Crystal Semiconductors CS4232 sound card: is it possible to configure it?

[t18]

@t18, have you tried any other *nix Live distro(s)? or even an older TCL?

if we found a *nix where the soundcard worked "out-of-the-box" then we could establish a possible point of failure.

I wonder which one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_live_CDs
since my PC is very old and modern distributions run modern kernels.

I'll find the necessary time to try some of them.

[gadget42]

these were fun reads and so sharing:

https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=66180

https://www.reddit.com/r/windows98/comments/r9l2ub/compaq_deskpro_2000_pentium_166_mmx_3dlabs/

@t18, with regards to another version for testing purposes, i was reminded of this post on a previous thread:

https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,27320.msg175886.html#msg175886

and so you could try out TinyCore-4.7.7.iso from:

http://tinycorelinux.net/4.x/x86/archive/4.7.7/

20241121-1012am-cst-usa-modified: added additional content and links

[gadget42]

stumbled across a thread post from 2015 that probably doesn't solve current issues but still shows the sound beast for what it has always been...sigh:

https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,17899.msg108099.html#msg108099

[CNK]

@t18, have you tried any other *nix Live distro(s)? or even an older TCL?

if we found a *nix where the soundcard worked "out-of-the-box" then we could establish a possible point of failure.

I'm not sure this driver ever worked reliably without manual set-up. This script from 2006 is for configuring it automatically but might be broken on current Linux:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Script_for_configuring_the_CS4239_sound_chip_in_PnP_mode

The key thing is that you need to pull the port addresses out of /sys/bus/pnp/devices/ and use them in the modprobe command like Rich demonstrated. Win95 might also show them but that screenshot seemed too vague.

[t18]

I've tried TCL 4.7.7 but no way: "no soundcards found".

I've also installed Debian 4.0 kernel 2.6 that detects the card with errors:

DMESG:

Code: [Select]

isapnp: Card 'CS4232'
ad1848: PnP reports 'CS4232' at i/o 0x534, irq 5, dma 1, 3
cs4232: probe of 01:01.00 failed with error -16
cs4232: Must set io, irq and dma.
cs4232-pnpbios: probe of 01:01.00 failed with error -16
CS4232 soundcard not found or device busy

MODULES.DEP:

Code: [Select]

/lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/oss/cs4232.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/oss/ad1848.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/oss/uart401.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/oss/sound.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/isa/cs423x/snd-cs4232.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/drivers/opl3/snd-opl3-lib.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd-hwdep.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/isa/cs423x/snd-cs4231-lib.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd-pcm.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd-timer.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd-page-alloc.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/drivers/mpu401/snd-mpu401-uart.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd-rawmidi.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/seq/snd-seq-device.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/core/snd.ko /lib/modules/2.6.18-6-486/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko

INTERRUPT:

Code: [Select]

           CPU0       
  0:     130846          XT-PIC  timer
  1:        630          XT-PIC  i8042
  2:          0          XT-PIC  cascade
  6:          3          XT-PIC  floppy
  7:          0          XT-PIC  parport0
  8:          1          XT-PIC  rtc
 10:          0          XT-PIC  ohci_hcd:usb1
 14:       2699          XT-PIC  ide0
 15:        129          XT-PIC  ide1
NMI:          0
LOC:          0
ERR:          0
MIS:          0

LSMOD:

Code: [Select]

Module                  Size  Used by
dm_snapshot            15644  0
dm_mirror              18000  0
dm_mod                 48952  2 dm_snapshot,dm_mirror
loop                   14216  0
snd_opl3_lib            9600  0
snd_hwdep               8836  1 snd_opl3_lib
snd_cs4231_lib         22272  0
snd_pcm                65928  1 snd_cs4231_lib
snd_timer              19972  3 snd_opl3_lib,snd_cs4231_lib,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         10248  2 snd_cs4231_lib,snd_pcm
snd_mpu401_uart         7552  0
snd_rawmidi            22048  1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device          7820  2 snd_opl3_lib,snd_rawmidi
snd                    45412  8 snd_opl3_lib,snd_hwdep,snd_cs4231_lib,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
ad1848                 27624  0
uart401                10948  0
sound                  67372  2 ad1848,uart401
soundcore               8928  2 snd,sound
ns558                   4864  0
gameport               13832  2 ns558
parport_pc             31524  0
parport                32200  1 parport_pc
rtc                    11572  0
psmouse                34568  0
floppy                 52004  0
serio_raw               6532  0
pcspkr                  2816  0
evdev                   9088  0
ext3                  116488  1
jbd                    47272  1 ext3
ide_cd                 35616  0
cdrom                  32416  1 ide_cd
ide_disk               14848  3
ohci_hcd               17540  0
3c59x                  40360  0
mii                     5376  1 3c59x
usbcore               109444  2 ohci_hcd
piix                    9220  0 [permanent]
generic                 4996  0 [permanent]
ide_core              107760  4 ide_cd,ide_disk,piix,generic
processor              23724  0

Modprobing it results in "no such card".

I'll try older kernels asap.

[t18]

The key thing is that you need to pull the port addresses out of /sys/bus/pnp/devices/ and use them in the modprobe command like Rich demonstrated. Win95 might also show them but that screenshot seemed too vague.

I'll try asap.

[t18]

I'll try older kernels asap.

No, I've found this statement: "udev is broken for 2.6.11 (and earlier) on unstable, install linux-kernel-2.6.12".
https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=1054

Debian 4 has already the 2.6.18 kernel.

[t18]

The key thing is that you need to pull the port addresses out of /sys/bus/pnp/devices/ and use them in the modprobe command like Rich demonstrated. Win95 might also show them but that screenshot seemed too vague.

I'll try asap.

That's what I believed, but it seems not to be an easy walk. I'm not IT educated, just a user.

[t18]

@t18, have you tried any other *nix Live distro(s)? or even an older TCL?

if we found a *nix where the soundcard worked "out-of-the-box" then we could establish a possible point of failure.

Good hint. After TCL 4.7.7 I've tried Knoppix 3.2 (2003) and it detects my sound card as follows:

Code: [Select]

Soundcard: CS4232: WSS/SB, driver=ad1848
Unfortunately that version of Knoppix just loads itself and then turns off, so one can't check anything.

There is a snd_opi92x_ad1848 module in TCL, but it doesn't seem to work. Unless it needs specific parameters that I don't know.

[Rich]

Hi t18

... There is a snd_opi92x_ad1848 module in TCL, but it doesn't seem to work. ...

There's also a  snd-ad1848  module:

Code: [Select]

tc@E310:~/UsrMerge$ find mnt/ -iname '*1848*' -print
mnt/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/isa/ad1848
mnt/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/isa/ad1848/snd-ad1848.ko.gz
mnt/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/isa/opti9xx/snd-opti92x-ad1848.ko.gz
tc@E310:~/UsrMerge$
tc@E310:~/UsrMerge$ modinfo mnt/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/isa/ad1848/snd-ad1848.ko.gz
filename:       mnt/usr/local/lib/modules/3.0.21-tinycore/kernel/sound/isa/ad1848/snd-ad1848.ko.gz
author:         Tugrul Galatali <galatalt@stuy.edu>, Jaroslav Kysela <perex@perex.cz>
description:    Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248
license:        GPL
parm:           thinkpad:Enable only for the onboard CS4248 of IBM Thinkpad 360/750/755 series.
parm:           dma1:DMA1 # for Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 driver.
parm:           irq:IRQ # for Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 driver.
parm:           port:Port # for Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 driver.
parm:           enable:Enable Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 soundcard.
parm:           id:ID string for Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 soundcard.
parm:           index:Index value for Generic AD1848/AD1847/CS4248 soundcard.
depends:        snd,snd-wss-lib
vermagic:       3.0.21-tinycore SMP mod_unload 486
tc@E310:~/UsrMerge$

[gadget42]

...
Unfortunately that version of Knoppix just loads itself and then turns off, so one can't check anything.
...

a quick note/question/suggestion/thought.

for your own benefit mostly, it would be interesting to figure out what is happening with that version of knoppix
(if you choose to do a follow-up it would probably be better for future forum visitors if a new thread was used)

nevertheless, keep us posted on your progress!

[t18]

Hi t18

... There is a snd_opi92x_ad1848 module in TCL, but it doesn't seem to work. ...

There's also a  snd-ad1848  module:

Hi Rich, yes I've tried it as well but unsuccessfully. Maybe coz that's a ISA driver while my card is a PCI one?

a quick note/question/suggestion/thought.

for your own benefit mostly, it would be interesting to figure out what is happening with that version of knoppix
(if you choose to do a follow-up it would probably be better for future forum visitors if a new thread was used)

nevertheless, keep us posted on your progress!

It just loads, detects the hardware and shuts, so it's impossible to check any log file.

[gadget42]

knoppix was getting pretty heavy even back then. i have a knoppix version 5.x that recommends a gig of ram. fiddling with boot codes might get it to a command prompt(perhaps?)

[t18]

knoppix was getting pretty heavy even back then. i have a knoppix version 5.x that recommends a gig of ram. fiddling with boot codes might get it to a command prompt(perhaps?)

Knoppix 3.2 seems to be made just to start, detect hardware and shut. It doesn't seem interactive.

Knoppix 6.7 (2011) loads a true desktop instead, but it's very heavy for my P166 and has a more recent kernel.

I've also tried Slackware 4.0 (1999) and it sets the ad1848 driver even modprobing the cs4232. Unforunately there is no sound player on that distro, just a sound converter (sox). Please see the attached image for the hardware data.

[Rich]

Hi t18

... Unforunately there is no sound player on that distro, just a sound converter (sox). ...

sox also includes a file called play: