Description of problem: If I start a new X session on my computer on X screen :1 so that another member of my family can use my computer, after that session finishes and I go back to my session, alsa sound doesn't work any more. The cause seems to be that a couple of config files are deleted on logout. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): alsa-lib-1.0.9rf-3 How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce (I haven't tried to reduce this to something simpler): 1. Log in to X as root. 2. Create a new user called "testsound" and give it a password. 3. Switch to a spare text-mode virtual terminal. 4. Log in on that terminal as "testsound" 5. Type startx -- :1 to start a new X session. 6. End the X session. 7. Log out on the virtual terminal. 8. Switch back to your root desktop. 9. Attempt to launch an application that uses ALSA, e.g. mplayer Actual results: Sound fails to play. The following errors appear on the console: alsa-init: 1 soundcard found, using: default ALSA lib conf.c:1578:(snd_config_load1) _toplevel_:51:23:No such file or directory ALSA lib conf.c:2823:(snd_config_hook_load) /etc/alsa/cards/aliases.conf may be old or corrupted: consider to remove or fix it ALSA lib conf.c:2686:(snd_config_hooks_call) function snd_config_hook_load returned error: No such file or directory ALSA lib pcm.c:1959:(snd_pcm_open_conf) Invalid type for PCM default definition (id: default, value: cards.pcm.default) alsa-init: playback open error: Invalid argument Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound. Expected results: Sound should play. Additional info: My default desktop, which I use in all sessions, is KDE. rpm -V alsa-lib before step 1 gives no output. rpm -V alsa-lib after logging out of testsound shows: missing c /etc/alsa/pcm/dmix.conf missing c /etc/alsa/pcm/dsnoop.conf Workaround: Reinstall alsa-lib rpm with rpm -ivh --force [location of rpm file]
Yes, it's because we use the console lock to control which users can use the soundcard. And this is back-side of power. You can lauch system-config-soundcard and set "Use only the HW device" and your card should work for all users.