WinXP Guest Sound Problem

[waynel]

I apologize if this issue has been discussed.

I am running WinXP guest in OpenSolaris 0811 under 2.1.4. I set "Solaris Audio" as the host audio driver and "ICH AC97" as the controller. GuestAddition has been installed.

However, I am getting no sound in the WinXP guest. Sound works well in the OpenSolaris host (using system default).

Any suggestion will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

The Guest does have the drivers installed and all the sliders are up and not muted?

[waynel]

The Guest does have the drivers installed and all the sliders are up and not muted?

Thanks for the response. The audio is actually working, but when I boot into the WinXP guest I got the message that HostAudio is not responding.

Everything is working fine, I should have just ignored the error message.

BTW, WinXP guest is working unbelievably snappy under 2.1.4. Can't believe I am running it as a VM. Thanks for the great job!

[ScarySquirrel]

I have the same problem, that the ((ome audio devices (PCM_in, PCM_mic) could not be opened)) comes up, even when the audio is working fine. Does anyone know why this happens?

AUDIO IS WORKING.

The contents of the "details" section in the popup mistakenly that came up follow:
Error ID: HostAudioNotResponding
Severity: Warning

A little background:
Host: Linux
Guest: Windows XP Pro
Sound Card: ATI IXP (Alsa mixer)

PCM_in and PCM_mic have their sliders up in the ALSA mixer, too.

The following output from the log file may help explain this further:

Code: Select all

00:00:03.095 Audio: Trying driver 'alsa'.
00:00:03.095 Audio: set_record_source ars=0 als=0 (not implemented)
00:00:03.134 ALSA: Failed to open 'default' as ADC
00:00:03.134 ALSA: Failed to open 'default' as ADC
00:00:03.149 ALSA: DAC frequency 44100Hz, period size 940, buffer size 3763
00:00:03.150 ALSA: Failed to open 'default' as ADC
00:00:03.150 ALSA: Failed to open 'default' as ADC
00:00:03.150 AC97: WARNING: Unable to open PCM IN!
00:00:03.150 AC97: WARNING: Unable to open PCM MC!
00:00:03.150 VM: Raising runtime error 'HostAudioNotResponding' (fFlags=0x0)
00:00:03.150 Console: VM runtime error: fatal=false, errorID=HostAudioNotResponding message="Some audio devices (PCM_in, PCM_mic) could not be opened. Guest applications generating audio output or depending on audio input may hang. Make sure your host audio device is working properly. Check the logfile for error messages of the audio subsystem"

I will check my email for updates to this post daily for the next month, or so.

Similar Issues:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1159693
http://mail.opensolaris.org/pipermail/d ... 09539.html

Sort of Similar Issue:
http://www.opensound.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3419

[CelticMelodies]

I have the same problem, 'PCM_in PCM_out could not be opened HostAudioNotResponding' - Win 7 guest. A fix would be greatly appreciated.

[CelticMelodies]

Fixed by installing the Sun VirtualBox Kernel Interface Module VirtualBox/Kernel which is to be found in the https://pkg.sun.com/opensolaris/extra/ repository / reboot.

Mar 21 23:28:03 opensolaris pseudo: [ID 129642 kern.info] pseudo-device: vboxdrv0
Mar 21 23:28:03 opensolaris genunix: [ID 936769 kern.info] vboxdrv0 is /pseudo/vboxdrv@0
Mar 21 23:28:03 opensolaris pseudo: [ID 129642 kern.info] pseudo-device: vboxflt0
Mar 21 23:28:03 opensolaris genunix: [ID 936769 kern.info] vboxflt0 is /pseudo/vboxflt@0

There would be errors in the above if the package were not installed - check dmesg.

[Ramshankar]

Fixed by installing the Sun VirtualBox Kernel Interface Module VirtualBox/Kernel which is to be found in the https://pkg.sun.com/opensolaris/extra/ repository / reboot.

Glad it works, but just to clarify, the VirtualBox Kernel Interface Module has nothing to do with guest audio support. Starting with VirtualBox 3.1, you don't need this module - but if you were using a version that does indeed require it, you wouldn't have even been able to start a guest without it.

Maybe you rebooted (?) or as a result of some other change the audio works.

[Ramshankar]

I have the same problem, 'PCM_in PCM_out could not be opened HostAudioNotResponding' - Win 7 guest. A fix would be greatly appreciated.

Are you sure it's "PCM_out" and not "PCM_mic". If you choose "Solaris Audio" as the backend, there is no support for "PCM_in" and "PCM_mic". With a relatively modern OpenSolaris (sound architecture called Boomer) you should be able to choose "OSS" backend which has support for audio input as well and is the recommended backend for audio.

[ScarySquirrel]

I keep watching this post.
It's interesting to see that this "PCM_xxx" error comes up on more than just Linux, and that only for some, does it mean that audio will not work.

[Ramshankar]

I keep watching this post.
It's interesting to see that this "PCM_xxx" error comes up on more than just Linux, and that only for some, does it mean that audio will not work.

As long as "xxx" in "in" and "mic", yes audio out will work. And it has nothing to do with which guest you choose but which Audio backend you choose for your VM. If you have chosen "Solaris Audio", which does not support audio input you'll get this warning. If you choose "OSS" you should have both input and output working fine.

[c0t0d0]

I keep watching this post.
It's interesting to see that this "PCM_xxx" error comes up on more than just Linux, and that only for some, does it mean that audio will not work.

As long as "xxx" in "in" and "mic", yes audio out will work. And it has nothing to do with which guest you choose but which Audio backend you choose for your VM. If you have chosen "Solaris Audio", which does not support audio input you'll get this warning. If you choose "OSS" you should have both input and output working fine.

I'm seeing this same problem now using opensolaris b134 host , virtualbox 3.2.8, and xp pro sp3 guest. If I choose oss I get sound but not microphone input. The microphone works correctly in the host opensolaris and in the guest sound recorder runs but gets no sound. When I was using Solaris Audio the sound recorder on the guest would not start recording.

Is there a way to make this work? I really need the micrphone to use Cisco IP communicator for a work (Oracle) phone.

I've tried a usb sound card and already run into the known problem with that.

[c0t0d0]

I keep watching this post.
It's interesting to see that this "PCM_xxx" error comes up on more than just Linux, and that only for some, does it mean that audio will not work.

As long as "xxx" in "in" and "mic", yes audio out will work. And it has nothing to do with which guest you choose but which Audio backend you choose for your VM. If you have chosen "Solaris Audio", which does not support audio input you'll get this warning. If you choose "OSS" you should have both input and output working fine.

I'm seeing this same problem now using opensolaris b134 host , virtualbox 3.2.8, and xp pro sp3 guest. If I choose oss I get sound but not microphone input. The microphone works correctly in the host opensolaris and in the guest sound recorder runs but gets no sound. When I was using Solaris Audio the sound recorder on the guest would not start recording.

Is there a way to make this work? I really need the micrphone to use Cisco IP communicator for a work (Oracle) phone.

I've tried a usb sound card and already run into the known problem with that.

I talked to Ramshankar directly and he tested this setup out again and found it to be working. On my system it mysteriously started to work after I went into Sounds and Audio Device|Audio|Sound Recording Volume|Options|Properties and checked all the volume controls. From the volume controls I then checked "Selected" on Aux (at random). Nothing. I then went back to Microphone "Selected" and then it worked. I then unchecked all the volume controls and left just microphone and it still worked

I've since rebooted both guest and host and it continues to work.

If your microphone is too loud adjust it's sensitivity to work correctly under the opensolaris sound recorder and then return to the xp virtualbox guest. If you have a humming, as I did, in addition to the sound, and your laptop happens to be plugged into an replacement power supply try unplugging. That showed me that I needed to get an actual Toshiba power supply.

[reed1]

I confirm that that the solution above (c0t0d0) is working !!!

don't know what it is, but sure it's working 100%

mine using ALSA driver on Gentoo Host and OSS AC97 on xp guest

Thanks again !

[Whimp65]

I had the same problem, PCM_in error and no audio in the virtual machine.
I have a speakerset on the green audio output, and an LCD monitor with speakers onboard, with a terrible sound, connected with HDMI cable.
I first muted the volume of these onboard speakers in configuration-sound, first tab: my monitor was also present here.
solution to this problem: no mute but disable this monitor (only sound).
After this I had my audio, and no errors when starting the virtual machine.