When I run sndconfig I get the following error message:

You don't seem to be running a kernel with modular sound │
│ enabled. (soundcore.o was not found in the module search path). │
│ To use sndconfig, you must be running a kernel with modular │
│ sound, such as the kernel shipped with Red Hat Linux or a 2.2 │
│ or greater kernel. │
│

Do I need to compile the kernel with sound enabled, if so what command do I use? is it makemenuconfig?

I've forgotten how to compile a kernel

Hmmm... I have it up and running on a testing system, and the sound works fine. CD player, Free Civ, and all the annoying system notificaitons sounds come through loud and clear. Then again, my soundcard was detected at install.

There's a ton of kernel how-tos all over the web. Especially << www.tldp.org >>.

Basic'ly, it's install source, make menuconfig (or xconfig), make deps, make bzImage, make modules, make modules_install, make install. Hmmm... Now, that I'm typing it, I realise I haven't done a 2.6.x kernel, so I'm not sure if it's the same.

PS -- Test 2 is scheduled to be out on the 8th. Not too long to wait.