Dual sound cards - how to make the system ignore one of them

[Cohan]

I have two sound cards on my laptop, one built-in (which can not (!) be disabled in BIOS) and one USB to replace the faulty one. Both are detected (however, alsaconf only detects the built-in...) and I have mixer settings for both of them.
Problem: the system defaults to the built in sound card. How can I make the system never load the built in card (best option) or make the USB card the default (alternate option)?

Alsaconf detects the builtin as Maestro3

[The Headacher]

you could add "maestro3" to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. That way the module for that card shouldn't be loaded, and the other should become the first (and only) audio card that's being used.

[florut]

Hi !

I have the same problem.
Previously on Ubuntu, I used to set up my external card named "audio" with this command:

Code:

asoundconf set-default-card Audio

On VL 5.9 RC2, the terminal replies to this command : "bash: asoundconf: command not found"

Another trick was to set priorities in this file : /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base, but there is no file like that in this directory ! Where are the alsa modules set up ?

At last, how could I restart alsa on VL ? Here is what I do :

root:# /etc/init.d/alsa restart
bash: /etc/init.d/alsa: No such file or directory

Thanks for help !

[The Headacher]

Hi !

I have the same problem.
Previously on Ubuntu, I used to set up my external card named "audio" with this command:

Code:

asoundconf set-default-card Audio

A soundcard named audio? that has got to be one of the worst names ever. As for asoundconf: it's probably one of them ubuntu/debian specific commands.

Another trick was to set priorities in this file : /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base, but there is no file like that in this directory ! Where are the alsa modules set up ?

At last, how could I restart alsa on VL ? Here is what I do :

Code:

root:# /etc/init.d/alsa restart
bash: /etc/init.d/alsa: No such file or directory

try this instead:

Code:

/etc/rc.d/rc.alsa restart

can't find more useful stuff than that now, sorry.

[florut]

Thanks very much Headacher for fast and reliable answer !

can't find more useful stuff than that now, sorry.

I finally managed to blacklist the module I was using the wrong name   

for asoundconf: it's probably one of them ubuntu/debian specific commands.
try this instead:
/etc/rc.d/rc.alsa restart

OK thanks for the tips !

A soundcard named audio? that has got to be one of the worst names ever.

Actually I (try to) use a stupid external USB 5.1 soundcard for which the constructor does not support linux drivers (Hercules Gamesurround MusePocket USB LT).
It is recognized since Kernel 2.6.20 and works in stereo mode.

If someone knows how to activate and emulate 5.1 channels with this card please tell !!
I found that : http://www.spinics.net/lists/alsa-devel/msg00303.html but have no idea how to "fix a mixer map"