until you get a better reply can you advise is there onboard sound or a card pls?
what is the exact model number?
leaping ahead use root powers to
Code:
lsmod | grep sound
lsmod | grep snd
lsmod | grep ac97
Its possible if onboard you are needed the module for ac97 running...but you may already have soundcore running ?
if you can not see any snd or sound in the responses try command
modprobe ac97 and run lsmod above command again ?
good luck