Help File Library: Slackware: Configuring Your Sound Blaster

Written by: dithyramb

Ok, I have been talking to many people who cannot seem to get their Soundblaster 16/pro/32/awe64 working in Slackware 7, so I have decided to write a guide for an interesting way to get them working easily.

1. Login as root

2. type cd /etc/rc.d

3.Use a text editor to open rc.modules (eg: using pico: pico rc.modules)

4. In rc.modules find the line :

# Sound Blaster pro/16 support:
#/sbin/modprobe sb io=0x220 irq=5 dma=3 dma16=5 mpu_io=300

uncomment the second line so it reads:

# Sound Blaster pro/16 support:
/sbin/modprobe sb io=0x220 irq=5 dma=3 dma16=5 mpu_io=300

5. Now execute rc.modules to load the newly uncommented sound blaster line by typing: ./rc.modules

6. type cd /etc

7. type pnpdump > isapnp.conf

8. Reboot and go into your systems BIOS (usually by hitting the delete key as the machine tests memory) and find a setting called Plug and Play OS. Modify the setting to say OFF or NO , as this setting enabled locks certain settings into the soundblaster irq settings and does not permit Linux from assigning an irq to the soundblaster.

9. Reboot into linux.

10. Log in as root

11. type chmod 777 /dev/dsp

12. If the force is with you, you should now have sound for all users. The easiest way to test this is to play a wav or mp3 file.

Sensei's Note:
Looking for a nice mp3/wav player? www.xmms.org

If you have any problems email dithyramb at netarchy@satx.rr.com Hopefully this will help some slackware users out there.