I'm running Slackware 10.1 on Asus's K8N4-e mainboard with kernel 2.6.15. For sure sound and usb aren't working, and I haven't even tried yet to use SATA or any sort of networking.

The command "lspci" lets me know that I have a bunch of unrecognisable hardware (lots of unknown devices). However, I've figured out that I should be using the snd-intel8x0 ALSA driver, and I have that compiled into the kernel. Unfortunately, I got a "no default libao driver" error whenever I tried to play something or start alsamixer. I decided to try and upgrade ALSA, so I uninstalled it using pkgtool, downloaded the appropriate sources, but when I ran ./configure for alsa-drivers, it terminates saying that ALSA is already installed, which was unexpected and confusing.

I've also tried to use Nvidia's linux drivers, but I haven't seen anything new in the kernel, and sound still doesn't work.

My goal is that support for sound will be built into the kernel, but if I have to only use modules, I won't die : ).

USB support isn't nearly as important to me as having sound (my computer doubles as my only media system, so I've been without music for a few months), but it would be nice. From what I can gather from the bios, I need to compile in kernel support for EHCI, and I think I might have both an OHCI controller and a UHCI controller. So I have modules compiled in for all three, and I have scsi support enabled, and the usb-storage module compiled, but trying to mount my jump drive still results in a "special device /dev/sda1 doesn't exist".

Oh, and my /etc/modules.conf is empty, so I've been modprobe'ing modules in as I go, but any time-saving advice w/ regards to populating this useful-seeming file is also appreciated.

Hopefully someone knows how to make all this work. Thanks in advance to any who can help!

Assuming you have successfully installed the NFORCE drivers, which are different than the video drivers, the next thing to check would be whether or not you've tried to run alsaconf (which configures your sound card). Additionally, run alsamixer to make sure that your sound levels are turned up sufficiently (by default they are muted) Good luck with it

I've run alsaconf, but it didn't make sound work. As for running alsamixer, I can only wish to be able to mute or unmute channels. Problem is, alsamixer tells me I don't have a card associated with it, even after running alsaconf. I read in a different thread that running alsactl store or some such command would solve it, but alsactl won't run, saying that no drivers exist or some such nonsense (I'd check to see the exact error, but as I mentioned, I uninstalled ALSA and it won't let me reinstall).

Did you compile 2.6.15 yourself? Because a non-working USB is pretty weird, it looks as if something basic is missing from the kernel. My mainboard is nforce4 (asus K8N5) too and I had no issues with sound and USB. It's the intel 8x0 driver as you said.

Yup, I compiled the kernel myself. I started off not changing the default settings, and then, starting with sound, said no to all the drivers not related to my system. I don't think my paring eliminated anything essential, but.. I do try and always use shift-/ to check dependencies, but again, I may have missed something.

So, I booted using my modified version of kernel 2.4.36, and was able to install the latest (1.0.10) alsa drivers, utilities, and libraries. I then let alsaconf configure things and now sound works great. I booted back into 2.6.15, and no sound, and running alsaconf doesn't fix things.

try to recompile the kernel and inclde all ALSA module. It worked for me

Sound support, Alsa variety, is compiled into the kernel as a module right now, OSS is left out, but OSS emulation in as a module. 'Tisn't working, unfortunately.

Can you post the output of:
and
(Of course, run this on your kernel's source directory)

You must compile alsa against the 2.6.x kernel for alsa to work (Drivers, etc).
You are using the alsa compiled against 2.4

did you do modprobe nvsound?

also, you should do modprobe nvnet for the NIC

those worked for me, as I have an ASUS A8N-E motherboard with nVidia nForce4 Ultra chipset.

Easy guide is to compare your kernel config file with Pat's 2.6.15 .config file at SW current dl site under /slackware-current/testing/linux-2.6.15.3. You can dl that .config file to your 2.6.15 kernel directory and run make old config step then add config steps you want when recompiling. Make sure you have all other programs needed in SW10.1 to use the new kernel.
Unless another SW user has your HW and will lend you their 2.6.15x .config file.Good luck.

But he compiles the ALSA in the kernel tree already. I prefer compiling ALSA separately. You can use Pat's config, or I can post mine if you wish. Btw, did you fix USB in 2.6? USB support shouldn't be missing, if it is, something basic must be wrong (I don't think that you forgot to enable USB support in the config).

If you read everything, you would see he compiled it against 2.4. When he switches to 2.6, no sound. Ergo, compile alsa against 2.6
The alsa utils must be compiled against the 2.6 kernel also. Basically, everything alsa has to be compiled against the kernel you are using.
The OP could also use the alsa in /linux-2.6.13 in cd2. That would work too

I've just compiled 2.6.14.5 using Pat's 2.6.13 config as a base. Before doing that I upgraded to the 2.6 kernel and installed the alsa utils from the cd. I also have an nforce4 board and everything worked fine on reboot, including sound and usb.

Cool...Glad we got it straightened out.

Now that you know how to compile your kernel, you can start to pare it down.
Change a few things, then set up your kernel for boot and lilo, and see if it works. Take it in small steps, should work good