[Bug 21804] Re: alsa-utils cannot always restore mixer settings correctly across upgrades

[Matt Zimmerman]

** Summary changed:

- Muted sound after dist-upgrade from Hoary to Breezy
+ alsa-utils cannot always restore mixer settings correctly across upgrades
** Description changed:

- Sound's gone. No error messages, I just hear nothing. Volume's at max, not
- muted, works in perfectly whatever hoary shipped.
+ The problem is that the alsa-utils package inadequately handles changes in
+ the mixer interface from one kernel version to another. On shutting down
+ the mixer state is stored in /var/lib/alsa/asound.state. After booting
+ with the new kernel, "alsactl restore" tries to feed this asound.state to
+ the (new 'n' improved) driver and the driver gags because the mixer
+ descriptions have changed.
  
- juerd at nano:~$ lspci | grep audio
- 0000:00:1e.2 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corp. 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW
- (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
- juerd at nano:~$ lsmod | grep snd
- snd_intel8x0           33152  5
- snd_ac97_codec         83452  1 snd_intel8x0
- snd_pcm_oss            52704  0
- snd_mixer_oss          19296  1 snd_pcm_oss
- snd_pcm                88840  5 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
- snd_timer              24164  3 snd_pcm
- snd                    54884  12
- snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
- soundcore               9600  1 snd
- snd_page_alloc         10600  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
+ /etc/init.d/alsa-utils already runs alsactl with the "-F" option in an
+ attempt to deal with this, but apparently that is not good enough.
  
- Not even catting a kernel image to the sound device produces anything
- audible.
- 
- The computer is a IBM ThinkPad X41.
- 
- If any more information is needed, let me know please.
+ It would be nice if alsactl and the driver dealt with this problem in a
+ better way.

** Changed in: alsa-utils (Ubuntu)
     Assignee: Thomas Hood => (unassigned)
       Target: ubuntu-6.06 => None
-- 
alsa-utils cannot always restore mixer settings correctly across upgrades
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/21804