BIOS is fine.

well..next thing try to load module..I booted my desktop and name of module is snd_via82xx
try sudo modprobe snd_via82xx
that should load the modulefor your via motherboard sound..i dont know the name of the module for your Ess card..

I am a n00b. Not sure what that was supposed to do. Doesnt seem like anything happened. This is what I got....

jdimaio@box:~$ sudo modprobe snd_via82xx
[sudo] password for jdimaio:
jdimaio@box:~$

well modprobe loads a module..you told it to load snd_via82xx
if it loaded it without a problem it wouldnt spit out any errors..if you do lsmod now you should see it has loaded modules for your snd card..you should see via_82xx in there.For some reason is not loading on boot..you can add snd_via82xx to /etc/modules and it will load the module on boot.

This is what I got for lsmod...

jdimaio@box:~$ sudo modprobe snd_via82xx
[sudo] password for jdimaio:
jdimaio@box:~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
snd_via82xx 32536 3
gameport 19468 1 snd_via82xx
snd_ac97_codec 111652 1 snd_via82xx
ac97_bus 9856 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 46848 0
snd_mixer_oss 22784 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 83204 4 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 16136 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
snd_mpu401_uart 15360 1 snd_via82xx
snd_seq_oss 38528 0
snd_seq_midi 14336 0
snd_seq_midi_event 15232 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 57776 5 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 29960 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_rawmidi 29824 2 snd_mpu401_uart,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_device 15116 4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
snd 63268 16 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd _timer,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 15328 1 snd
ipv6 263972 8
binfmt_misc 16904 1
af_packet 25728 2
radeon 147616 2
drm 86056 3 radeon
bridge 56980 0
stp 10628 1 bridge
rfcomm 44432 0
bnep 20480 2
sco 18308 2
l2cap 30464 6 rfcomm,bnep
bluetooth 61924 6 rfcomm,bnep,sco,l2cap
ppdev 15620 0
cpufreq_userspace 11396 0
cpufreq_ondemand 14988 0
cpufreq_stats 13188 0
freq_table 12672 2 cpufreq_ondemand,cpufreq_stats
cpufreq_conservative 14600 0
cpufreq_powersave 9856 0
container 11520 0
wmi 14504 0
pci_slot 12552 0
video 25104 0
output 11008 1 video
sbs 19464 0
sbshc 13440 1 sbs
battery 18436 0
iptable_filter 10752 0
ip_tables 19600 1 iptable_filter
x_tables 22916 1 ip_tables
ac 12292 0
lp 17156 0
evdev 17696 6
pcspkr 10624 0
serio_raw 13444 0
psmouse 45200 0
usblp 20480 0
parport_pc 39204 1
parport 42604 3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
via_ircc 32020 0
irda 199612 1 via_ircc
crc_ccitt 10112 1 irda
button 14224 0
i2c_viapro 15764 0
i2c_core 31892 1 i2c_viapro
via_agp 16256 1
shpchp 37908 0
pci_hotplug 35236 1 shpchp
agpgart 42184 2 drm,via_agp
ext3 133384 1
jbd 55444 1 ext3
mbcache 16004 1 ext3
sr_mod 22212 0
cdrom 43168 1 sr_mod
sd_mod 42264 3
crc_t10dif 9984 1 sd_mod
sg 39732 0
ata_generic 12932 0
pata_via 16132 2
pata_acpi 12160 0
libata 177312 3 ata_generic,pata_via,pata_acpi
uhci_hcd 30736 0
ehci_hcd 43276 0
scsi_mod 155212 4 sr_mod,sd_mod,sg,libata
dock 16656 1 libata
usbcore 148848 4 usblp,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd
8139too 31616 0
8139cp 27520 0
mii 13440 2 8139too,8139cp
thermal 23708 0
processor 42156 2 thermal
fan 12548 0
fbcon 47648 0
tileblit 10880 1 fbcon
font 16512 1 fbcon
bitblit 13824 1 fbcon
softcursor 9984 1 bitblit
fuse 60828 3
jdimaio@box:~$

Still no sound. How do I add it? What else can I try? THANKS ALOT!!!

you can use gedit a simple text editor to add it

sudo gedit /etc/modules
then just add snd_via82xx to it and save..like i said..why it doesnt load on boot i dont know.It should load on boot from now on.adding it to /etc/modules tells it too..after reboot you should be able to lsmod and it should show via82xx modules loaded..if sound still doesn't work..then I dont know what else it could be..

THANKS still no sound. Not sure if I did it correctly. This is what I now get from lsmod...

jdimaio@box:~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
ipv6 263972 8
binfmt_misc 16904 1
af_packet 25728 2
radeon 147616 2
drm 86056 3 radeon
bridge 56980 0
stp 10628 1 bridge
bnep 20480 2
rfcomm 44432 0
sco 18308 2
l2cap 30464 6 bnep,rfcomm
bluetooth 61924 6 bnep,rfcomm,sco,l2cap
ppdev 15620 0
cpufreq_userspace 11396 0
cpufreq_ondemand 14988 0
cpufreq_stats 13188 0
freq_table 12672 2 cpufreq_ondemand,cpufreq_stats
cpufreq_conservative 14600 0
cpufreq_powersave 9856 0
container 11520 0
wmi 14504 0
pci_slot 12552 0
video 25104 0
output 11008 1 video
sbs 19464 0
sbshc 13440 1 sbs
battery 18436 0
iptable_filter 10752 0
ip_tables 19600 1 iptable_filter
x_tables 22916 1 ip_tables
ac 12292 0
snd_via82xx 32536 4
gameport 19468 1 snd_via82xx
snd_ac97_codec 111652 1 snd_via82xx
ac97_bus 9856 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 46848 0
snd_mixer_oss 22784 2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 83204 4 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 16136 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
snd_mpu401_uart 15360 1 snd_via82xx
snd_seq_oss 38528 0
snd_seq_midi 14336 0
snd_seq_midi_event 15232 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 57776 5 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 29960 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_rawmidi 29824 2 snd_mpu401_uart,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_device 15116 4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
snd 63268 16 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd _timer,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore 15328 2 snd
lp 17156 0
evdev 17696 6
serio_raw 13444 0
psmouse 45200 0
usblp 20480 0
parport_pc 39204 1
parport 42604 3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
pcspkr 10624 0
via_ircc 32020 0
irda 199612 1 via_ircc
crc_ccitt 10112 1 irda
button 14224 0
i2c_viapro 15764 0
i2c_core 31892 1 i2c_viapro
via_agp 16256 1
agpgart 42184 2 drm,via_agp
shpchp 37908 0
pci_hotplug 35236 1 shpchp
ext3 133384 1
jbd 55444 1 ext3
mbcache 16004 1 ext3
sr_mod 22212 0
cdrom 43168 1 sr_mod
sd_mod 42264 3
crc_t10dif 9984 1 sd_mod
sg 39732 0
ata_generic 12932 0
pata_via 16132 2
pata_acpi 12160 0
libata 177312 3 ata_generic,pata_via,pata_acpi
uhci_hcd 30736 0
ehci_hcd 43276 0
scsi_mod 155212 4 sr_mod,sd_mod,sg,libata
dock 16656 1 libata
usbcore 148848 4 usblp,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd
8139too 31616 0
8139cp 27520 0
mii 13440 2 8139too,8139cp
thermal 23708 0
processor 42156 2 thermal
fan 12548 0
fbcon 47648 0
tileblit 10880 1 fbcon
font 16512 1 fbcon
bitblit 13824 1 fbcon
softcursor 9984 1 bitblit
fuse 60828 3
jdimaio@box:~$

well..it loaded the modules..so you should have sound..id look to your mixer settings now...try alsamixer in terminal
what does aplay -l say?should be something like this..except with your hardware..

strat@debian:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: I82801CAICH3 [Intel 82801CA-ICH3], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel 82801CA-ICH3]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Modem [Intel 82801CA-ICH3 Modem], device 0: Intel ICH - Modem [Intel 82801CA-ICH3 Modem - Modem]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Here is what I got...

jdimaio@box:~$ alsamixer

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such device
jdimaio@box:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: V8235 [VIA 8235], device 0: VIA 8235 [VIA 8235]
Subdevices: 4/4
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 0: V8235 [VIA 8235], device 1: VIA 8235 [VIA 8235]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
jdimaio@box:~$

well..not sure why you dont have sound..and why alsamixer isnt working..I read in other post how you tied to compile alsa and install it..maybe you broke alsa doing that..Im not sure..If it were me?..i would download a live cd and try it out and verify that sound works.either Ubuntu or Puppy Linux..its less then 100megs.If sound works on live cd you know its not some hardware problem..If sound works..rather than spend days trying to figure out how to fix it..Id reinstall and move on ..lol.

Ran Ubuntu live cd and sound did not work. I swapped sound cards and still not sound. Went to systen-->preferences-->sound and tried the tests. At one time this worked. Any suggestions???

well..to make sure..try another Live Cd ..not Ubuntu or Kubuntu..or any of the other distros based on Ubunt,like Mint..but try say Puppy Linux or PCLinux or Mepis,Mandrivia.Any of the popular Live cd's on ...http://distrowatch.com/ That way you can narrow it done as to if it is a distro problem or hardware problem..If other Live cds do not work..Then something is wrong with hardware.And obvious..Speakers or headphones work right??

I am having the exact same problem, nothing here has worked for me yet.

Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller

Has there been any solution?