Why does my speaker stay really quiet in Mandrake.
 

My speaker was really loud in windows. I changed to linux ( windows was driving me mad) and now even with all the volume contols I can find: the gnome volume control., even with all settings turned right up, and the control on my speaker turned right up, and the control in the program i am playing them with (xmms) I can only just hear my music. (and I don't think I have just gone deaf ). Is there anouther volume control to set up? or some thing else to do? ;)

are using alsa or oss?
if alsa type alsamixer in the console and turn the volume up from there

In it's about window it says "
GNOME Volume Control 2.2.1.1
A mixer for sound devices
Copyright © 1998-2000 Jens Ch. Restemeier
Copyright © 2001-2002 Iain Holmes"
It does not seem to be either alsa or oss.
do you know this one?

it should be one of those 2. open a console windows and type alsamixer and if that doesn't work then you are using oss. but I don't really know what can you do apart from turning the volume up from alsamixer

Ir gives me this when i type alsamixer:
[jordanthoms@THOMS jordanthoms]$ alsamixer

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: No such file or directory
[jordanthoms@THOMS jordanthoms]$

Am i using it or not (it seems to know alsamixer)

go into the alsa driver directory and run the ./snd_devices [ps not at home now so not sure if that's the correct spelling.

to find the folder type:

locate alsa

It's just doing it's updatedb thing...

not sure I understand your post.

were you able to find the folder and run that script?

Yes, I have found Alsa but don't know how to get into it's driver directory...

well run this:

locate alsa

and it should tell you all the directories.
You will have a driver [I thinks it's called] and utilities and something else.
[that is if you compiled it????]
I can check later when I get home if you cannot find it. [right now my home ip must have changed as ssh is not working so I will have to wait until I get home].