I'm a Linux newbie, I know hardly anything about commands, compiling, etc. (Even the file system has me pretty stumped...) I'm a former Windows user, so baby me if you leave any helpful advice.
I have Knoppix installed to my HD, and I have no sound.
I've been searching numerous Linux forums, and googling for several days now on this problem, and I can't find anything useful that I can understand.
I've also tried the alsa autoconfig thing, but that didn't work either. (Though I'm not sure if I did it properly.)
I ran sndconfig, and it gave me this:

Warning: DISPLAY is set. It is recommended that sndconfig *NOT* be run from X Windows. Continue anyways? (Have no clue what this means, but I chose 'yes'.)
A PCI sound card was found in your system: nVIDIA Corporation | nForce Multimedia Audio [VIA VT82C686B]
nVIDIA Corporation | nForce Multimedia Audio [VIA VT82C686B] is not supported.

Here's the audio info when I ran: cat /proc/pci

Bus 0, device 5, function 0:
Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation nForce MultiMedia audio [Via VT82C686B] (rev 162).
IRQ 11.
Master Capable. No bursts. Min Gnt=1.Max Lat=12.
Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xe0000000 [0xe007ffff].
Bus 0, device 6, function 0:
Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AC97 Audio Controler (MCP) (rev 161).
IRQ 5.
Master Capable. No bursts. Min Gnt=2.Max Lat=5.
I/O at 0xd400 [0xd4ff].
I/O at 0xd800 [0xd87f].
Non-prefetchable 32 bit memory at 0xe0081000 [0xe0081fff].

Here's what I got with: /sbin/lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AGP (different version?) (rev c1)
00:00.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce2 Memory Controller 1 (rev c1)
00:00.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce2 Memory Controller 4 (rev c1)
00:00.3 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce2 Memory Controller 3 (rev c1)
00:00.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce2 Memory Controller 2 (rev c1)
00:00.5 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce2 Memory Controller 5 (rev c1)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 ISA Bridge (rev a3)
00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation nForce2 SMBus (MCP) (rev a2)
00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:02.2 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:05.0 Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation nForce MultiMedia audio [Via VT82C686B] (rev a2)
00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AC97 Audio Controler (MCP) (rev a1)
00:08.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 External PCI Bridge (rev a3)
00:09.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation nForce2 IDE (rev a2)
00:0c.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 PCI Bridge (rev a3)
00:0d.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): nVidia Corporation nForce2 FireWire (IEEE 1394) Controller (rev a3)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AGP (rev c1)
02:01.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3C920B-EMB Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (rev 40)
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)

If more information is needed, just let me know. I've read about several commands (and used them too) that give more system info, I just didn't want to make this a mile-long post. Thank you in advance!

try this:
got to a console, in X or not it doesnt matter.
then type: modprobe snd_intel8x0
hit enter. then try to play something with sound.

if you need more information on modprobe type in a console "man modprobe"
"man" is the manual command. this will bring up the manual for modprobe on how to use it. you can type "man" and then a program to see if it has a manual.

EDIT:
i just noticed you have nForce on your comp items list. there are some 3rd party drivers that my friends use for this. they are listed here with instructions:
http://www.hailfinger.org/carldani/l...hes/forcedeth/

if modprobe fails you might want to look into that.

This is what I got from modprobe snd-intel8x0. Tried playing a CD afterwards. No sound.

Warning: ignoring device_gid=29, no such parameter in this module
Warning: ignoring device_mode=0660, no such parameter in this module
Module snd loaded, with warnings
Module snd-seq-device loaded, with warnings
Module snd-rawmidi loaded, with warnings
Module snd-mpu401-uart loaded, with warnings
Module snd-page-alloc loaded, with warnings
Module snd-timer loaded, with warnings
Module snd-pcm loaded, with warnings
Module gameport loaded, with warnings
Module snd-ac97-codec loaded, with warnings
/lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-intel8x0.o: init_module: No such device
Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
/lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-intel8x0.o: insmod /lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-intel8x0.o failed
/lib/modules/extra/alsa/snd-intel8x0.o: insmod snd-intel8x0 failed

Quote from chewysplace:
[ i just noticed you have nForce on your comp items list. there are some 3rd party drivers that my friends use for this. they are listed here with instructions:
http://www.hailfinger.org/carldani/...ches/forcedeth/ ]

So I should download one of those forcedeth patch .txt files and recompile? The site didn't say where to download it to. Does it matter, or will recompiling deal with that?

(Off to find instructions on how to compile...)

yeah download one of them. but you will need to know what kernel version you have.
again type in a console "kernelversion" and it will tell you the version, then get the latest update from forcedeth for that version. put the .txt file in the /use/src/linux-2.x directory you have. then in that dircetory type "patch -p1 > forcedethXXXX.txt" that should patch the kernel for forcedeth.

to get the kernel to use forcedeth type "make menuconfig". this will open the kernel configuration. check under "Device Drivers" for it. when you select it make shure that it has an "<M>" for it. this will make it as a module. when your done, save it and exit. then type "make modules; make modules_install". this will make the modules and then install them. then try "modprobe forcedeth".

Well, everything worked until I got to the "patch -p1..." command. It did nothing. I hit enter and it just went down to the next line. So, obviously, neither did "make menuconfig" ...

make: *** No rule to make target `menuconfig'. Stop.

Is there any other way to open the kernel config?

give me all the specs on your sound card. is it pci? built in? i'm gona need all the information you have on it.

The sound card is built in my motherboard. These are specs out of the MB's manual:

5.1 channel audio w/ analog and digital output using ALC650E AC97 CODEC.
AC97 v2.2 compliant
In 5.1-CH mode, supports Center/Subwoofer, Rear out, Front out at rear panel
Supports CD-In, Aux-In interface
Supports Line-out and mic-In for front panel

http://www.fic.com.tw/product/mother...x?model_id=118

The above link shows my motherboard's specs in greater detail. Hope this helps.