Due to the fact that the iBook2 uses a new type of sound chip (codename tumbler) which is directly connected to the i2c bus, sound on the iBook2 in Linux has not been supported by the default kernel PowerMac sound driver so far.

A hack had been found soon, however it was not suitable for the "normal" user as it was nothing you could use straight forward.

As of now, however, it is possible to get sound support on the iBook2 with not too much effort. Above all, we are speaking of full sound support by the kernel, including the mixer device, allowing you to set the sound volume.

Read on...

As you may already guess, getting this sound support implies compilation of a new kernel. For those that do now want to play around with kernel sources, we will provide precompiled kernels soon, so all you'll have to do is to wait a bit.
If you want to learn how to compile your own kernel, a kernel compilation guide will be available soon.

For the rest of you, here's what to do. First, you'll have to rsync BenH's current development kernel (2.4.10-ben0 or later). To do so, you'll have to:

1. cd /usr/src/linux
2. rsync -arvz rsync.penguinppc.org::linux-2.4-benh . <- don't forget the dot!
3. Once download is done, do your usual configs with either menuconfig or xconfig

For sound support on the iBook2, you have to make sure that the following options are set to m(odule):

1. Caracter Devices -> i2c Support -> i2c Support
2. Caracter Devices -> i2c Support -> Keywest i2c Interface in iBook2
3. Caracter Devices -> i2c Support -> i2c device interface

4. Sound -> Sound card support
5. Sound -> PowerMac DMA sound support

Compile and install the kernel. Don't reboot yet.

Open your boot.local file (as root). If you can't find it, type "locate boot.local".

Add the following lines to the bottom of the file:

echo "Configuring iBook2 DMASound modules..."
/sbin/modprobe i2c-core
/sbin/modprobe i2c-keywest
/sbin/modprobe i2c-dev
/sbin/modprobe soundcore
/sbin/modprobe dmasound_core
/sbin/modprobe dmasound_pmac

Alternatively, you can also set up your modules.conf to load the modules dynamically. Make sure the modules get loaded in the very order I listed above.

Reboot. Voila, enjoy sound on your iBook2.

Note: With the current driver, it has been reported that sound can be too loud in some programs, even very loud. To control sound volume, adjust it with a mixer program such as kmix (in KDE) or smix or similiar...

this has been out for along time. But I guess debian users don't get kernel updates so it might be nice for them. I know that suse and ydl have unofficial kernels you can download for sound support and have for over a month.

Well, in that case SuSE and YDL have been hiding them well, because all of us iBook2 users in #ppclinux on OpenProjects.net have been using hacks till now... And I can't remember that slice, the YDL maintainer should have mentioned it. But I'll ask and hopefully confirm your comment.

Yep, a kernel update RPM is available to YDL users at
It's still a 2.4.9 kernel, but iBook2 sound support is included. (According to my sources :P)