I used Synaptic and downloaded the alsa-utils 0.9.8-1.fr and I am using xine for DVD playback. My only test for 5.1 surround sound is the THX guy at the beginning of DVD playback. I am not getting sound through the back surround speakers. What am I missing? I have tried to post this question different ways and never get an answer. Can anyone HELP?

As for the back speakers to work, that might be more complex than you think. It might involve re-compiling your kernel (depending on your setup).
if you are using a Creative Labs sound card, you can try Gemu (a tool to help you configure creative labs emu10k1 sound cards).

What about Nvidia? You said in the title u needed help with it?

My motherboard has two LAN ports. My 3COM is working and the NVIDIA is not.

so the Nvidia is a LAN port?

Yes, Nvidia is a LAN port. When I go to my Hardware Browser it only shows my 3COM LAN in network devices.

Could it be that you disable dthat port in your BIOS?

I just checked it again and it is configured to AUTO.

For the sake of doing a complete analysis, see if you can manually turn it to Enabled or On instaed of Auto!

My choice is AUTO or DISABLED. You have been SUPER !! to try and figure this out. My goal was to get my system going as ergonomically as with Windows XP, but I am beginning to doubt Linux can do what Windows can. My system is listed in my post and I don't know if you can see what I'm up against. Maybe impossible? I notice that you use SuSE 9.0. How does that compare to Redhat?

HI,
The last version of redhat I tried was 9.0. I have tried 8.0 and 9.0 and earlier versions. I also tried mandrake 8.2 and 9.0. Nothing so far has kept me shut up as SuSE, LOL (which is a good sign) (y)
Since you have the Nvidia port on Auto I see one of two possible scnearios
1.) Somehow, your system is disabling the Nvidia "automatically" because you have another port
OR
2.) Linux does nto like the driver (if any is installed) for you Nvidia Lan port.

You would have to investigate deeper to find out if the LAN port ios turned off. Does hte LAN port pick up in windows? If so It definately means either Linux does nt have a driver for it, or linux does not recognize it.

I took a breif look at your system specs. Even though Linux is not yet 100% on top of hardware issues as Windows is, I still don't beleive the statement "Linux will not work on my machine". LOL. To get Linux to work on more hardare we need more ppl to use it to make hardware vendors think twice about not crating Linux drivers

Anywho, see if the port works in windows. If it does, we may have to hunt down a good Nvidia LAN port driver for linux for you (or if you are motivated enough u can write one!)

If I pull my removable rack with Redhat installed and insert my Windows XP rack, I have a 100% working system. That includes the 5.1 surround. Your correct, more people need to convert to Linux to compete for hardware vendors attention. I'm trying to figure out all the Devel tools I need to get this system running. I wish I had the experience you have. I'm sure this would not be a problem getting everything running with that kind of experience.

You would be surprised at the amount of trouble I get into sometimes. Someone once said Linux was creasted with the point of view of a rocket scientist in mind. LOL.

Its just one of thsoe fun challenges where you don't quit till you have exhausted all possibilities. Being a computer geek myself, I live on this stuff, LOL