Posted on 22nd May 2009 by Craig Huffstetler in Linux | Mini How To | Ubuntu
alsa, How To, Linux, Ubuntu
Have sound problems in Linux? Generally most computers, now-a-days, ship with multiple sound devices (one “on board” [on the motherboard] and one separately installed, which you want to use…usually — such as the Creative X-Fi card or another “higher quality” sound card). Sometimes this creates conflicts with your system or users just need to tell your system which sound to actually USE for their sound. And that’s sometimes why sound is not coming out of those nice speakers.
Something I always recommend installing: asoundconf-gtk.
What is it? It allows you to configure your system’s default “base” sound card. As the package describes it’s “useful if you have two sound cards, and [need] to switch between the two.” I know the function is already there in Gnome, however this seems to just work. And I like things that just work. It’s also GUI (Graphical…) based. So, now need for all the command typing.
So let’s get going:
Fire up Synaptic (System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager). Or if you’re a command-line junkie like me:
sudo apt-get asoundconf-gtk
Now if you used Synaptic Package Manager – a few last steps:
- Search for: asoundconf-gtk
- Double click on the package OR right click on it and go to “Mark for installation”
- Now click “Apply” in the toolbar.
Now go to System > Preferences > Default Sound Card. Select your X-Fi card or whichever card you intend on using.
NOTE: This may, and usually does, require a system restart.
Posted on 21st May 2009 by Craig Huffstetler in Guide | How To | Linux | Ubuntu
alsa, Guide, How To, Linux, sound blaster, soundblaster, Ubuntu, x-fi, xfi
There is a way to get your Creative X-Fi Card working in Ubuntu Linux using the proprietary drivers provided by Creative as of 2008/2009. As of Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) and 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) they work fine; however, they do take a little bit of know-how to install. Soon there will be no need for any of this as the ALSA team and kernel team are working hard on integrating them into the core Linux system. Watch out for this in Karmic Koala (see bottom of post)!
So, let’s get going.
Go to Creative’s web site and download the X-Fi driver for your card for “Linux.” It will come in a .tar.gz file.
After downloading the file from Creative’s web site you need to double click on the file. Click on “Extract” in the upper menu. You can choose the location. Your Desktop is perfectly fine as well as any other location, such as your ~/ (home) directory. Just remember where you place your downloaded file.
It will indeed take going to the terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal) as of now. Then going to the directory where you extracted the file to.
To do this type:
cd /directory/path
If it is your desktop that would be:
cd Desktop
or:
cd ~/Desktop
If it is just your home folder your are already there.
Then go to the Creative driver folder using “cd” as well.
cd XFiDrv_Linux_Public_US_1.00
or just type:
cd XFi<TAB>
<TAB> will auto-complete for you. Press Enter.
Once there:
Type:
make
Then type:
sudo make install
Enter in YOUR password (you will not be able to see it).
This will most likely will require a restart. HOWEVER, before you restart go to System > Administration > Hardware Driver. Ensure the X-Fi Restricted Driver (that you just installed) is enabled).
You can then go to:
System > Preferences > Sound
And look at your main mixer on the bottom. Make sure ALSA X-Fi is selected. Test the above channels to make sure everything is working properly.
Now everything should work fine.
This is the only way to get it to work and you must do this again with any NEW kernel installs or upgrades. This until the new ALSA release that will support this model sound card. This bug has been ongoing in the community of Ubuntu and you can read about it, and subscribe to it, here. It will pushed out in Karmic with ALSA along with the newer version of the kernel (we hope!).
If you have any questions there is always #ubuntu on freenode IRC and Launchpad Answers. And, of course, you can always fire away in comments.
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