To: JDR13
No, I think it would have listed in the specs if there was a soundcard. Maybe there is just a bunch of 'crapware' that came with the computer. I don't know. If I go to 'personalization' (right click on the desktop) and then click on 'sounds' and open the tab that says 'playback' it lists 2 icons. One says 'Speakers, Realtek High Definition Audio, Working' (with a green checkmark next to 'working'). The other icon says' Realtek HDMI Output *with no* checkmark next to 'working'. (I am not using any HDMI cables)
Back up to the 'Recording' tab, the only thing with a green checkmark is 'Stereo Mix, Realtek HD Audio with the checkmark next to 'working'. I see no mention anywhere in these boxes of anything other than Realtek. How can I tell exactly what I have? Thanks again. Excuse my lack of knowledge here, but I have spent the last 5 years or so with 'XP', I frankly find 'Vista' very confusing.
On another subject. I am experiencing red 'specks' floating on the screen *sometimes* at night. At first I thought it might be some kind of effect, but when I went into a dark cellar and saw them again it seems like something's wrong. I have a nVidia GTX 285 with a i7 950 processor. Thanks very much.