Honestly, I have also posted this as a question in ubuntu launchpad but I figure I have more of a chance coming across a solution this way- as I had been struggling with no sound issue (and other issues for so long now!)------

I first had alsa driver version that came with this 2.6.32-25 preempt kernel: ALSA driver 1.0.22, I believe. My maudio soundcard was detected but I couldn't get sound so I found a suggestion in ubuntu forum to install lucid backports. This created 2.6.32-25 generic kernel which I didn't want since I need low latency (and still had no sound). I tried at first to compile and install Alsa driver 1.0.23 (following Ubuntu Sound Troubleshooting Guide), having booted into the preempt kernel- but ALSA driver 1.0.23 only installed into the generic backport kernel. So I proceeded to remove the 2.6.32-25 backport generic kernel via synaptic.

I once again only have my original preempt kernel 2.6.32.25 and 2.6.32.21 in my grub list. I discovered that I had no soundcard detected and no more ALSA installed, according to 'aplay -l' & 'cat /proc/asound/version'

'cat: /proc/asound/version: No such file or directory'

so I proceeded to try to install Alsa driver 1.0.23 twice more but each time I get:

'bash alsa-info.sh --stdout
cat: /proc/asound/version: No such file or directory
grep: /proc/asound/cards: No such file or directory
cat: /proc/asound/cards: No such file or directory
cat: /proc/asound/modules: No such file or directory
ls: cannot access /dev/snd/*: No such file or directory
grep: /proc/asound/cards: No such file or directory
/usr/sbin/alsactl: save_state:1504: No soundcards found...
cat: /tmp/alsa-info.MBbsMbmpxU/alsactl.tmp: No such file or directory
upload=true&script=true&cardinfo=
!!################################
!!ALSA Information Script v 0.4.59
!!################################

!!Script ran on: Mon Nov 15 11:14:04 UTC 2010

!!Linux Distribution
!!------------------

Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS \n \l DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS"

!!DMI Information
!!---------------

Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: GA-790XTA-UD4

!!Kernel Information
!!------------------

Kernel release: 2.6.32-25-preempt
Operating System: GNU/Linux
Architecture: x86_64
Processor: unknown
SMP Enabled: Yes

!!ALSA Version
!!------------

Driver version:
Library version: 1.0.23
Utilities version: 1.0.23

!!Loaded ALSA modules
!!-------------------

!!Sound Servers on this system
!!----------------------------

Pulseaudio:
Installed - Yes (/usr/bin/pulseaudio)
Running - Yes

ESound Daemon:
Installed - Yes (/usr/bin/esd)
Running - No

Jack:
Installed - Yes (/usr/bin/jackd)
Running - No

!!Soundcards recognised by ALSA
!!-----------------------------

!!PCI Soundcards installed in the system
!!--------------------------------------

06:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies Inc. ICE1712 [Envy24] PCI Multi-Channel I/O Controller (rev 02)

!!Advanced information - PCI Vendor/Device/Susbsystem ID's
!!--------------------------------------------------------

06:06.0 0401: 1412:1712 (rev 02)
Subsystem: 1412:d634

!!Modprobe options (Sound related)
!!--------------------------------

snd-atiixp-modem: index=-2
snd-intel8x0m: index=-2
snd-via82xx-modem: index=-2
snd-usb-audio: index=-2
snd-usb-us122l: index=-2
snd-usb-usx2y: index=-2
snd-usb-caiaq: index=-2
snd-cmipci: mpu_port=0x330 fm_port=0x388
snd-pcsp: index=-2

!!Loaded sound module options
!!--------------------------

!!ALSA Device nodes
!!-----------------

!!Aplay/Arecord output
!!------------

APLAY

aplay: device_list:235: no soundcards found...

ARECORD

arecord: device_list:235: no soundcards found...

!!Amixer output
!!-------------

!!Alsactl output
!!-------------

--startcollapse--
--endcollapse--

!!All Loaded Modules
!!------------------

Module
binfmt_misc
ppdev
fbcon
tileblit
font
bitblit
softcursor
joydev
psmouse
edac_core
serio_raw
edac_mce_amd
i2c_piix4
xhci
nvidia
vga16fb
vgastate
lp
parport
raid10
raid456
async_pq
async_xor
async_memcpy
async_raid6_recov
raid6_pq
async_tx
raid1
raid0
multipath
hid_logitech
linear
ff_memless
ohci1394
dm_raid45
usbhid
hid
floppy
xor
ieee1394
pata_atiixp
pata_jmicron
ahci
r8169
mii

!!ALSA/HDA dmesg
!!------------------

Somehow I can't install the driver, but the ALSA utilities and libraries are installed. What makes no sense is that I see the driver installed in /usr/src/alsa-driver-1.0.23.

I have / and /home in ubuntu software raid 0 and one of my drives has some bad sectors according to Disk Utility-even after I did a low level format; Can any quirks arise from such a set-up? I had problems with Ubuntu Studio Karmic on this computer (minus the 'bad' drive- Pulse audio would freeze up my system) -and I am still hoping that I can get better results with Lucid LTS...

Note: The 'bad' drive seems to be acceptable by gparted, I could still partition e.t.c... and I installed Win 7 and the 1/2 of my raid 0 for Ubuntu fine on it, but I couldn't use install any grub or windows bootloader to the mbr. Even though I changed the cable/port around and the boot order in bios- so if anyone thinks that this warrants chucking out the drive and replacing it - pls. advise.

Looking forward to suggestions!

I don't see a hardware driver for any sound card in your loaded modules. It could be installed in the kernel but that is unusual.

re:Note, some motherboards will prevent writing to the MBR if their BIOS has a setting to prevent viruses being loaded into that sector. You may be able to turn that off and install a bootloader.

Try loading a live Linux CD and see if the sound works. If it does then look at which modules are loaded. Try to load those modules on your installed system.

hi stress_junkie!

Unfortunately I never had sound working off the bat with any live version of Ubuntu and my maudio 2496 soundcard! Right now I am too tired to check and see if that means that no modules get loaded. Also, it looks like pulse audio still fails to initialize the ICE17xx chipsets after 3 years and version upgrades. I hope that the driver didn't install to the kernel as you also mentionned.

You suggested that some bios have a setting which could block from installing to the mbr: I don't think my mb has that feature but it has other quirks. I had to flash to the latest bios because otherwise there was a severe latency issue when trying to run sound editing software in Windows XP among other things.

Still hoping to hear a confirmation on what to do about the 'bad sector' Sata HDD. In the end, I will probably replace the drive, which will lead to me re-installing Ubuntu once more- and I hope that will at least result in the earlier ALSA driver installing with the distro. (which had at least recognised my sound card).