Computer Adventures

2   Running SuSE Linux 8.2

Well, not an adventure exactly, but a frustration ...

Last month (April) the latest version of the SuSE distro came out, SuSE 8.2, so I decided to upgrade to it and take the opportunity to get the Professional version. (Which has a lot more free software than the Personal: exciting stuff like LaTeX and other things I haven't really had time to explore yet.) Trouble is, it's done something to the sound. Whereas 8.1 which I was running recognised my sound card, configured it automatically, and actually played sounds, 8.2 doesn't.

Sure, it claims to recognise, it says it starts it up on booting the system. But no sound comes out. SuSE -- this is NOT to their credit -- say they don't give technical support about sound card configuration; which is a bit rich when they're the ones that 'broke' it! Likewise an enquiry to the mailing list didn't yield any helpful response. I've scanned the documentation and web sites and done all the kind of things they recommend for editing your /etc/modules.conf file, but to no avail.

So, for the time being, my poor Linux box is mute. If any reader of this has any ideas or helpful suggestions, please get in touch! Otherwise ... watch this space.