Can i use onboard sound on dual boot when winXP uses X-Fi?

Diss

Diss

Diss

Associate
Joined
28 Oct 2002
Posts
1,510
I have a dual boot Ubuntu/WinXP system.
My sound card is a creative X-Fi for which there are NO Linux drivers.

Is there any way to set things up so that Linux uses the onboard sound from my A8N-E and WinXP uses the X-fi?

Thanks

Diss
 
Yes, it can be done. Make sure the onboard audio is enabled in the BIOS, then disable it in Windows so that XP doesn't get confused. Then in Linux you should just be able to set it up to use the onboard audio. I can't give you more specific instructions, as it kinda depends which distribution you're using. It might be worth asking at your distro's message boards.
 
So long as the onboard isn't disabled in the BIOS, Linux should pick it up & use it without any probs.
Not sure on the dual card situation with XP; Should be possible to select which card you wish to use as the primary AFAIK. (I know its perfectly possible to put two identical cards into a system for recording purposes :D )

-Leezer-
 
thanks guys - will give it a go and hope Creative get their asses in gear and bring out some Linux drivers for the X-Fi

Diss
 
ok
i have updated BIOS to enable on board sound - but still not getting any

i have selected Nvidia CK804 from the ubuntu system/sounds panel

do i need to do anything else to get it to work?

is there anything i can do to trouble shoot?

thanks

Diss
 
ok - thought i'd try some AC97 drivers and downloaded them from the asus mobo site

so i have done this but got stuck in a couple of places:

Step 1. unzip source code

tar xfvj alcsound.tar.bz2



Step 2. Turn on sound support (soundcore module, default turn on)
*** how do i do this bit****



Step 3. Complied source code

a. ./configure

b. make

c. make install

d. ./snddevices
****semed to work though there were some error messages*********



Step 4. Edit your /etc/modules.conf or conf.modules depending on the distribution
***Really stuck here - I have Ubuntu and di a search but couldn't find the files they mention - any suggestions? ***

thanks

Diss



(Please refer to the attached modules.conf)
 
actually - i think maybe thier were drivers already installed (saw ref to AC97 in device manager) before i tried compiling the new drivers

if correct - maybe i just need to somehow 'turn them on' - for want of a technical term :)
would ubuntu come with AC97 as standard?


Diss


edit

extract from lsmod
snd_intel8x0 33820 1
snd_ac97_codec 92704 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_ac97_bus 2304 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 53664 0
snd_mixer_oss 18688 1 snd_pcm_oss
af_packet 22920 2
snd_pcm 89736 4 snd_bt87x,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
usblp 13056 0
shpchp 45632 0
pci_hotplug 29236 1 shpchp
snd_timer 25220 1 snd_pcm
i2c_nforce2 6912 0
i2c_core 21904 8 i2c_acpi_ec,tuner,nvidia,tvaudio,bttv,i2c_algo_bit,tveeprom,i2c_nforce2
snd 55268 13 snd_bt87x,snd_mpu401,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore 10208 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 10632 3 snd_bt87x,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
 
Last edited:
I'm pretty sure the sound drivers should be included already.

You could try (as root):

Code: 
alsaconf

to probe for sound cards, and (as a normal user)

Code: 
alsamixer

to mess about with volume settings.
 
thanks cb_linus


alsamixer gave me this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1107: (snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition 'defaults.ct l.card'
ALSA lib conf.c:3493: (_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned err or: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:242: (snd_func_getenv) error evaluating default
ALSA lib conf.c:3493: (_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_getenv returned er ror: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:3962: (snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directo ry
ALSA lib control.c:817: (snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL default
alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

when trying to run alsaconf as root i got "file not found"

looking in synaptic the only alsa files installed are "alsa-base" and "alsa-utils". There are lots of other progs with alsa but i don't know if i need them or not

any other suggestions greatly appreciated

thanks

Diss


edit - is there any other way to just check the onboard sound is 'on' (WinXP detected it OK)
 
Diss said:
thanks cb_linus


alsamixer gave me this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1107: (snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition 'defaults.ct l.card'
ALSA lib conf.c:3493: (_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned err or: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:242: (snd_func_getenv) error evaluating default
ALSA lib conf.c:3493: (_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_getenv returned er ror: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:3962: (snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directo ry
ALSA lib control.c:817: (snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL default
alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

when trying to run alsaconf as root i got "file not found"

looking in synaptic the only alsa files installed are "alsa-base" and "alsa-utils". There are lots of other progs with alsa but i don't know if i need them or not

any other suggestions greatly appreciated

thanks

Diss


edit - is there any other way to just check the onboard sound is 'on' (WinXP detected it OK)
Click to expand...

Code: 
cat /proc/asound/cards
 
Thanks Mr Potatohead

have tried that but get this:

root@ubuntu:/ # cat /proc/asound/cards
cat: /proc/asound/cards: No such file or directory

what next?

cheers

Diss


edit : are there any log files (and where) that might say whats detected/loaded?
 
Last edited:
i haven't specifically installed the nvidia chipset drivers - unless Ubuntu does it automatically

i seem to recall when i first started with linux someone here saying you didn't really need them

diss
 
I dual boot SuSE 10.1 and Windows XP Pro and use both onboard and X-Fi respectively. I must say it is frustrating having to switch wires every time you boot. Not very gracefull. I'm sure you'll agree.
The other thing is that the quality of sound between onboard and X-Fi is huge. To the extent listening to music in Windows is far far better and actually worth rebooting for.
-Dev
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom