Just got my new laptop, a Dell Vostro 1000, and installed the only game I play on it (NASCAR 2003, so not exactly new) and the sound doesn't work properly. I tried updating the driver with the only one available on the Dell site (even though it had a 2007 driver on it). Went to the soundcard makers (its a Sigmatel of some sort) site and they provide no support for end users and tell you to contact your PC manufacturer.

I have searched the net for solutions and it seems this has been a problem with these cards since the game came out 4 years ago and there doesn't seem to be any driver or fix to make this card work properly with the game. So looking at alternative solutions I stumbled across external soundcards like this one:

http://www.dabs4work.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=399B

Would this work as an alternative (and how) or is the purpose of this completely different? If it would work I don't understand how the game would know to use this instead of the onboard soundcard, or am I just completely not getting it?

Anyone got any clue?

You should be able to set it up as the default sound device
(In control panel / sounds and audio / audio / default playback you can change the default).

You could also disable your current on board one before using the external card
(see motherboard manual).

I haven't used one before, so let me know how it goes if you try it.

This little app might be just what you're looking for JD: Quick Sound Switch V2.11.



Never tried it of course, but it might do the job.

Thanks alot for the replies, and thanks for the link Dennis, very useful. Just waiting for Dell tech to get back to me (not expecting much from them) then I'm gonna order this one I found on Amazon for £19.

I'll let you know how it goes

I hope it works out for you, if it doesn't get yourself an XBOX 360 or PS3 and grab a Nascar game for it. None of my older games that run on my Dell Win98 PC work on my Dell WinXP PC, but I think that's more to do with DirectX or the games aren't expecting a graphics card to have so much RAM.

I have a Vostro1500 and have a sound problem also. Did you find anything that works? Could you please let me know. My car sounds like a weed eater.

(Replied to user's pm)