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InfiniteMac OSx86 › Leopard 10.5 › AC'97 (No sound after exiting audio applications), Can't see…
6,204 reads · 2008-05-04 – 2008-05-09
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AC'97 (No sound after exiting audio applications), Can't seem to decipher why.

I am using AC'97 drivers on my AMD system and I notice that anytime I use Front Row, Itunes, or Garageband, when I exit that application, my audio disappears, and it takes minutes for the volume to come back to life. Any ideas why? Please…

Primary Author
@WinLinMac01 Published 2008-05-04
Collection
Leopard 10.5
Archival Footprint
6,204 historical reads · 10 curated field notes (from 22 dispatches) · 2008-05-04 – 2008-05-09
Credited Voices (5)
@WinLinMac01 (12)@naquaada (4)@DoiX (2)@Puttabong (2)@alphabeta23 (2)

I am using AC'97 drivers on my AMD system and I notice that anytime I use Front Row, Itunes, or Garageband, when I exit that application, my audio disappears, and it takes minutes for the volume to come back to life. Any ideas why? Please let me know, thanks a lot. =)

Author Updates & Technical Revisions

Follow-up dispatches by @WinLinMac01

Author Update #1 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-04

Thanks, it looks like it won't be feasible for since I am using a 2-channel output. It shows no output detected. =( Looks like I have no choice but to restart. Let me know what you think. Thanks buddy. =)

Author Update #2 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-04

Interesting, that did the trick. Is there any reason why this occurs? Of course this doesn't happen in my sister's Macbook Pro, lol. =)

Author Update #3 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-05

Is there anyway to permanently rectify this problem?

Author Update #4 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-05

Naquaada, weird problem, I noticed that any time I listen audio, the audio appears only one time. When the audio is done playing I need to always go back into Midi-Utility and rectify the problem. This is a consistent problem, and looks like a bug. This has occurred to me in both Zephyroths AMD release and Leo4all in both my AMD/Intel machines. When I adjust the volume I can't even hear the sound difference, its level is the same, and when I go to 0 and go back to 100, I can no longer hear anything. Any idea why? I am using two speakers. Please help, thanks.

Author Update #5 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-05

What's up with that? Any idea? I mean this must be bothering you right? What settings do you have your audio on? 2 channel or 6 -channel?

This problem persists all the time.

Any fix?

Author Update #6 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-06

@DoiX, any clue yet what can be the cause. It looks like a driver problem. What do you think?

Author Update #7 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-07

I wish there is a better audio driver out there for my AC'97. =(

Author Update #8 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-08

not that I am aware off. quicktime is not even running in the background. any other ideas?

[cite] DoiX:hey winlinmac, i figured out what caused my audio to crash and it wasn't because of vlc, the culprit was a plugin i installed for quicktime. Did you installed any plugins for osx (not necessarily audio plugins) ?
Author Update #9 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-09

The integrated audio works. AC'97 works. However, the problem is that "after" running applications like Garageband, iTunes, and Front Row, I don't hear anything from my audio. When I reset the audio channels through MIDI setup, I am not even able to adjust the volume. Its set at a particular default where I can't hear the volume going up or down. If there is a fix for this out, do let me know because it is just an issue between the interaction between the AC'97 driver and other applications. Is there an updated AC'97 floating around somewhere? The audio is running successfully, but when it comes to running audio applications, that's when things go upside down. I would appreciate everyone's help on this, because this could be an issue no one is aware off. Thanks a lot. Greatly appreciated. =)

Author Update #10 @WinLinMac01 2008-05-09

alphabeta23, playing with MIDI Setup could be a temporary fix, but it doesn't resolve the entire problem. I need to carry an investigation in this. Time for me to jump on IRC and see what I can find. If any of you do fine a solution before me, please post it here. Thank you all so much! =)

Synthesized Community Field Notes

10 technical responses curated from 22 original dispatches

Field Note #1 @naquaada 2008-05-04

Try using the Audio/Midi configuration. Set audio to 4 or 6 ch, then back to 2. This also happens sometimes wehn I exit Logic or mainstage. Sometimes the volume and mute keys on my keyboard have no effect then, this is very bad. i have to reboot then, a logout has no use.

Field Note #2 @naquaada 2008-05-04

The Audio/Midi configuration ist in the Utilities folder. Select on the left side the AC97 Audio that the Output Opetions are shown on the right side. Then try experimenting with the channel modes, they will maybe reset the audio.

Field Note #3 @naquaada 2008-05-04

There are two entries for AC97 Audio in 'Properties for..' One is for input and one for output.

Field Note #4 @DoiX 2008-05-05

WinLinMac01 i get the same problem after watching a movie or listening to something in VLC/Real Player

Field Note #5 @DoiX 2008-05-05

i don't have a clue, i'll check this tomorrow maybe i can find a solution or something, now i'm too tired, good night

btw: my audio is using 2 channels

Field Note #6 @Puttabong 2008-05-07

WinLinMac, my board (DFI UT NF4 Ultra-D (neos eeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/dfinf4ultralp/)) uses a AC97 compatible (as far as I know) chip (Realtek ALC850) as well, but it works out of the box with every release of zephyroth, without any patching required.

System Profiler reports "no integrated audio", but it works fine.

Field Note #7 @naquaada 2008-05-07

Yes, all versions showed no audio information? Why?

Field Note #8 @alphabeta23 2008-05-09

I had the same issue with mine (ALC 850) - the solution did cost about 10 Euros:

German Amazon Store: <a href="ama zon.de/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=SPEED-LINK%20UltraPortable%20Audio%20Card%20externe%20Soundkarte%20USB&tag=leamfo-21&index=electronics&linkCode=ur2&camp=1638&creative=6742">SPEED-LINK UltraPortable Audio Card</a><img src="assoc amazon.de/e/ir?t=leamfo-21&l=ur2&o=3" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />

This little thing is working out of the box!

Field Note #9 @Puttabong 2008-05-09

alphabeta23, I use a Realtek ALC850 chip as well but neither did I have to install any drivers, nor do I have any problems!

It's working fine.

Field Note #10 @alphabeta23 2008-05-09

I had exactly the same problem as WinLinMac01. Actually the ALC850 is working fine with the AC97 driver (as far I remember I did choose the driver while installation) but from time to time the sound gets lost.

I hadnt the patience to examine how to fix this. Instead of that I bought the cheap USB audio adapter which works ootb with the C-Media driver. I know this isn't the solution most of us expect but I know from my Linux-experiences with non compatible hardware that's not worth the time you have to spend with googling for solutions if a supported one costs this little amount of money.

But - if you guys have any hints how to solve the lost sound problem I would appreciate as well!

Sources & Contributor Provenance (5 credited usernames · Thread #1010)
UsernameDossier ContributionDispatchesActive Window
@WinLinMac01Primary Author122008-05-04 → 2008-05-09
@naquaadaCore Contributor42008-05-04 → 2008-05-07
@DoiXContributor22008-05-05
@PuttabongContributor22008-05-07 → 2008-05-09
@alphabeta23Contributor22008-05-09