This guide will help update your version of the ALSA modules under Scientific Linux 6.1. This is useful for people who's sound is not currently working with their current version of ALSA. For those that don't know, CentOS 5 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 are basically the same thing just with a different name so this guide applies to both.
We will be using 'nano' as our text editor of choice but you can use whatever you wish.
While this guide is mainly focused to laptop users there isn't any difference for desktop users.
You should run a full update for your installation to ensure you have all the latest packages installed.
For an easy install we will be using the ATrpms repository.
1. Load up a terminal window if you are in the graphic interface.
2. Switch to the root user by entering the command “su -” (without the quotes) and typing in your root password
3. Edit the file /etc/yum.repos.d/sl.repo:
vim /etc/yum.repos.d/sl.repo
4. If you have already configured yum to use the ATrpms repository then append “*alsa*” to the end of the “includepkgs” line and skip the next setup. Otherwise continue on.
5. Add the following to the bottom of this file:
[atrpms] name=EL $releasever - $basearch - ATrpms baseurl=http://dl.atrpms.net/el$releasever-$basearch/atrpms/stable gpgkey=http://ATrpms.net/RPM-GPG-KEY.atrpms gpgcheck=1 enabled=1 exclude=*kmdl*i586* includepkgs=*alsa*
6. Save the file. In nano you press Ctrl-X, answer yes to the “Save modified buffer” question and then press enter on the file name to write.
7. If you have not previously setup ATrpms execute the following command:
rpm --import http://ATrpms.net/RPM-GPG-KEY.atrpms
8. Now execute the following command:
yum install alsa-driver alsa-kmdl-`uname -r`
9. Reboot your system and you will be using the updated ALSA module.
Remember that you may need to adjust your volume settings.
If this guide did not work you may like to view the general Configuring the audio guide or use the Audio Tester.