[linux-audio-user] same kernel and big differences between mandrake and debian?

[Eric Dantan Rzewnicki]

On Mon, Sep 20, 2004 at 07:55:01PM +0200, rico wrote:
> Le lundi 20 Septembre 2004 19:39, Austin a ?crit?:
> > On Mon, 2004-09-20 at 13:10 +0200, rico wrote:
> > > How comes there is such a difference between two system that uses the
> > > same kernel and config?
> > > Where should i look since the kernel and modules are the same (are
> > > they?)?
> > By using the "stock" kernel, so you mean you compiled it from vanilla,
> > or do you mean the standard kernel included with each distro.
> > If the latter, I assure you that the Mandrakelinux and Debian kernels
> > will be VERY different.  We have a few hundred patches in our kernel.
> > If you're compiling from vanilla, there shouldn't be such a defference.
> > Maybe different alsa or glibc version?
> Sorry for the imprecision, both system use the vanilla kernel (preemption 
> disabled) from kernel.org, both are compiled for an amd processor with the 
> same .config file.
> The difference is such that  on debian it's just impossible to use band in a 
> box with wine whereas it works great on mandrake!
> > Keep in mind that Mandrakelinux is i586 optimized, except glibc which is
> > i686 optimized.  Debian is only i386 AFAIK.
> > Austin
> Maybe this is the point but i don't know how to solve it.
> I know that the glibc version differ between mandrake and debian i'll 
> investigate that.
> I wonder if there is a place somwhere in mandrake's distro, where they tweaked 
> something to better the sound system ...(alsa option, IRQ fiddling, or 
> something...)

Since you already have debian sarge installed you might consider adding
packages from Demudi/Agnula: http://demudi.org/

At the very least you should be able to use their kernel .debs. I'm not
sure because I haven't used demudi yet myself, but it may be as simple
as adding a demudi line to your /etc/apt/sources.list and apt-get
install'ing the appropriate package(s).

For what it's worth, I do audio work on a debian sarge box. I'm using a
patched 2.6.x kernel. Others are having good success with low-latency 
patched 2.4.x kernels on debian as well. I doubt differences in 
processor optimizations between debian and mandrake are your problem.
Especially since you say you have the same kernel .config for both
installations.

-Eric Rz.