ALSA cannot find card '0'

This document (000020550) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15

Situation

Installed software :

# zypper -n se -si alsa
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...

S | Name | Type | Version | Arch | Repository
---+--------------------+---------+-------------+--------+----------------------------------------------
i | alsa | package | 1.1.5-6.9.2 | x86_64 | SLE-Module-Basesystem15-SP2-Updates
i+ | alsa-oss | package | 1.1.8-3.3.1 | x86_64 | SLE-Product-WE15-SP2-Updates
i | alsa-plugins | package | 1.1.5-3.3.1 | x86_64 | SLE-Module-Basesystem15-SP2-Updates
i | alsa-plugins-32bit | package | 1.1.5-3.3.1 | x86_64 | SLE-Module-Basesystem15-SP2-Updates
i | alsa-plugins-pulse | package | 1.1.5-3.3.1 | x86_64 | SLE-Module-Desktop-Applications15-SP2-Updates
i | alsa-utils | package | 1.1.5-4.6.1 | x86_64 | SLE-Module-Basesystem15-SP2-Updates

No soundcards installed :

# /usr/bin/aplay -l
aplay: device_list:272: no soundcards found...

On systems where no soundcard is installed gnome-shell might log the following messages to /var/log/messages :

gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib confmisc.c:767:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib conf.c:4554:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_driver returned error: No such file or directory
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib confmisc.c:392:(snd_func_concat) error evaluating strings
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib conf.c:4554:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_concat returned error: No such file or directory
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib confmisc.c:1246:(snd_func_refer) error evaluating name
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib conf.c:4554:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib conf.c:5033:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
gnome-shell[2836]: ALSA lib pcm.c:2552:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM sysdefault

Resolution

To prevent these messages from being logged either use dconf program:

# dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/sound/input-feedback-sound "false"
# dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/sound/event-sounds "false"

and verify changes:

# dconf read /org/gnome/desktop/sound/input-feedback-sound
false
# dconf read /org/gnome/desktop/sound/event-sounds
false

or by using gsettings command:

# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.sound event-sounds false
# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.sound input-feedback-sounds false

and verify the changes by:

# gsettings list-recursively | grep -i sound
org.gnome.desktop.privacy disable-sound-output false
org.gnome.desktop.sound theme-name 'novell'
org.gnome.desktop.sound event-sounds false
org.gnome.desktop.sound input-feedback-sounds false
org.gnome.desktop.sound allow-volume-above-100-percent false

If the messages are still getting logged after amending the configuration, then it needs to be checked if the following command returns "true" instead of "false", which is the default.

# gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.a11y.keyboard togglekeys-enable
false

If the above command returns "true" then please run :

# gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.a11y.keyboard togglekeys-enable false

Cause

The amount of messages being logged may lead to increased disk space usage or even log file cluttering.

Disclaimer

This Support Knowledgebase provides a valuable tool for SUSE customers and parties interested in our products and solutions to acquire information, ideas and learn from one another. Materials are provided for informational, personal or non-commercial use within your organization and are presented "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

Document ID:000020550
Creation Date: 20-Jan-2022
Modified Date:20-Jan-2022
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications

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