How to Update Kernel in SuSE 9.1
 

I set SuSE 9.1 Personal up a few days ago and everything, except sound, is working great. I have been advised that the sound problem is related to an issue between my sound chip (VIA VT8233) and the Linux kernel in SuSE 9.1 (2.6.5-7.111.19). The fix---update the kernel to what's used in SuSE 9.2.

That sounds easy enough, but, being a total Linux newb, I am not clear on how to do it. Also, I set my PC up to dual boot Linux and windows. Windows crashed after the first install and I ended up wiping that partition clean and starting over. (I should have read the dual boot sticky iun this forum first.) It was a real pain recovering from the installation so I am a little anxious about changing things. I use Grub as my boot loader. Will changing the kernel mess up Grub's configuration?

All advice is most welcome.

First, you need to read the kernel HOWTO at tldp.org. Make sure you compile the new kernel separately from the present one so you can boot into the existing kernel if anything goes wrong. You will not affect grub with a new kernel, but you will need to edit boot/grub/menu.lst so you can boot into your new kernel. Sound worked fine for me with 9.1 but I'm not using the chipset you mentioned. Are you sure it isn't the problem with kdemultimedia3-mixer that's been mentioned here before?

Compiling a kernel isn't the easiest thing for a n00b to do, but I say go for it!

Thanks for the feedback.

I am too scared to compile a kernel on my own right now. I've got a friend at work who's pretty good with Linux. I may get him to coach me through it. That will have to wait until after the 1st, though.

I was really hoping for an easy fix. YaST doesn't show kdemultimedia3-mixer as an installed module, but there are some other kdemultimedia3 components installed. Will those mess things up as well?

I can get a test wave to start playing through YaST, but it keep repeating forever. Very annoying.

I'd say try alsaconf. Open a terminal and become root. Then type alsaconf

Follow the wizard to complete the configuration. Then use alsamixer to adjust the levels to your taste.