Sounds gone

[needthisfxt]

How it started. My speakers would make a loud feedback sound after a long period online, after about 30 mins.I could still play music,but between songs and after I would get that loud sound.I was told to download ess esi audio driver.Now I have no sound at all.I downloaded the sound blaster audio pci 128 driver,nothing.I removed the sound card, reinstalled it,windows detected it ,installed the driver, still no sound.Iwent to sounds and multimedia, device manager it says that the device is working properly.This all started when I downloaded ESS ESI audio driver trying to get rid of a loud hum.I did a direct music test.When I tested microsoft synthesizer I got: no sound and "Failure at step 6(activating the direct music port) hresult=0x80004005 general failure. When I tested the soundblaster I got sound and no failure.This is also on the screen. microsoft synthesizer:kernel mode no. default port yes. soundblaster kernel mode yes. default port no.I did a regestry scan no problems.Any help. I am about out of hair.Im running Compaq, MSME,ATHLON AMD 1.6,SOUNDBLASTER PCI. Any help, please, Thanks.

[brad]

When you say "No sound" does that mean System sounds, Media player sounds. or both?
brad

[needthisfxt]

[Restek]