Hello. I've been trying for a couple of days to get my sound working on Mandriva LE 2005. I even installed SimplyMEPIS to see if it would work there, and got the same problem.

Whenever KDE loads up, it reports that it couldn't load /dev/dsp and will output sound using the null output device. I looked around on Google, and tried using 'alsaconf', but it couldn't find anything, Harddrake doesn't show anything sound related, and the only interesting thing 'lspci' reports is an unknown device 003 ( "00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]: Unknown device 0003" ).

The disc containing drivers for the various things in my motherboard are from CMedia and Realtek, if that helps. And my motherboard is an ABIT SG-72.

Any help would be very appreciated.

I have had trouble too with AC 97 onboard sound, and you usually have to install the ALSA drivers for it as the OSS ones dont seem to work,

These instructions are for Mandrake 10.1 but should work with Mandriva
Go to Mandrake Control Centre
go Hardware
go Hardware ( this starts Harddrake )
click on your sound card
click on "run config tool"
the usual default driver is the OSS driver
but change it to the ALSA driver
restart your session

hope this helps
floppy

Harddrake doesn't detect any sound card on the list.

Oooooookay
this sounds pretty tricky
so I'll have to give a tricky answer

Is sound enabled in the bios ?

To see, you will need to go into your bios at boot-up
either by pushing 'F2' or 'Del' ( very quickly ) when you restart
this should take you to the main bios screen
( which I'm not familiar with on Abit boards )
but very very carefully look around
for something that tells you about the status of your onboard
facilities like sound, LAN, video etc
don't alter any thing in your bios unless you are absolutely sure
that you know what you are doing
and if you have a manual for your board and bios then read that first

If sound is disabled then you will need to enable it
then save your changes as you exit the bios

again I stress don't alter anything in your bios
until you are sure that you are doing the correct thing

hope this helps
floppy

Yes, the "Audio Controller" option in my BIOS was set to disabled. I enabled it, and now the sound works perfectly.

Thank you for your help.