Help with soundcard install...

[EricB]

My sound don't work in red hat 9. I download the driver for realtek. here are the instructions. Can somebody walk me through this. For one, I don't know where or what the soundcore is

The source code copy from www.alsa-project.org. ver:R3.0
Linux Source Code for ALC audio codec

Installation:
This Source Code is from www.alsa-project.org.
For driver installation, please follow below steps.

Step 1. unzip source code
tar xfvj alcsound.tar.bz2

Step 2. Turn on sound support (soundcore module, default turn on)

Step 3. Complied source code
a. ./configure
b. make
c. make install
d. ./snddevices

Step 4. Edit your /etc/modules.conf or conf.modules depending on the distribution
(Please refer to the attached modules.conf)

Step 5. reboot your machine

Note: 1. The most detail information, can refer the alsa-kernel/Documenttation/ALSA-Configuration.txt
in the alcsound.tar.bz2.

2. Kernel Version must be 2.2.14 or later.
3. All mixer channels are muted by default. You must use a native
or OSS mixer program to unmute appropriate channels.
4. If can not compile the source code, try to rename the /usr/src/linux-2.x -> /usr/src/linux.
5. The driver added to support the SPDIF functoin.
6. Suggest use alsamixer to control mixer function. you can find it in the alsa-utils-0.9.4 (www.alsa-project.org).

[horndude]

ya, bunzip and untar that file, configure make and compile as instructed

"make install" will install it

then use and editor while logged in as root and edit the /etc/rc.d/rc.modules file or /etc/modules.conf, whichever one redhat uses, its commented, go down to the sound section and make sure there isnt a "#" in front of that line pointing to the new driver, and resave the file

you should have alsa installed already, type alsaconfig to configure that, then alsamixer to unmute the volumes

the soundcore module should be active by default, type "lsmod" to see a listing of the actively loaded modules, if it isnt listed, type "modprobe soundcore" or "modprobe sndcore", one of those should work

configuration files for linux are in the /etc directory

also goto redhats website and read their tutorials

the directions you posted are accurate, it will take some time to understand how easy and literal directions for setting up linux really are, it isnt all point and click, its mostly manually editing commented configuration files

[EricB]

Wow. I think I'm more confused now. I will read the "red hat for dummies" book that I had just got from the library to figure out what you just said

[horndude]

ok commandline, blank screen with a prompt, text only, you will be using that

you will be logged in as root, or in GODMODE so to speak, linux is multiuser, so there's reg users, and the superuser or "root", reg users cant make system changes, to do that you must be logged in as root

those intructions above are very literal

when it says untar a file, you untar the file---> type bunzip2 <filename>, then tar xvf <filename>

when in teh commandline complete commands or filenames are unecessary, just type the first few letters then the tab key, it will fill in the rest

the xvf after the tar command is the options for the tar command, in this case it means extract, verbosely, and file

remember DOS, same exact deal, just way more commands

the cd into the new directory created when the file got untarred and unzipped---->cd <whatever that directory is>

typing ls will list whatever is in the current directory your in, pwd will tell you what directory your in

cd with no options will goto your home directory of that user

cd .. = up one directory level

when you extract a file that needs compiled, there's usually a README in there, read it with an editor, try pico <filename>, use control key and letters at bottom of pico window to do stuff like save and exit for example

so after untarring and unzipping, type ls, and see what its called, then cd <that new directory>, then ls to see whats in there

like I said, its incredibly literal, because your used to windows your making it harder than it is LOL, thats normal

[horndude]

these directions for example when someone says "make install" they mean literally,type make install from inside that directory, weird at first I know, but it make sense very quickly

the linux filesystem is like this, instead of "C:\" being to top, in linux its "/", anything under that is lower, your home directory is "/home/<username>"

config files are in "/etc"

executable programs are in /bin, /usr/bin, and /usr/local/bin

system executables are in /sbin, and /usr/sbin

weird names I know, its NOT WINDOWS, it was designed by hackers to be simple and straight forward, youve got some new lingo and habits to unlearn and relearn

[uchiha]

so what is exactly the home/ directory for... like a profiler?

also, ~/root seems to be the super-user home... which I feel is about the same as any other user except the file access permissions. Every time I restart X as root, it warns me about security.. is it bad because it is making the system vulnerable to others? or vulnerable to myself...

[uchiha]

also why is there a /bin /usr/bin /usr/loca/bin hierarchy?

[horndude]

well /usr/local/bin is for user installed programs, bin stands for binary, which is a already compiled ready to go executable program

sbin is static or shared binary I believe for the systems use

roots home is /root

regular users home is /home/<username>, and each user gets their own directory, and you cant access someone else's, just like on this forum, everyone gets their own account,name,and password, this forum is a multiuser system

the reason its set up this way is because linux like unix, is a multiuser system, its like having your own mainframe computer where many many people can log in and use it at the same time unlike windows, OS X is the same way.Its done this way because there has to be a separation between programs the system can run for its own processes, and what users can do, that way if a user does something stupid it wont crash the whole system, just that one program.It also keeps users from running system programs unless they have root priveleges which keeps the system safe from being crashed.Everything in linux is treated as a file, including devices, and every file has permissions that can be changed, and they control reading,writing, and execution.For example, when you set up linux the first time, usually only root can mount and read or write to a floppy or cd-r or cdrom, easily changed, but its a safety feature.Suppose a whole bunch of people are logged in, you have to restrict who can do what or someone will mess things up and crash the system taking everyone's work with it, keeping it all separate fixes that

Yes running as root all the time is not a good idea, one stupid mistake and you can change something and not know what or how to fix it, thats one of the bad habits windows teaches because with windows, only one person can use the system at a time.

[EricB]

I will reboot to linux and try again