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Configuring the Audio Driver for an AC97 Audio Controller

Federico Lazcano, June 2005

This Tech Tip shows how to configure a VT8233/VT8235 VIA chipset-based built-in audio device, using the Solaris 10 OS for x86 platforms.

1. Download and Unpack the Driver

The first step in this how-to is to download the driver for the built-in AC97 audio controller. From the Audio drivers for Solaris site, you can download Beta Version 1.9:

This package provides several drivers, but we are just interested in two of them:

• TOOLSahlp: Audio Driver Framework
• TOOLSva8233: Audio Driver for VIA VT8233 AC97 audio controller

Although this was tested only in the Solaris 10 OS, it can also be used in Solaris 8 and 9 releases.

Download the package and save it, for example, in your home directory.

bash-3.00$ cd /export/home/flazcano/
bash-3.00$ ls -l *.bz2
-rw-r--r--   1 flazcano other 117207 abr 11 14:18 audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg.bz2
bash-3.00$ bunzip2 audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg.bz2
bash-3.00$ ls -l *.pkg
-rw-r--r--   1 flazcano other 487424 abr 11 14:18 audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg

2. Install and Configure

Let's install the driver. We need administrative privileges to do this.

bash-3.00$ su
Password:
# bash
# pkgadd -d audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg

The following packages are available:

  1  TOOLSahlp       Audio Driver Framework
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  2  TOOLSbpci       Soundblaster 16/128 PCI (ES1370/1371) Driver
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  3  TOOLSemu        Soundblaster Audigy PCI (EMU10Kx) Driver
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  4  TOOLSi810       Audio Driver for Intel ICH audio controller
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  5  TOOLSva686      Audio Driver for VIA VT82C686A AC97 audio controller (beta)
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  6  TOOLSva8233     Audio Driver for VIA VT8233 AC97 audio controller
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta

Select package(s) you wish to process (or 'all' to process
all packages). (default: all) [?,??,q]:

Now we have several options. First we need to install the audio driver framework, typing 1.

Select package(s) you wish to process (or 'all' to process
all packages). (default: all) [?,??,q]: 1

Processing package instance <TOOLSahlp> from 
   </export/home/flazcano/audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg>

Audio Driver Framework(i86pc) 1.9beta
Audio Drivers for Solaris
....
....
....
Installing Audio Driver Framework as <TOOLSahlp>

## Installing part 1 of 1.
/kernel/misc/amd64/audiohlp
/kernel/misc/audiohlp
/kernel/misc/audiohlp.conf
[ verifying class <none> ]

Installation of <TOOLSahlp> was successful.

OK, let's install the driver itself.

# pkgadd -d audio-1.9beta-i86pc.pkg

The following packages are available:
  1  TOOLSahlp       Audio Driver Framework
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  2  TOOLSbpci       Soundblaster 16/128 PCI (ES1370/1371) Driver
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  3  TOOLSemu        Soundblaster Audigy PCI (EMU10Kx) Driver
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  4  TOOLSi810       Audio Driver for Intel ICH audio controller
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  5  TOOLSva686      Audio Driver for VIA VT82C686A AC97 audio controller (beta)
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta
  6  TOOLSva8233     Audio Driver for VIA VT8233 AC97 audio controller
                     (i86pc) 1.9beta

Select package(s) you wish to process (or 'all' to process
all packages). (default: all) [?,??,q]:6
....
....
Do you want to continue with the installation of <TOOLSva8233> [y,n,?] y
....
....
Installation of <TOOLSva8233> was successful.

*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***
        This machine must now be rebooted in order to ensure
        sane operation.  Execute
               shutdown -y -i6 -g0
        and wait for the "Console Login:" prompt.

As we can see, the installation was successful.

3. Reboot and Enjoy

To apply the changes, we need to reboot our operating system.

# shutdown -y -i6 -g0

Now we can enjoy our favorite tunes on the Solaris 10 OS for x86 platforms.

About the Author

Federico Lazcano works for Kit Ingeneria Electronica S.R.L. in the Pre-Sales area, specializing in hardware and infrastructure services. He is a student at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina, seeking his degree in Electronic Engineering. Please send comments or feedback to: flazcano@kit.com.ar.

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