No sound after kernel upgrade

[Carl Fink <carl@fink.to>]

In order to use a Promise ATA/133 controller I had to upgrade from 2.2.19 to
2.4.20-3-k7.  I installed the stock Debian kernel.

Sound stopped working.

I found that alsaconfig would fail.  It would *claim* to set things up, but
no sound would play and programs like xine would give errors saying that the
sound device wasn't available.

Here are alsaconfig's messages:

    Running update-modules...
    depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
    /lib/modules/2.4.20-3-k7/alsa/snd-vxp440.o
    depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
    /lib/modules/2.4.20-3-k7/alsa/snd-vxpocket.o
    Loading driver...
    Starting ALSA sound driver (version 0.9.4): ens1371.
    Restoring ALSA mixer settings...done.
    Setting default volumes...
    Saving the mixer setup used for this in /etc/asound.state.
    /usr/sbin/alsactl: save_state:1048: No soundcards found...

I tried sndconfig.  It played its own sound sample fine, but then no other*
*program could play sounds, and running it gain gives the message
"An error occurred while writing the config file."  

Both programs detect my Ensoniq 5880 AudioPCI.

I can't get sndconfig to work again even by purging it and reinstalling.  I
don't want to reboot tonight - it's late.

I'm running a freshly updated Sarge system.

I'm open to suggestions.
--      
Carl Fink             carl@fink.to
Jabootu's Minister of Proofreading
http://www.jabootu.com