I enjoy using Skype to talk with friends using the Internet. The version for FC4 had a vexing habit of going bad after about 15 minutes.
When I changed to FC6 I went to the Skype web page and they had a RPM marked for FC6 so I d/l and loaded and it loaded without a whimper. Came up from a launcher in Applications->Internet and the version scype-1.4.0.74 came up and ran just perfect. It is a narrow format window that can sit right beside Thunderbird.
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
3. Upgrad all libraries and components to the versions listed for the 1.4 beta client. After doing this and rebooting, sound will start working.
We apologise for the inconvenience
Best regards,
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. But my question to this group is, do I dare do this sort of thing to a kernel module?
Karl
On 26Jun2007 16:53, Karl Larsen k5di@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:
- 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
- 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.
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.
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.
Cameron Simpson wrote:
On 26Jun2007 16:53, Karl Larsen k5di@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:
- 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
- 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
Karl Larsen wrote:
Stay out of /lib/modules. The file you want is /etc/modprobe.conf.
...
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 :-)
Isn't this a misunderstanding? The advice, as I understood it, was to add the lines to /etc/modprobe.conf . I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to go to great lengths to save the old version; you can always delete what you added if it doesn't do what you want.
Timothy Murphy wrote:
Karl Larsen wrote:
Stay out of /lib/modules. The file you want is /etc/modprobe.conf.
...
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 :-)
Isn't this a misunderstanding? The advice, as I understood it, was to add the lines to /etc/modprobe.conf . I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to go to great lengths to save the old version; you can always delete what you added if it doesn't do what you want.
No, the advice was to add the lines to a file called alsa. Water has passed under the bridge and the last word from Skype is that they are working on a new version that will correct this problem. So I plan to wait.
Karl
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 19:44, Karl Larsen wrote:
Timothy Murphy wrote:
Isn't this a misunderstanding? The advice, as I understood it, was to add the lines to /etc/modprobe.conf . I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to go to great lengths to save the old version; you can always delete what you added if it doesn't do what you want.
No, the advice was to add the lines to a file called alsa. Water has
passed under the bridge and the last word from Skype is that they are working on a new version that will correct this problem. So I plan to wait.
Karl
Hi Karl.
The Skype folks were giving you file references for the Debian OS. In Debian, /etc/modprobe.d has a bunch of files. Alsa-base is the one they were referencing, but I normally put any changes I want to make in another file, which as default is empty, and named "sound".
Back to Fedora: The file that is used for all this stuff in Fedora is /etc/modprobe.conf.
You say that Skype was working ok until recently. Did you check that your mike is still working ok, by trying another mike?
Have you had a newer kernel installed recently with your updates? This may have caused the problem. If so try with the earlier kernel when you boot up.
Of course it's possible that Skype themselves have changed something, and is why you're having problems. I 've never tried it, being on dialup.
2¢ worth of comments.
Nigel.
Nigel Henry wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 19:44, Karl Larsen wrote:
Timothy Murphy wrote:
Isn't this a misunderstanding? The advice, as I understood it, was to add the lines to /etc/modprobe.conf . I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to go to great lengths to save the old version; you can always delete what you added if it doesn't do what you want.
No, the advice was to add the lines to a file called alsa. Water has
passed under the bridge and the last word from Skype is that they are working on a new version that will correct this problem. So I plan to wait.
Karl
Hi Karl.
The Skype folks were giving you file references for the Debian OS. In Debian, /etc/modprobe.d has a bunch of files. Alsa-base is the one they were referencing, but I normally put any changes I want to make in another file, which as default is empty, and named "sound".
Back to Fedora: The file that is used for all this stuff in Fedora is /etc/modprobe.conf.
You say that Skype was working ok until recently. Did you check that your mike is still working ok, by trying another mike?
Have you had a newer kernel installed recently with your updates? This may have caused the problem. If so try with the earlier kernel when you boot up.
Of course it's possible that Skype themselves have changed something, and is why you're having problems. I 've never tried it, being on dialup.
2¢ worth of comments.
Nigel.
Hi Nigel, the advice that came first was to modify the file alsa but of course they didn't know where that is on FC6. Then today I got a email saying the version I have is bad and a new one is being worked on so stand by.
Karl
On 2007-06-27, 19:36 GMT, Nigel Henry wrote:
The Skype folks were giving you file references for the Debian OS. In Debian, /etc/modprobe.d has a bunch of files. Alsa-base is the one they were referencing, but I normally put any changes I want to make in another file, which as default is empty, and named "sound".
Back to Fedora: The file that is used for all this stuff in Fedora is /etc/modprobe.conf.
This is not correct -- take a look at modprobe(8) and modprobe.conf(5), Fedora has exactly the same configuration as Debian (I know, I used both). I have here all my files in /etc/modprobe.d and everything works like a charm. The only caveat is (both at Debian and here) that when there is /etc/modprobe.conf modprobe takes configuration from there, and only if it isn't present it goes to individual files in /etc/modprobe.d. Remove your /etc/modprobe.conf (of course, compare its content with the content of /etc/modprobe.d files first) and files in /etc/modprobe.d will be taken into consideration.
Best,
Matěj Cepl
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
On 2007-06-27, 19:36 GMT, Nigel Henry wrote:
The Skype folks were giving you file references for the Debian OS. In Debian, /etc/modprobe.d has a bunch of files. Alsa-base is the one they were referencing, but I normally put any changes I want to make in another file, which as default is empty, and named "sound".
Back to Fedora: The file that is used for all this stuff in Fedora is /etc/modprobe.conf.
This is not correct -- take a look at modprobe(8) and modprobe.conf(5), Fedora has exactly the same configuration as Debian (I know, I used both). I have here all my files in /etc/modprobe.d and everything works like a charm. The only caveat is (both at Debian and here) that when there is /etc/modprobe.conf modprobe takes configuration from there, and only if it isn't present it goes to individual files in /etc/modprobe.d. Remove your /etc/modprobe.conf (of course, compare its content with the content of /etc/modprobe.d files first) and files in /etc/modprobe.d will be taken into consideration.
Best,
Matěj Cepl
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
Why all the heat. Havn't you got anything better to do????
Nigel.
btw. I do use both Debian, and Fedora distro's.
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
[21:54:34][fc7]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia [21:54:34][fc7]# rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.200-1.fc7
Seems you owe Matej Cepl an apology.
ne...
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:59, ne... wrote:
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
[21:54:34][fc7]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia [21:54:34][fc7]# rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.200-1.fc7
Seems you owe Matej Cepl an apology.
ne...
I'll come back to you on that when I eventually get FC7 downloaded and installed, but have never seen an /etc/modprobe.d on earlier versions of FC, only on my Debian installs.
I'll be back.
Nigel.
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:59, ne... wrote:
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
[21:54:34][fc7]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia [21:54:34][fc7]# rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.200-1.fc7
Seems you owe Matej Cepl an apology.
ne...
I'll come back to you on that when I eventually get FC7 downloaded and installed, but have never seen an /etc/modprobe.d on earlier versions of FC, only on my Debian installs. From FC5
[22:22:58][fc5]# cd etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia-glx
From FC6
[22:24:23][fc6]# cd etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia
From FC4
[22:25:39][fc4]# cd etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist
Be graceful & eat crow.
ne...
Nigel Henry wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:59, ne... wrote:
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
[21:54:34][fc7]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia [21:54:34][fc7]# rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.200-1.fc7
Seems you owe Matej Cepl an apology.
ne...
I'll come back to you on that when I eventually get FC7 downloaded and installed, but have never seen an /etc/modprobe.d on earlier versions of FC, only on my Debian installs.
I'll be back.
Nigel.
Hi Nigel I think you might have it backwards. On my FC6 I have a /etc/modprobe.d/ but no /etc/modules.d which I thought was a debian thing. I might be wrong.
Karl
On 6/27/07, Karl Larsen k5di@zianet.com wrote:
Nigel Henry wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:59, ne... wrote:
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
Have you got some reason for starting a flame war here???
Skype told Karl to edit a file in /etc/modprobe.d. There is no such directory in Fedora. I was simply trying to make him aware that the file to edit was referenced differently in Fedora. In the case of Fedora the file is /etc/modprobe.conf for the 2.6 kernel as you well know.
[21:54:34][fc7]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/ blacklist blacklist-compat modprobe.conf.dist nvidia [21:54:34][fc7]# rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.200-1.fc7
Seems you owe Matej Cepl an apology.
ne...
I'll come back to you on that when I eventually get FC7 downloaded and installed, but have never seen an /etc/modprobe.d on earlier versions of FC, only on my Debian installs.
I'll be back.
Nigel.
Hi Nigel I think you might have it backwards. On my FC6 I have a
/etc/modprobe.d/ but no /etc/modules.d which I thought was a debian thing. I might be wrong.
Karl
Instead of fixating on whether /etc/modules.d existed on previous releases you guys have missed the boat. Skype support was really telling Karl to get the correct sound driver installed/configured for his system. That means, Karl, you should examine /etc/modprobe.conf and see if the two lines Skype support told you to add to alsa is present. If not, run system-config-soundcard and select your sound card. You should be able to click on "Test" and get sound. If you get sound, check alsa-mixer, verify the microphone input is enabled, and volume is set for 75% or any reasonalbe value except mute.
Kam Leo wrote:
On 6/27/07, Karl Larsen k5di@zianet.com wrote:
Nigel Henry wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:59, ne... wrote:
On 6/27/07, Nigel Henry cave.dnb@tiscali.fr wrote:
On Wednesday 27 June 2007 22:02, Matej Cepl wrote:
<snip>
volume is set for 75% or any reasonalbe value except mute.
OK. Let me say for the last time, I am in touch with the people who wrote the Skype for Linux. They told me today to gather some data from my work with it here and send it to them. I did so and they said they are working on a new version for Linux and I will be a beta tester.
So please drop this subject. There is nothing more to say.
Karl
Nigel Henry wrote:
I'll come back to you on that when I eventually get FC7 downloaded and installed, but have never seen an /etc/modprobe.d on earlier versions of FC, only on my Debian installs.
I'll be back.
Nigel.
It is in FC6. If I remember correctly, it was also in FC5.
[mikkel@mikkel modprobe.d]$ uname -r 2.6.20-1.2952.fc6 [mikkel@mikkel modprobe.d]$ rpm -qf /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist hwdata-0.191-1
Mikkel
Matej Cepl wrote:
On 2007-06-27, 19:36 GMT, Nigel Henry wrote:
The Skype folks were giving you file references for the Debian OS. In Debian, /etc/modprobe.d has a bunch of files. Alsa-base is the one they were referencing, but I normally put any changes I want to make in another file, which as default is empty, and named "sound".
Back to Fedora: The file that is used for all this stuff in Fedora is /etc/modprobe.conf.
This is not correct -- take a look at modprobe(8) and modprobe.conf(5), Fedora has exactly the same configuration as Debian (I know, I used both). I have here all my files in /etc/modprobe.d and everything works like a charm. The only caveat is (both at Debian and here) that when there is /etc/modprobe.conf modprobe takes configuration from there, and only if it isn't present it goes to individual files in /etc/modprobe.d. Remove your /etc/modprobe.conf (of course, compare its content with the content of /etc/modprobe.d files first) and files in /etc/modprobe.d will be taken into consideration.
Best,
Matěj Cepl
Hello and thanks for the info. I will sure look hard at man modprobe and modprobe.conf and see what they say. I was sure the Skype people were talking Debian :-)
Karl
Matej Cepl wrote:
Fedora has exactly the same configuration as Debian (I know, I used both). I have here all my files in /etc/modprobe.d and everything works like a charm. The only caveat is (both at Debian and here) that when there is /etc/modprobe.conf modprobe takes configuration from there, and only if it isn't present it goes to individual files in /etc/modprobe.d.
Is that true? If it is, it seems odd that the installation creates both modprobe.conf and the directory modprobe.d .
[I did look at the man entry for modprobe.conf but it seemed slightly ambiguous on this point to me.]
I think usually when both *.conf and *.d exist, they are both read.