Folks,
Here's my $.02 on how I solved my flaky sound on an XP box.
I figured an install of a CD-ROM Burner had mangled the drivers.
So I re-installed the old player. Still, the sound would play a while, then stop.
Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices
CD-ROM -> properties -> driver -> uninstall
shutdown and pull the AC plug!
Unplug the power from the CD-ROM drive.
Boot PC.
Control Panel
Sounds and Audio Devices->Voice->Test Hardware (wizard)
shutdown PC
Plug power to CD-ROM
boot PC
The idea is to take the CD-ROM out of the loop, troubleshoot what's left, then let the plug&play re-install the CD-ROM driver.
Hope this helps someone... Good Luck
