[H-GEN] newbie help

Sarah Hollings sez at powerup.com.au
Thu Mar 30 20:23:26 EST 2000


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Joel Michael wrote:
[snip]
> > 1: Sound.  Corel uses the kde desktop (on top of what is basically a
> > debian distro) which they have apparently slightly modified.  The
> > desktop "control centre"'s info tab reports that the oss drivers have
> > successfully loaded (having used soundconf).  The CD player> application
> > works just fine, however KDE's desktop sounds will not play, and the
> > console "play" command won't work either.  One howto I found said to
> > check "kwmsound" was in the startup script - it is.
> 
> just guessing here without knowing what the error from the console
> 'play' was - is something playing on the sound device, eg an mp3, esd,
> licq, something else? try "fuser /dev/sound", "fuser /dev/audio" and
> fuser "/dev/dsp" to check what's writing to the audio devices.  unless
> you've got an SBLive which supports multiple writes, you can only have
> one process at a time opening the audio devices.

fuser didn't seem to report anything, but I guess I'm a pillock and one
needs to run it while trying to play something?  Not sure how to
accomplish that..?

*** the "one process" thing - the sound info tab reports -
Audio devices:
0: Avance Logic (4.2) (DUPLEX)
1: SB Secondary Device (DUPLEX)

Syth device:
0: Yamaha OPL-3

and so on for the mixer etc.  ie - the system seems to think I have two
audio devices...??
> 
> either that, or the permissions on /dev/audio, /dev/dsp and /dev/sound
> aren't right :)

ls /dev reveals no such 'file' as sound.
Permissions for /dev/audio:  crw-rw----

> 
> > 2: System printing.  KDE's choose a printer thing says I have an HP
> 670C > > installed, but Netscape and other applications (including the console
> > apps, ie redirect output to lpr) won't work, producing a few> unprintable
> > squiggles.
> >
> probably a PostScript/GhostScript/printcap problem.  try cat'ing a text
> file to the parallel port to see if everything is ok, then work with
> GhostScript and your printcap and filters to make it go.  if that just
> sounded like greek, try having a look at the printing howto.  it will
> explain things better than i can.  i'm in "go to the pub" mode at the
> moment :)

OK - will have a look at those.  Enjoy the pub!
> 
> > 3: Periodic mouse problems.  Occasionally on boot-up, I have no mouse.
> > I am *certain* the previous shutdown was OK, and can't fathom what's
> > causing it.
> >
> hrm, a real strange one.  probably as good as my problem where i need a
> reboot to make the mouse go again when i play an SVGAlib game (quake)
> when X is running...  sorry, can't help ya with that one :)

Yup - tis a bit odd.  If I boot up with modem turned on I lose the mouse
too.

> 
> > At least I got the pppd to talk to my ISP!!!  Otherwise I wouldn't
> even
> > be able to throw out this call for help!
> >
> hrm... we (the linux community) must be doing something right... that's
> always been the one that stumps everyone first off :)

Thanks, again.

Sarah

> ---
> Joel Michael
> System Administrator
> 
> Diggy Internet Services
> 90 Petrie Terrace
> Brisbane Qld 4000
> Australia
> 
> Ph: +61 7 3367 3555
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> Mob: 0401 039 462
> 
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