bonjour
I don't know, and did never have problems with sound in linux but other problems (i have slackware 12, xubuntu, the newest version, knoppix, and puppy linux, and i did erase zen linux by installing vector)!
for this reason my knowledge concerning sound is really little: sound works always! I don't know where are the files with the parameters for sound or sound card or sound protocol!
my PC is not new but not absolutely old (celeron 2 gHz, ram 1 Mb, HD 80 Mb) but it is more the conception of a laptop (it is not a laptop but as the same size) as of a tower!
salut