My Computer:
Dell OptiPlex GX1
WindowsXP Pro, version 2002, Service Pack 2
Intel Pentium Processor
397 MHz, 128 MB of RAM
Dial-Up 56K modem

My problem:
About a month ago I upgraded to WindowsXP and lost the sound on my pc, WELL didn't completely lose it, it sounds scratchy/staticy. It sounds like distorted dial up. For the past month I've been searching and trouble shooting every possibility and finally discovered that is because Microsoft decided they nolonger wanted to support old ISA 16-bit cards. The ISA to PCI routing is disabled by default in Windows XP. I found this info in a forum on the Dell website (I should have Bookmarked the page):


With 2000 or XP with service packs ISA IRQs are not enabled and ISA cards are not supported.
Crystal Audio is an ISA card.

To resolve this behavior, enable the ISA-to-PCI routing feature to allow these ISA Cards to function in the computers:

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
2. Locate and click to select the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\PCMCIA\Parameters
3. On the Edit menu, click New, click DWORD Value, type DisableIsaToPciRouting in the NewValue box, and then press ENTER.
4. Click to select DisableIsaToPciRouting, click Edit, and then click Modify.
5. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.   Thats a ZERO not an Oh
6. Quit Registry Editor.
This procedure enables PCI routing for 16-bit PC Cards aka ISA cards.

Legacy crystal Audio is ISA not PCI sound.

PC99 spec from microsoft indicates that ISA slots and therefore ISA cards are no longer supported.
Microsoft did not like dealing with older Items so it started "dropping support" for things like
SERIAL Mice, ISA cards, Parallel Ports that are ISA, Bus Mouse ports that are ISA, non plug and play
as well as Plug and play NIC, Sound, and other things ISA.

I tried this but it did nothing, I still have distorted sound. I tried to email Microsoft, but they still have not gotten back to me.
I took the XP off and put the ME back and the sound worked great, but after getting used to WinXP the WinME kinda stinks. So, I upgraded back and I'm determined to find a "fix". Can anyone help me out?Did you remember to re-boot after making the registry changes ? ?
This needs to be done to save the changes.

Do you have an available PCI slot ? ?Wow, you're quick!
It wasn't in the instructions to restart, so I probably didn't...unless I was prompted to? When you quit the registry Edit does it promt you to resart? I did this over a week ago (I laso have three kids, a husband, dog, cat....life gets a little distacting, I can't always remeber the little details. LOL). I have no availible slots, the sound card in there is integrated. Oh yeah, I ment to mention the make and model of the sound card too incase it matters.
Crystal Sound CS4236b Audio SystemI think you're heading down a dead end road here.  If you had an empty PCI slot, you could install a sound card in it. 

Anyway, I'd hate to be running Win XP with 397 MHz, 128 MB of RAM.  If you can't add more RAM, I'd stick with Win ME on that computer; actually, I'd probably DUMP ME and get Win 98SE on ebay.  Really? I've noticed everything is faster since I put XP on here.
I might cave and return to ME though, this PC is going to be for my kids and their games, so I guess it doesn't really matter if its got XP or ME....or even 98SE (the sound is what they need). I think I even still have a win98SE disk.
Now all I have to do is find an external dial up modem for my new pc, so I can get online with it and give this pc to my kids.
Thanks.I would recommend Zoom for a dial-up modem....great product.
Try at newegg.com if you're in the States.Regarding external modems,   over the years I've used several USRobotics modems.   From 14.4 to 56K.    All were excellent.

Some of the last external modems I used were Multi-Tech.   These too worked very well.

Not knocking Zoom...   I've CERTAINLY heard about them ...  just never used one.
Just wanted to add my comments on my positive experience with those two brand names.CrankyCheryl, you say you have no available slots.  How MANY PCI slots does that computer have?  If none are empty, what's in them? How many ISA slots does it have? What's in them?