Skype and Linux

[Karl Larsen]

Cameron Simpson wrote:
> On 26Jun2007 16:53, Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:
>   
>>    It never got old like the FC4 model did and it works very well with good 
>> results for a few weeks. But last week it went bad. I could hear everyone 
>> fine but they could not hear me, and Skype told me in cryptic terms what 
>> was wrong. It says
>> " Call Failed Problem with Audio Capture". So I sent all this to Skype and 
>> they sent me this:
>>
>> 1.  Uncomment these lines in the /etc/modules.d/alsa file and replaced
>> "driver" with "intel8x0" :
>>     
>>>> # Replace "driver" with the driver for you soundcard
>>>> alias snd-card-0 snd-driver
>>>> alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
>>>>         
>> 2. Add this line (this likewise seemed to have no effect):
>>     
>>>> options snd-pcm-oss nonblock_open=1
>>>>         
> [...]
>   
>>    Of course we don't have a /etc/modules.d/ but we have a /lib/modules/ 
>> and somewhere in there is a alsa or alsa-mixer because it is in the kernel 
>> right now.
>>     
>
> Stay out of /lib/modules.
> The file you want is /etc/modprobe.conf.
>
> The file is only consulted when a module is loaded - if your sound
> modules are already loaded then changes to the file have no immediate
> effect.
>
>   
>> But my question to this group is, do I dare do this sort of 
>> thing to a kernel module?
>>     
>
> Sure, but make sure you keep a copy of the original file before you change
> it. That way it is easy to revert.
>   
    Ahh, that is the secret. Always be able to revert to the original 
file. I will copy the original to /root/ for safe keeping :-)


> Depending on the kernel and modules you may need to reboot between tests
> (modify file, reboot, try skype, lather rinse, repeat). In principle you
> don't need to reboot, but my module fu is weak.
>
>   
    That will not hurt. It is necessary to make sure the modified alsa 
is being used by the kernel.
> Also, a reboot is a "full test" in the sense that you are testing how the
> machine will behave "from scratch", which you need to know anyway.
>   

    Now I need to find the file. It isn't in /etc/modprobe.d/ for some 
reason. It may be inside Volume Control which is in the kernel when you 
bring it up. I see that when I use ps -A to read the kernel.

Karl