I have had a series of problems with my PC (Windows XP wouldn't open) but I finally managed to install XP from my disk. I have Explorer 6 SP.1 and cannot update to SP 2 let alone Explorer 7 HOWEVER my main problem is that after reinstalling XP I find that my sound card isn't recognized (ie "No MIDI playback devices" and "No Audio Device". Before my problems began my sound card was working fine.

a) I am not sure of the name of the card

b) I can play a vinyl LP album and get perfect sound from the speakers attached to the PC.

c) the only sound card CD I have is for Soundblaster 16, though it may be left over from an earlier computer. Does Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device" sound like a Sound Card?

d) could the REINSTALL of XP have somehow resulted in my sound card not being recognized?
Do you have the MBoard driver CD that should have shipped with that machine ? ? You have onboard sound and that is where the drivers will be located.
Re-install them and you should be good to go.

If you don't have them DLoad and run Everest Home which will tell you each component that is in that machine. Then travel to the manuf. site for the proper drivers...

Why can you not update to SP2 ? ? Is this a LESS than legal XP installation ? ?

If so all bets are off.Does your Windows Device Manager show some yellow triangles with exclamation marks INSIDE them? Have you tried to install the driver for your sound card?

When you say "SP 2", do you mean Service Pack 2 for Windows XP? If so, why can't you install it?

How do you play a vinyl LP album on your computer?

Do you have an Internet connection? If so, I suggest you download EVEREST Free Edition 2.20 and generate a report on your system; it will tell you what sound card you have.