When I try to run alsamixer from the shell (even as root), I get the following:

alsamixer: function snd_mixer_load failed: Invalid argument

If it is of any help, my lsmod is the following:

Module Size Used by
snd_seq_dummy 7684 0
snd_seq 62992 1 snd_seq_dummy
snd_seq_device 12940 2 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq
snd_hda_intel 20960 0
snd_hda_codec 57472 1 snd_hda_intel
snd_pcm 109828 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer 31108 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd 71172 7 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer
ipt_LOG 11392 7
ipt_limit 6528 7
ipt_pkttype 5760 1
subfs 12416 2
usbserial 34024 0
speedstep_lib 8324 0
freq_table 8832 0
thermal 18184 0
processor 28648 1 thermal
fan 8836 0
button 11024 0
battery 14084 0
ac 9220 0
nvram 13576 0
af_packet 26760 0
usbhid 48096 0
edd 14560 0
joydev 13888 0
st 43676 0
evdev 12928 0
sr_mod 21284 0
sg 42912 0
ipt_state 6016 12
ip6t_REJECT 11008 3
ipt_REJECT 11008 3
iptable_mangle 6912 0
iptable_filter 6912 1
ip6table_mangle 6528 0
ip_nat_ftp 7168 0
iptable_nat 27452 1 ip_nat_ftp
ip_conntrack_ftp 76944 1 ip_nat_ftp
e100 43392 0
ip_conntrack 48360 4 ipt_state,ip_nat_ftp,iptable_nat,ip_conntrack_ftp
mii 9088 1 e100
ehci_hcd 37896 0
ip_tables 25728 8 ipt_LOG,ipt_limit,ipt_pkttype,ipt_state,ipt_REJECT,iptable_mangle,iptable_filter,iptable_nat
uhci_hcd 37008 0
i2c_i801 12556 0
hw_random 9492 0
usbcore 121688 5 usbserial,usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
i2c_core 26624 1 i2c_i801
ip6table_filter 6784 1
ip6_tables 23552 3 ip6t_REJECT,ip6table_mangle,ip6table_filter
parport_pc 44356 0
lp 15396 0
parport 40392 2 parport_pc,lp
soundcore 13664 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 14340 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
ipv6 273920 19 ip6t_REJECT
ntfs 180368 0
dm_mod 64768 0
reiserfs 262896 1
ide_cd 44036 0
cdrom 42784 2 sr_mod,ide_cd
ide_disk 22400 0
ata_piix 13444 1
libata 56068 1 ata_piix
piix 14468 0 [permanent]
ide_core 131904 3 ide_cd,ide_disk,piix
sd_mod 23168 2
scsi_mod 136008 5 st,sr_mod,sg,libata,sd_mod

I have already tried repairing my system. I need to be able to use alsamixer in order to get my computer to play sound. I'm on SUSE 9.3, if that helps.

hmm, do you have any multimedia playback at all? It's all broken in suse 9.3, tyou need to dl yast online update packaged from some german ftp.

I had a wierd problem where the AC'97 driver was completely shot. Try reinstalling and not doing any YOU. That worked for us.