WOW ... this is enlightening ... I don't know if it has anything at all to do with it, but I started having my speaker problems AFTER Win XP sp 2 was downloaded!!!
So far we've been able to make certain it's not hardware (we've changed the speakers and sound board, at DELL's expense, thank you) ... DELL had asked me if I D/L any software and I didn't even think about sp 2 because the updates are automatic ...
This shouldn't be an age problem (unless it's mine!!! ) because I just got the PC last March......
Thanks for the hint ...
t.