[pulseaudio-discuss] alsa-util.c: Unable to attach to mixer (was: main.c: daemon startup failed.)

Sat Jul 26 21:42:25 PDT 2008

Sean McNamara <smcnam at gmail.com> writes:

> Please try the below replacement of /etc/pulse/default.pa. Make sure to
> back-up your existing default.pa before proceeding.

Thanks for this suggestion. I've tried on several occasions since to
implement it, but without much success.

The trouble seems (to my eyes) to begin at the error message "ALSA lib
control.c:909:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL plug:hw:0".

=====
$ pulseaudio --version
pulseaudio 0.9.10

$ grep -v '^\(#\|$\)' /etc/pulse/default.pa
.nofail
load-sample-lazy pulse-hotplug /usr/share/sounds/startup3.wav
.fail
load-module module-alsa-sink device=plug:hw:0 sink_name=output
.ifexists module-hal-detect.so
load-module module-hal-detect
.else
load-module module-detect
.endif
.ifexists module-esound-protocol-unix.so
load-module module-esound-protocol-unix socket="/tmp/.esd/socket" auth-anonymous=1
.endif
load-module module-native-protocol-unix auth-group=pulse-access
load-module module-native-protocol-tcp auth-anonymous=1
load-module module-esound-protocol-tcp auth-anonymous=1
load-module module-zeroconf-publish
.ifexists module-gconf.so
.nofail
load-module module-gconf
.fail
.endif
load-module module-volume-restore
load-module module-default-device-restore
load-module module-rescue-streams
load-module module-suspend-on-idle
.ifexists module-x11-publish.so
.nofail
.fail
.endif
set-default-sink output

$ sudo /usr/bin/pulseaudio -vvvv --daemonize=false
I: core-util.c: Successfully gained nice level -11.
W: main.c: This program is not intended to be run as root (unless --system is specified).
I: main.c: This is PulseAudio 0.9.10
I: main.c: Page size is 4096 bytes
I: main.c: Dude, your kernel stinks! The chef's recommendation today is Linux with high-resolution timers enabled!
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully opened device plug:hw:0.
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully enabled mmap() mode.
ALSA lib control.c:909:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL plug:hw:0
I: alsa-util.c: Unable to attach to mixer plug:hw:0: No such file or directory
I: alsa-util.c: Unable to attach to mixer hw:(null): No such device
I: sink.c: Created sink 0 "output" with sample spec "s16be 2ch 44100Hz"
I: source.c: Created source 0 "output.monitor" with sample spec "s16be 2ch 44100Hz"
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Using 4 fragments of size 4408 bytes.
D: module-alsa-sink.c: Thread starting up
D: rtpoll.c: Acquired POSIX realtime signal SIGRTMIN+29
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Starting playback.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-alsa-sink" (index: #0; argument: "device=plug:hw:0 sink_name=output").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-hal-detect.so': success
I: module-hal-detect.c: Trying capability alsa
D: module-hal-detect.c: Not loaded device /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_alsa_timer
D: module-hal-detect.c: Loading module-alsa-sink with arguments 'device_id=0 sink_name=alsa_output.pci_106b_3e_alsa_playback_0'
D: alsa-util.c: Trying front:0...
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device front:0: Device or resource busy
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround40:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround40:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround40:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround41:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround41:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround41:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround50:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround50:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround50:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround51:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround51:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround51:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround71:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround71:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround71:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying hw:0 as last resort...
E: alsa-util.c: Error opening PCM device hw:0: Device or resource busy
E: module.c: Failed to load  module "module-alsa-sink" (argument: "device_id=0 sink_name=alsa_output.pci_106b_3e_alsa_playback_0"): initialization failed.
D: module-hal-detect.c: Not loaded device /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_106b_3e_alsa_playback_0
D: module-hal-detect.c: Loading module-alsa-source with arguments 'device_id=0 source_name=alsa_input.pci_106b_3e_alsa_capture_0'
D: alsa-util.c: Trying front:0...
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device front:0: No such device
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround40:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround40:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround40:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround41:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround41:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround41:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround50:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround50:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround50:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround51:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround51:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround51:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround71:0...
ALSA lib conf.c:3952:(snd_config_expand) Unknown parameters 0
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM surround71:0
I: alsa-util.c: Couldn't open PCM device surround71:0: Invalid argument
D: alsa-util.c: Trying hw:0 as last resort...
E: alsa-util.c: Error opening PCM device hw:0: No such device
E: module.c: Failed to load  module "module-alsa-source" (argument: "device_id=0 source_name=alsa_input.pci_106b_3e_alsa_capture_0"): initialization failed.
D: module-hal-detect.c: Not loaded device /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_106b_3e_alsa_capture_0
D: module-hal-detect.c: Not loaded device /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_106b_3e_alsa_control__1
I: module-hal-detect.c: Loaded 0 modules.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-hal-detect" (index: #1; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-esound-protocol-unix.so': success
I: module.c: Loaded "module-esound-protocol-unix" (index: #2; argument: "socket="/tmp/.esd/socket" auth-anonymous=1").
I: protocol-native.c: Allowing access to group 'pulse-access'.
I: protocol-native.c: loading cookie from disk.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-native-protocol-unix" (index: #3; argument: "auth-group=pulse-access").
I: protocol-native.c: using already loaded auth cookie.
I: protocol-native.c: using already loaded auth cookie.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-native-protocol-tcp" (index: #4; argument: "auth-anonymous=1").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-esound-protocol-tcp" (index: #5; argument: "auth-anonymous=1").
D: module-zeroconf-publish.c: Publishing services in Zeroconf
D: module-zeroconf-publish.c: Successfully created entry group for root at lily: ALSA PCM on plug:hw:0 () via DMA.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-zeroconf-publish" (index: #6; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-gconf.so': failure
I: module.c: Loaded "module-volume-restore" (index: #7; argument: "").
D: module-default-device-restore.c: Restored default sink 'output'.
D: module-default-device-restore.c: No previous default source setting, ignoring.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-default-device-restore" (index: #8; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-rescue-streams" (index: #9; argument: "").
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink output becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source output.monitor becomes idle.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-suspend-on-idle" (index: #10; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-x11-publish.so': success
I: main.c: Daemon startup complete.
D: module-hal-detect.c: dbus: interface=org.freedesktop.DBus, path=/org/freedesktop/DBus, member=NameAcquired
I: module-zeroconf-publish.c: Successfully established service root at lily: ALSA PCM on plug:hw:0 () via DMA.
I: module-zeroconf-publish.c: Successfully established main service.
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink output idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Device suspended...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source output.monitor idle for too long, suspending ...
=====

At that point the daemon is running, accepts connections, but produces
no sound. Eventualy I send it SIGINT and it closes.

What is causing the above failures? How can I get PulseAudio and ALSA
playing together properly on this audio host?

-- 
 \        “The number of UNIX installations has grown to 10, with more |
  `\         expected.” —Unix Programmer's Manual, 2nd Ed., 1972-06-12 |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney