查看系统版本
~$ uname -a
Linux laptop 2.6.27-7-generic #1 SMP Tue Nov 4 19:33:20 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

查看型号为ac97的声卡驱动模块
~$ modprobe -l | grep ac97
/lib/modules/2.6.27-7-generic/kernel/sound/pci/ac97/snd-ac97-codec.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.27-7-generic/kernel/sound/ac97_bus.ko

查看声卡型号
~$ lspci  |grep -i audio
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC’97 Audio Controller (rev 03)

查看声卡信息
~$ cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [ICH5           ]: ICH4 – Intel ICH5
Intel ICH5 with AD1985 at irq 17

查看alsa-utils版本
~$ alsactl -v
alsactl version 1.0.17

查看内核alsa版本（需要与alsa-utils版本一致）
cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.16.
Compiled on Dec  2 2008 for kernel 2.6.24-23-generic (SMP).

声卡信息
~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: ICH5 [Intel ICH5], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel ICH5]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: ICH5 [Intel ICH5], device 4: Intel ICH – IEC958 [Intel ICH5 - IEC958]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

硬件信息 之 声卡（lshw指list hardware，是一个软件）
~$ sudo lshw -C sound
*-multimedia UNCLAIMED
description: Multimedia audio controller
product: 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC’97 Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.5
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.5
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0

系统模块状态 之 声音
~$ lsmod | grep -i snd
snd_pcm_oss            46496  0
snd_mixer_oss          22784  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                83844  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy          11012  0
snd_seq_oss            39936  0
snd_seq_midi           14368  0
snd_rawmidi            29728  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event     15232  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                58352  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer              29448  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device         15500  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    64164  9 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore              15328  1 snd
snd_page_alloc         16776  1 snd_pcm

# below is the module listing with working sound in kernel 2.6.24-21
:~$ cat sndmodules
snd_intel8×0           35868  3
snd_ac97_codec        102176  1 snd_intel8×0
ac97_bus                3200  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss            42528  0
snd_mixer_oss          18048  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                79748  3 snd_intel8×0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy           4996  0
snd_seq_oss            35456  0
snd_seq_midi            9504  0
snd_rawmidi            25888  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event      8576  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                54096  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer              24964  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device          9612  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    59812  17 snd_intel8×0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore               8800  1 snd
snd_page_alloc         12552  2 snd_intel8×0,snd_pcm

#I have a disabled volume control applet on the panel (red cross)
# attempting to use it give the following message
The volume control did not find any elements and/or devices to control. This means either that you don’t have the right GStreamer plugins installed, or that you don’t have a sound card configured.