[Pkg-alsa-devel] Bug#258679: alsa-modules-2.4.26-1-686: frequently fails to load modules on TP T-23

[Amelia A Lewis]

Package: alsa-modules-2.4.26-1-686
Version: 1.0.5a+1
Severity: important

On upgrading from 2.4.24 and the associated modules to 2.4.26 and associated
alsa modules, my thinkpad t-23 frequently (on perhaps 90% of boots) fails to
load alsa modules, with an error in the ac 97 codex.  To get it to load, I
can run /etc/init.d/alsa start or alsactl restore repeatedly (approximately
ten times, perhaps).  It eventually reports something about clocks and loads
the relevant modules.

In earlier 2.4 series kernels, it has always been necessary to delete the
i810_audio and ac97_codec modules from the OSS kernel directory.  The same
is true here; the only difference is that removing them doesn't make the
boot clean.  Leaving them in the tree means that ALSA can't load at all (the
oss modules preempt the devices).  Removing them, instead of making for a
clean alsa restore, results in two errors, then cessation of attempts.

At first, alsaconf tended to fix things, but now it refuses to recognize my
card.  One advantage of alsaconf, while it was working, was that it
repeatedly tried to load modules until it finally worked.  Now that that's
stopped working as well (it tells me that it can't find any cards, and
offers to do a pnp probe), I have to bounce on up-arrow after saying
modprobe snd-card-0 until it finally decides to work.

Rather classically irreproducible (that is, it happens almost all the time,
but I have no clue why it eventually decides to work).  The only significant
recent change is that I'm using vlc, but that's userspace.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.4.26-1-686
Locale: LANG=en_US, LC_CTYPE=en_US

Versions of packages alsa-modules-2.4.26-1-686 depends on:
ii  alsa-base                     1.0.5a-1   ALSA sound driver common files

-- no debconf information