Slow video mode switching corrupting sound

I'm using Linux 2.4.19 with XFree86 4.2.0, with the ALSA 0.9
series kernel modules on an intel8x0 sound interface integrated
with the motherboard.

While sound is playing, any video mode switching that occurs,
most notably inside X using Ctrl+Alt++/- has a strong tendency
to corrupt the sound output. During the mode switch, the sound
pauses momentarily, the mode switch is completed, and if I'm
lucky the sound is not corrupted afterwards. More likely,
however -- if sound is playing during a mode switch - the
remainder of the sound stream becomes unacceptable afterward,
with distorted, scratchy, unsynchronized, yet recognizable
output. To fix the problem, I must disable the program's sound
output and then re-enable it. This can range from simply
pausing/resuming playback in a sound player, to accessing a menu
in a game, and in some cases completely restarting the program
is the only way to get sound back.

The problem happens no matter who is using the audio - whether
it is ESD, ARTS, SDL, OSS emulation, or straight ALSA. 

Noticing the pause between mode switches, I thought it might be
that the sound processes weren't receiving enough scheduling
priority during mode switching, but even after renicing X to 19
and the sound program(s) to -19, the pauses/corruption still
occurs.

Any solutions or recommendations would be appreciated.

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