I have never been able to get sound to work on my computer with Linux.

I know the soundcard works because I checked it with the original Windows that came with the computer. But since then I have installed Suse, from 9.1 through to my current openSUSE 11.0 and have never gotten sound to work.

Some info on my computer:

x86_64
2.6.25.16-0.1-default
openSUSE 11.0 with KDE

from /sbin/lspci:

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)

Codec: Realtek ALC880

cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.18rc3.
Compiled on Sep 14 2008 for kernel 2.6.25.16-0.1-default (SMP).

cat /proc/asound/modules
0 snd_hda_intel

cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [Intel ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
HDA Intel at 0xfdff8000 irq 16

cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
options snd slots=snd-hda-intel
# u1Nb.6DXPya4qoW1:Lenovo 3000 N100 Audio (Intel HDA)
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel

rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-oss-1.0.15-48.1
alsa-firmware-1.0.17.git20080617-2.1
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.16.20080915_2.6.25.16_0.1-1.1
alsa-oss-32bit-1.0.15-48.1
alsamixergui-0.9.0rc1-705.1
java-1_6_0-sun-alsa-1.6.0.u7-1.1
alsa-1.0.17.git20080910-1.1
alsa-tools-1.0.17.git20080715-1.10
alsa-plugins-1.0.16-57.1
alsa-utils-1.0.17.git20080820-1.1

rpm -qa | grep pulse
libpulse0-0.9.10-26.5
libpulse0-32bit-0.9.10-26.5
libpulse-mainloop-glib0-0.9.10-26.5

rpm -q libasound2
libasound2-1.0.17.git20080910-1.1

speaker-test -Dplug:front -c2 -l5 -twav
speaker-test 1.0.18rc2
Playback device is plug:front
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy
^C


I checked that all the channels are not muted and are over 75%.

Whenever I try to configure the sound card, whether with YaST or Alsaconf, it never works and it also messes up X (my screen goes black except for the panels and I have to log out to regain it).

Any help would be highly appreciated!!

I assume that you're sound card is on the MOBO
Than we use the same .
It works out of the box with opensue 9.3
Can not get it working in opensuse 10.3
It works out of the box with opensuse 11
When I use the same commands as you do I get mostly a different out come.
If I am right that it is on the MOBO switch off in the BIOS setup.
Delete the sound card
Restart the computer and switch on again.
Reconfigure the sound card
Maybe it works
I use opensuse 11 64 bits version

You could boot a Ubuntu CD or Knoppix CD, hear sound working, then examine hardware found and modules in use. Compare to your Suse installation.
Your hardware is like mine. Ubuntu 7 was quiet, had repeated audio problems. Ubuntu 8 is good except updates may stop Lenovo keys.
As I think I remember it, AHCI part of 82801 had to be fully installed to enable sound for Ubuntu 7.
Below is partial lspci for Lenovo 9450A38:
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
Latest Knoppix, Ubuntu, Kubuntu & Debian 4 do sound by default in this Lenovo.

The "Lenovo" bit is just how suse 11.0 recognizes the sound card. The computer itself is a desktop and not a Lenovo laptop. All my previous Suse versions (9.1, 9.3, 10.0, 10.1 and 10.2) recognized the soundcard as the regular on-board Intel that it is.
I had once tried Fedora 6 on this computer and sound did not work with that either. Have not tried with any other distro.