nvidia nforce2 audio problem - Gigabyte K7 Triton - Mandrake 9.2
 

I am at a loss. This is pushing all of my years of Linux experience to the max and I feel like a noob all over again. Here is situation. I just put together a new system with a nforce 2 400 mobo, it is the Gigabyte K7 Triton. I had the sound and everything working but blew up XWindows in a rather spectacular manner. I decided just to re-install as it took no time and I hadn't copied over any data yet. The problem that me stumped originally was the video card, a Radeon 9200 chipset. I got this running perfectly on the new install. I copied all the data over and got everything setup. It was then that I booted up xmms to dig on some music while I worked. No sound, none at all. I have tried everything I can think of to no avail.
Here is what all I have done thus far:

1. Tried the suggested driver snd-intel8x0 (ALSA)
a. This gives no sound at all in any app, and yes the volumes are fine and not muted
b. This includes rebooting in desperation to make sure the drivers are fine.
c. Causes xmms to lock up
c. Also followed all steps from alsa-project.org
2. Tried the alternate i810 driver (OSS)
a. No sound at all, and again volumes are fine
b. Again with the reboots in frustration and no love
3. Compiled and installed the Nvidia nvaudio driver (OSS)
a. This one works partially, but not in Gnome, only KDE with ARTS running. The sound is choppy and nasty even with nothing else running.

There seems to be nothing in the logs and all three drivers load just fine. The sound worked the first two or three times I installed and then this time there was no such luck. Nothing in the config has changed at all. I am totally stumped and have no clue what to do. Any advice at all would be appreciated!

Adding more info: Until all things are running I am using the stock 2.4.22-10mdk kernel that comes with Mandrake 9.2, I have the kernel source installed for the right version. I normally run KDE so getting sound to work through ARTS wouldn't upset me, but I prefer to have it working normally . I do have all the plugins for xmms output so any method of getting it to work will suit me for now.

UPDATE: I compiled and installed the latest ALSA drivers to no avail. This is completely frustrating. I am ready to rip every last piece of my hair out, and there isn't much left to begin with.

OK just thought I would post and say the problem is solved, through no means of my own. I was doing a bit of tweaking and had to reset the bios. Next boot sound worked. The problem is that the settings are exactly the same in the bios as they were before. Oh well, I am confused but happily listening to Sigue Sigue Sputnik while I upgrade kernels remotely.