well for those who have just red my firewire thread, this is pretty much the same
when i start knoppix with parameter "alsa" it freezes when "Setting default volumes..."
if i start with the via82cxxx_audio driver and unload the modules (except soundcore) and then start alsa-autoconfig it works just fine
i need that one because the via82cxxxx_audio driver doesn't support the spdif out

(if someone know how to activate the spdif out with the other driver that would fit my needs as well)

i hope you can help
tnx
Simon