This is what I see after each login: Error while initializing the sound driver: device /dev/dsp can't be opened (No such file or directory) The sound server will continue using the null output device. I have not had sound for so long. I have spent hours doing net searches. Below is what I hope will be good initial information. uname -v Linux hebrews 2.6.18-5-amd64 #1 SMP Tue Oct 2 20:37:02 UTC 2007 x86_64 GNU/Linux # lspci -v 00:05.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2) Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 2a5c Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 255 Memory at fe028000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K] Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2 Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask+ 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable- Capabilities: [6c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping hebrews:/home/edhe# grep SND /boot/config-2.6.18-5-amd64 CONFIG_SND=m CONFIG_SND_TIMER=m CONFIG_SND_PCM=m CONFIG_SND_HWDEP=m CONFIG_SND_RAWMIDI=m CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER=m CONFIG_SND_SEQ_DUMMY=m CONFIG_SND_OSSEMUL=y CONFIG_SND_MIXER_OSS=m CONFIG_SND_PCM_OSS=m CONFIG_SND_PCM_OSS_PLUGINS=y CONFIG_SND_SEQUENCER_OSS=y CONFIG_SND_RTCTIMER=m CONFIG_SND_SEQ_RTCTIMER_DEFAULT=y # CONFIG_SND_DYNAMIC_MINORS is not set CONFIG_SND_SUPPORT_OLD_API=y CONFIG_SND_VERBOSE_PROCFS=y # CONFIG_SND_VERBOSE_PRINTK is not set # CONFIG_SND_DEBUG is not set CONFIG_SND_MPU401_UART=m CONFIG_SND_OPL3_LIB=m CONFIG_SND_VX_LIB=m CONFIG_SND_AC97_CODEC=m CONFIG_SND_AC97_BUS=m CONFIG_SND_DUMMY=m CONFIG_SND_VIRMIDI=m CONFIG_SND_MTPAV=m CONFIG_SND_SERIAL_U16550=m CONFIG_SND_MPU401=m CONFIG_SND_AD1889=m CONFIG_SND_ALS300=m CONFIG_SND_ALS4000=m CONFIG_SND_ALI5451=m CONFIG_SND_ATIIXP=m CONFIG_SND_ATIIXP_MODEM=m CONFIG_SND_AU8810=m CONFIG_SND_AU8820=m CONFIG_SND_AU8830=m CONFIG_SND_AZT3328=m CONFIG_SND_BT87X=m # CONFIG_SND_BT87X_OVERCLOCK is not set CONFIG_SND_CA0106=m CONFIG_SND_CMIPCI=m CONFIG_SND_CS4281=m CONFIG_SND_CS46XX=m CONFIG_SND_CS46XX_NEW_DSP=y CONFIG_SND_DARLA20=m CONFIG_SND_GINA20=m CONFIG_SND_LAYLA20=m CONFIG_SND_DARLA24=m CONFIG_SND_GINA24=m CONFIG_SND_LAYLA24=m CONFIG_SND_MONA=m CONFIG_SND_MIA=m CONFIG_SND_ECHO3G=m CONFIG_SND_INDIGO=m CONFIG_SND_INDIGOIO=m CONFIG_SND_INDIGODJ=m CONFIG_SND_EMU10K1=m CONFIG_SND_EMU10K1X=m CONFIG_SND_ENS1370=m CONFIG_SND_ENS1371=m CONFIG_SND_ES1938=m CONFIG_SND_ES1968=m CONFIG_SND_FM801=m CONFIG_SND_FM801_TEA575X_BOOL=y CONFIG_SND_FM801_TEA575X=m CONFIG_SND_HDA_INTEL=m CONFIG_SND_HDSP=m CONFIG_SND_HDSPM=m CONFIG_SND_ICE1712=m CONFIG_SND_ICE1724=m CONFIG_SND_INTEL8X0=m CONFIG_SND_INTEL8X0M=m CONFIG_SND_KORG1212=m CONFIG_SND_MAESTRO3=m CONFIG_SND_MIXART=m CONFIG_SND_NM256=m CONFIG_SND_PCXHR=m CONFIG_SND_RIPTIDE=m CONFIG_SND_RME32=m CONFIG_SND_RME96=m CONFIG_SND_RME9652=m CONFIG_SND_SONICVIBES=m CONFIG_SND_TRIDENT=m CONFIG_SND_VIA82XX=m CONFIG_SND_VIA82XX_MODEM=m CONFIG_SND_VX222=m CONFIG_SND_YMFPCI=m CONFIG_SND_USB_AUDIO=m CONFIG_SND_USB_USX2Y=m CONFIG_SND_VXPOCKET=m CONFIG_SND_PDAUDIOCF=m # CONFIG_SOUND_MSNDCLAS is not set # CONFIG_SOUND_MSNDPIN is not set