I have no sound on my Debian unstable.
# cat /etc/issue
Debian GNU/Linux squeeze/sid
# lspci |grep -i audio
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801JD/DO (ICH10 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
# lsmod | grep -i snd
snd_hda_codec_realtek 235506 1
snd_hda_intel 19907 0
snd_hda_codec 54244 2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 5380 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm_oss 32591 0
snd_mixer_oss 12606 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 60471 3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_midi 4400 0
snd_rawmidi 15515 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 4628 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 42881 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 15582 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 4493 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd 46446 11 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore 4598 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 6249 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
# cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
# uname -r
2.6.32-5-amd64