sound recorder refuses to open

Try changing System->Preferences->Sound->Devices Tab->Sound Capture to the correct device (Mic capture probably). Use the Test button to test it.

Thanks for a prompt answer.Cesare, but all i get from
System->Preferences->Sound-> is a window with a check:to enable software sound mixing and another check: play systems sound . and the default sound card : with two choices Intel 82801db-ich4 and Usb device 046d:08xda.. The test button allows me to test the events such as login,logout. error ..etc but no microphone tesr. Am I reading you correctly?
Len

Look better, I specified the "Devices Tab".

I am sorry,but I do not have :System->Preferences->Sound->Devices Tab- And even less : System->Preferences->Sound->Devices Tab->Sound Capture . Am i missing something when i upgraded from breezy to dapper two months ago? Is there a way to get there some other way?
Len.

This might help: I do have an application called volume control which opens a window with a choice on a device and also a tab for capture which indeed was set at microphone for both devices Intel 82801db-ich4 and Usb device 046d:08xd. .For the intel device there were more possibilities : Line-in, microphone, auxiliary,and capture. ( i dont understand why capture capture?). However no test buttons.
Len

Yes, that is the one. Next time you need support please remember to tell us what version of Ubuntu you are using (Dapper in this case).
If you don't we assume is the latest.

You should also check in there that the appropriate sliders/switches are set.
Make sure to use the Sliders in the Recording Tab, that capture is enabled on the choosen track and unmuted, that you have the proper switches and that they are set correctly in the Switches Tab (for instance mic boost) and that the right mic is selected in the Options Tab.
To do this, in "Volume Control" make sure that you select the right tracks to be visible from Edit->Preferences.

Yes , I gorgot to mention that the version i am using is indeed Dapper 6.06..(sorry)
So I am back to square one.
The only micropone i have is incorporated in the web cam . So my settings are quite simple :
1 select device :Usb device 046d:08xda..
2 There are only two tabs available: capture and switches
3 select capture tab:Microphone is present unmuted and audio capture toggled on with slider set at 100%
4 select switches tab :auto gain control checked on
Those were the settings i had originally . The sound recorder still says that thecapture setting are invalid
alsamixer -c 1 shows identical settings
This is very confusing
Len

Can you run the first script on this page and return to use the URL of the generated pastebin page?

http://www.linux-sound.info/alsa/index.php?task=scripts

Cesare,
I have tried for the last two days to download
http://www.linux-sound.info/alsa/index.php?task=script with no sucess.
The site is always too busy and i am told to try again later. I do have
a firewall capability "firestar" but it is not installed.I can have
access to any other sight with no problem. Just thought i'd let you
know . I am not giving up . If this is of any help I downloaded a script
"alsa-info.sh" a month ago as i thought it might be useful . so I
ran ./alsa-info.sh and it did not seem to go beyond HDA-Intel Codec
information which i recuperated from the tmp/alsa-info.txt file.
produced this instant.
Len. Thanks for your trouble. I appreciate it.

On Mon, 2007-07-16 at 08:51 +0000, Cesare Tirabassi wrote:

> Your question #9746 on gnome-media in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-media/+question/9746
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> Cesare Tirabassi requested for more information:
> Can you run the first script on this page and return to use the URL of
> the generated pastebin page?
>
> http://www.linux-sound.info/alsa/index.php?task=scripts
>

Yes, alsa-info is exactly the script I wanted you to use. It should auto-updated when you run, so no need to access the web site.

Well getting the http://pastebin.ca/627197 was not as simple as one would have thought.
1. The script tries to get and use the latest version of alsa-info.sh . To do this it wgets -O /tmp/alsa-info.sh http://bulletproof.servebeer.com/alsa/scripts/alsa-info.sh >/dev/null 2>&1. For reasons that i cannot explain, the server was always busy hence this action could never be executed no matter how many tries atempted and ,of course , the pastebin page was never generated.
Since i did not want to give-up, I modified the script (used another name) in which i commented out line 36 and line 37 and added :REMOTE_VERSION=0.4.28 which of course is the same as the present SCRIPT_VERSION.. Hence no update and the program could carry on doing what it wanted to do.
2. Furthermore, on line 218, the script is trying to get information in /proc/asound/card0/codec\#*. As it turns out, I do not have the codec directory under that name but rather under name codec97#0, i commented out this line to replace -it with :
cat /proc/asound/card0/codec97\#0/ac97\#* > /tmp/alsainfo/alsa-hda-intel.tmp 2> /dev/null.
So that is what you will see in the alsa-info file.using a script which dates from last june. I hope that the information will be useful.
Len

There were few changes in snd-usb-audio since 1.0.10, you may try to see if 1.0.14 solves your problem. Don't hold you hopes too much though, anything usb is still very touch and go today on Linux (especially webcams video/audio and wireless).
Have a look at this page for instructions on how to compile and install the latest ALSA:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto

(of course you must use --with-cards=usb-audio).

Installed alsa driver 1.0.14 according to instructions. Now i am square -1.
indeed , whereas i could previously get sound from ESD - (enable gnome sound server in systems-preference-sound) (events such as log-in or shut down) on top of not being able to open sound recorder and not being able to test audio settings in EKIGA.( the real objective of my present endeavours)
1 How do i recover ESD sound?
2 Would you suggest to upgrade to next level of UBUNTO ?
3 Do you kneed some other information?

If there is no reason for you to stick with Dapper, than yes, upgrade, but don't do it just if you hope to have your usb mic working, as I said, chances are slim.

Concerning you problem, most probably there was an error during compilation (which perhaps you missed).
Or they are not compatible with the Dapper kernel (I doubt that though).