Alsa-update
From openSUSE
Version: openSUSE 11.0 to 11.2
Symptom
Your audio has a problem that requires that you update your alsa version.
Cause
The cause is your hardware is too new for the version of alsa that comes with your openSUSE version
Solution
This section provides zypper commands for openSUSE-10.2 and 11.1 for updating your alsa. (As of mid-July-2009, the most current stable alsa version is 1.0.20). Note this guide should be used in conjunction with the openSUSE audio troubleshooting guide: openSUSE Audio Troubleshooting Guide Please do not use this guide in isolation.
Kernel version
IMPORTANT. When updating your alsa version, it is important that you know what kernel version you are using. You need this because you should install the alsa-driver-kmp rpms specific to ONLY your kernel. NOT for other kernels. To determine your kernel version type in an xterm or a konsole:
uname -a
To determine your openSUSE version and your system architecture version type in an xterm or konsole:
cat /etc/SuSE-release
Pay attention as to whether you have an
- .586/.686 SMP,
- .586/.686 BIGSMP
- or x86_64
- or pae
- or default
Once you have the output, run the name through zypper to get the full version number (which may have an extra ".#" at the end) to find the applicable version below, as follows
zypper info kernel-[suffix]
Note - The above is important.
SUSE-10.0
No longer supported.
openSUSE-10.1
No longer supported.
openSUSE-10.2
No longer supported.
Note: the basic packaged openSUSE-10.2 comes with version 1.0.13 of alsa installed by default.
openSUSE-10.3
No longer supported.
You could do a search on webpin software search to see if you can locate a more up to date alsa version for installation on openSUSE-10.3.
Note: the basic packaged openSUSE-10.3 comes with version 1.0.14 of alsa installed by default.
openSUSE-11.0
You should send 6 zypper commands to update your alsa (they are given below).
To send the zypper commands below, first open an xterm/konsole, and type "su" (no quotes) to obtain root permissions. Enter the root password when prompted. Then send the 6 zypper commands (in two groups of 3) given below that are specific to your openSUSE kernel version. The three commands given in each case will:
- install a repository for alsa
- update your alsa
- remove the repository
Its important to send the third zypper command to remove the repository, as the rpms in that repository are cutting edge, and once one's sound functions, its best not to keep updating alsa, as one of the updates could inadvertently break one's audio.
For updating the ALSA user-space packages, first run the following 3 zypper commands.
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/libs/openSUSE_11.0/ multimedia
zypper install alsa alsa-docs libasound2
zypper rr multimedia
Note: the basic packaged openSUSE-11.0 comes with version 1.0.16 of alsa installed by default
You are NOT finished after sending those 3 zypper commands. Please read on !
In addition, to update ALSA driver modules, send the following 3 zypper commands applicable to your kernel version (in the following section). ONLY for your PCs kernel version. DO NOT install the rpms for other kernels (as it may break your sound). DON'T FORGET THIS.
Don't forget to reboot your OS, after this updating.
kernel 2.6.25.5-1.1-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.0)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.25.5-1.1-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.0/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.25.5-1.1-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.0)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.25.5-1.1-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.0/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.25.20_0.5-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.0)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.25.20_0.5-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.0_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.25.20_0.5-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.0)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.25.20_0.5-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.0_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
openSUSE-11.1
You should send 6 zypper commands to update your alsa (they are given below).
To send the zypper commands below, first open an xterm/konsole, and type "su" (no quotes) to obtain root permissions. Enter the root password when prompted. Then send the 6 zypper commands (in two groups of 3) given below that are specific to your openSUSE kernel version. The three commands given in each case will:
- install a repository for alsa
- update your alsa
- remove the repository
Its important to send the third zypper command to remove the repository, as the rpms in that repository are cutting edge, and once one's sound functions, its best not to keep updating alsa, as one of the updates could inadvertently break one's audio.
For updating the ALSA user-space packages, first run the following 3 zypper commands.
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/libs/openSUSE_11.1/ multimedia
zypper install alsa alsa-docs libasound2
zypper rr multimedia
Note: the basic packaged openSUSE-11.1 comes with version 1.0.18 of alsa installed by default
You are NOT finished after sending those 3 zypper commands. Please read on !
In addition, to update ALSA driver modules, send the following 3 zypper commands applicable to your kernel version (in the following section). ONLY for your PCs kernel version. DO NOT install the rpms for other kernels (as it may break your sound). DON'T FORGET THIS.
Don't forget to reboot your OS, after this updating.
kernel 2.6.27.7_9.1-1.1-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.1)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.27.7_9.1-1.1-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.27.7_9.1-1.1-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.1)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.27.7_9.1-1.1-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.27.42_0.1-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.1)
The following commands are only for kernel '2.6.27.42_0.1-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.27.42_0.1-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.1)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.27.42_0.1-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.1_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
openSUSE-11.2
You should send 6 zypper commands to update your alsa (they are given below).
To send the zypper commands below, first open an xterm/konsole, and type "su" (no quotes) to obtain root permissions. Enter the root password when prompted. Then send the 6 zypper commands (in two groups of 3) given below that are specific to your openSUSE kernel version. The three commands given in each case will:
- install a repository for alsa
- update your alsa
- remove the repository
Its important to send the third zypper command to remove the repository, as the rpms in that repository are cutting edge, and once one's sound functions, its best not to keep updating alsa, as one of the updates could inadvertently break one's audio.
For updating the ALSA user-space packages, first run the following 3 zypper commands.
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/libs/openSUSE_11.2/ multimedia
zypper install alsa alsa-docs libasound2
zypper rr multimedia
Note: the basic packaged openSUSE-11.2 comes with version 1.0.21 of alsa installed by default
You are NOT finished after sending those 3 zypper commands. Please read on !
In addition, to update ALSA driver modules, send the following 3 zypper commands applicable to your kernel version (in the following section). ONLY for your PCs kernel version. DO NOT install the rpms for other kernels (as it may break your sound). DON'T FORGET THIS.
Don't forget to reboot your OS, after this updating.
kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-desktop
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-default i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-default
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-default
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-pae i386 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-pae
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-pae
zypper rr multimedia
kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-desktop i386 or x86_64 GNU/Linux (openSUSE-11.2)
The following commands are only for kernel 2.6.31.8-0.1-desktop
zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/multimedia:/audio:/KMP/openSUSE_11.2_Update/ multimedia
zypper install alsa-driver-kmp-desktop
zypper rr multimedia
Daily Snapshots of alsa userspace rpms
If the user-space alsa updates suggested above do not work, one can also try installing even more cutting edge (essentially daily (or momentary) snapshot packages from the upstream GIT trees). There is guidance here for that: Alsa-update-snapshot
Links
- OpenSUSE Audio Troubleshooting Guide
- Alsa web site: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Main_Page
- Alsa-update-snapshot
Passed QA check: Fsundermeyer 13:49, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

