Ensoniq AudioPCI (es1371) emulation doesn't work with Linux guest

[FreeFull]

When trying to use the Ensoniq AudioPCI (es1371) sound card with a Linux guest, the following error appears in dmesg:

snd_ens1371 0000:00:12.0: AC'97 0 access is not valid [0x0], removing mixer.
snd_ens1371: probe of 0000:00:12.0 failed with error -5

Looking it up on google, it seems like similar problems have been hit with PCem's es1371 emulation, so it's probably a shared inaccuracy/incompleteness.

[OBattler]

This appears to be the AC'97 part of the ES1371 being poorly emulated, something which is indeed shared with PCem.

[vadosnaprimer]

If this is resolved, it will be possible to run Java 8 (probably higher too) apps in a Linux guest. They already run, just without sound.

[FreeFull]

@vadosnaprimer As an aside, it's already possible to have sound in Linux guests using a sound blaster 16. The trick is, you have to put options snd_sb16 isapnp=0 inside /etc/modprobe.conf or /etc/modprobe.d/99-somefilename.conf

[vadosnaprimer]

Thanks!

[OBattler]

Changed the milestone since RichardG is currently in the process of fixing this.

[vadosnaprimer]

@vadosnaprimer As an aside, it's already possible to have sound in Linux guests using a sound blaster 16. The trick is, you have to put options snd_sb16 isapnp=0 inside /etc/modprobe.conf or /etc/modprobe.d/99-somefilename.conf

For the record, this let me find the solution that made sound work on linux guest (lubuntu 10).

1. Add following line to the /etc/modules file. This will make the driver to load at boot time.

snd-sb16

2. Add following line to the /etc/modprobe.d/alsa_local and /etc/modutils/alsa_local files.

options snd-sb16 isapnp=0 port=0x220 irq=5 dma8=1 dma16=5 mpu_port=0x330

(I added this to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf instead, /etc/modutils doesn't exist)
alsamixer started displaying the sliders, aplay -l lists the card now. mplayer can play mp3 just fine.