
which will put the output of the script in the file /tmp/alsa-info.txt which one can then copy and paste on a pastebin site such as pastebin - Type, paste, share. … and post here the URL.
Unfortunately, sound should still work after that. That is a bug/error most of us get.
There are a more than a few threads here to get rid of the error message (it won’t fix your sound), where users have posted solutions that worked for them:
On 11/04/2009 09:46 AM, mjung79 wrote:
> I did these two things, but eth1 still does not show up after reboot. I
> no longer have to modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip, so I believe that part
> worked. I do still have to insmod wl.ko for eth1 to appear though. Once
> I do that, my wlan works perfectly and my eth0 (wired ethernet) worked
> out of the box.
Does ‘modprobe wl’ work? If not, then the ‘make install’ step failed.
Perhaps Broadcom forgot the ‘depmod -a’ step. As long as ‘modprobe wl’
works, you should be able to add wl to the MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT.
Does ‘modprobe wl’ work? If not, then the ‘make install’ step failed. Perhaps Broadcom forgot the ‘depmod -a’ step. As long as ‘modprobe wl’ works, you should be able to add wl to the MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT.
Nope, ‘modprobe wl’ yields, ‘FATAL: Module wl not found.’
There is more detail on the chipset that we need to dig out. The script I asked you to run:
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh
will dig out that information, and it will post it to a private URL on the internet, which I need you to post the URL here. PLEASE read the more detailed instructions on my above post!
Ok, the script confirms a Compaq Presario CQ50 Notebook PC with a 32-bit openSUSE-11.1 and a 2.6.27.37-0.1-pae kernel, with 1.0.17/1.0.18 of the alsa sound driver. The hardware audio codec is a Conexant CX20561 (Hermosa).
Your mixer settings look fine, although you could move the Master volume up from 74% to 95% until we get sound established, and then back off the volume to a lower level to reduce distortion.
Please provide the remainder of the information I asked for. ie output of: rpm -qa ‘alsa’
rpm -qa ‘pulse’
rpm -q libasound2
uname -a
cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
That will help me in coming up with the best recommendation.
which indicates your openSUSE is still using the version of alsa that comes with the 2.6.27.37 kernel, and NOT using the alsa-driver-kmp-pae.
The reason for that, I believe, is you have inappropriately installed alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-pae, which has prevented your alsa-drive-kmp-pae from functioning.
Please remove only alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-pae, and then re-update your alsa versions. To do that, first go to YaST > Software > Software Repositgories and disable your CD/DVD as a respository. Then from a terminal, with your PC connected to the internet, with root permissions, by copying and pasting the following:
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/libs/openSUSE_11.1/ multimedia
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
Then restart your PC and test the sound.
The above assumes you managed to sort your Internet access. It also assumes you did not inappropriately leave a repository called “multimedia” in your repository list.
On 11/04/2009 10:56 AM, mjung79 wrote:
>
>> Does ‘modprobe wl’ work? If not, then the ‘make install’ step failed.
>> Perhaps Broadcom forgot the ‘depmod -a’ step. As long as ‘modprobe wl’
>> works, you should be able to add wl to the MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT.
>
> Nope, ‘modprobe wl’ yields, ‘FATAL: Module wl not found.’
This gets confusing with two separate threads running. In the future,
please keep each problem in its own thread.
After you issue the command ‘sudo /sbin/depmod -a’, does ‘sudo
/sbin/modprobe wl’ then work? If not, please send me the output of
