Disappearing audio device.

This is roughly the scenario:
1. I installed rp8---  rpm
2. Could not access audio card got an error message that the card was
being used by another program.
3, removed realplayer8
4.Installed RealPlayer9 rpm.
5. My audiocard disappeared. It is still found by hwbrowser, and it
still is in the kudzu /etc/sysconfig.hwconf database
6. But redhat-config-soundcard says it can't find the soundcard.
Another error I get from some applications is that they can not find
/dev/dsp, but this device is there and seems to have the right
characteristics.

I have removed RealPlayer9 it does not help. rebooting does not help.
Any ideas of where to look for the problem?
-- 
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Aaron Konstam
Computer Science
Trinity University
One Trinity Place.
San Antonio, TX 78212-7200

telephone: [phone]
email:[e-mail]