I recently updated my computer to use the 2.6.16.20 kernel. I've never had troubles with my sound before, but now I can't seem to get the thing to work.

From lspci:
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)

Before I upgraded my kernel, in aumix there were several channels that had to be turned up to get sound ( vol, pcm, and wave ). Now, only one shows up ( vol ), and turning it up does nothing. When I play something using mplayer, no error messages show up about not being able to access /dev/mixer, or any other sound device.

I've compiled the VIA 8233/8235 AC97 driver right into the kernel, and I've compiled the OSS Mixer API, OSS PCM API, OSS Sequencer API, and Sequencer support right into the ALSA driver ( as well as support for the old ALSA API ).

So, any suggestions or hints?

What about 'alsamixer'? Try it, and make sure none of the channels are muted. You can mute/unmute any channels with 'm'. You can mute and unmute 'aumix' with 'm' as well.

Nope. Alsamixer does nothing. None of the channels show up as muted in alsamixer or aumix.

Try compiling only the ALSA drivers into your kernel and loading the rest of the options as modules.

Well, I compiled my kernel with Sequencer support, the OSS Mixer API, OSS PCM API and RTC Timer support as modules ( the OSS Sequencer API wouldn't let me compile it as a module, only as part of the kernel ), and the VIA 82C686A/B, 8233/8235 AC97 driver as part of the kernel. Still no luck. Aumix and alsamixer only show the volume channel ( no pcm or wav channel, and none of the other channels that used to show up ), unmuted, but still no sound.