Sound dev disables when switching users in core1

Kevin Freeman kfreem02 at comcast.net
Thu Mar 4 17:51:56 UTC 2004


On Thu, 2004-03-04 at 11:20 -0500, Steve Berry wrote:

> When I initally setup fedora, I had one user, myself +root, then I added
> my wife so she could have her own little desktop universe of her own .. 
> 
> Now when I logoff, run off to work and she logs in. sound works fine. 

You can edit /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf to enable 2 X servers at the same
time so that you don't have to log off when your wife uses the PC.
Search for [servers] and uncomment server 1.  Now one of you can have
exclusive access to <ctrl>-<alt>-F7 and the other has <ctrl>-<alt>-F8.

Now on to sound ...

> but when I log back in .. sound is disabled. 
> 
> I can simulate this and get the same result. 
> 
> is this a bug, or am I doing something incorrectly by switching desktops
> between kde and gnome or something. 
> 
> (I use gnome, she uses kde) 
> 

While KDE's artsd could be hogging the sound device, it is more likely a
permission "problem" caused by the tight security of Linux.  To verify,
open a terminal while logged into the desktop which has sound
"disabled", as you state above, and enter the following:
$ ll /dev/dsp* /dev/mixer* /dev/audio*

Are the device files owned by your wife's login?  If not, then the
problem is likely artsd and I can't help you.  If the files are owned by
your wife's login then I have a simple solution.

First create a new group, sound, using redhat-config-users.  Then add
both your wife and yourself to the new sound group.  Finally, edit /etc/
security/console.perms to modify sound class permissions.  Search for
"permission definitions", and modify the sound class as follows:
<console>  0660 <sound>      0660 root.sound

If your PC has a TV tuner you can share it between all users by creating
a new group, video, and adding all users to the new group.  Then modify
the v4l class in /etc/security/console.perms as follows:
<console>  0660 <v4l>        0660 root.video

In general, the above steps can be used to allow multiple users to
access hardware that is otherwise "claimed" by the first user logging in
to the PC.  Other examples could be digital cameras, scanners, etc.

Have fun,
Kevin Freeman





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