It is not neccessary to reinstall any programs if you do an in-place
upgrade. This corresponds to a repair install in XP. While in Vista you
insert the Vista dvd and click on Install Now. Proceed through the prompts,
including providing your product key. You will reach the screen where the
two choices, Custom Install and Upgrade Install, are presented (but Custom
is ghosted). Click on Upgrade and your edition of Vista will upgrade itself
to itself.

This results in a clean reinstall of the OS without disturbing any programs
or files. I suggest you turn off your antivirus scanner first, but other
than that there are no gotchas.

You will have to reactivate if you unchecked the box for "Activate when I
first get on the internet." I think it is better not to activate until you
have finished everything and are satisfied with the installation. Windows
Update will need to download and install the updates from the past year, but
that is no big deal.

"drbob4248" wrote in message
...

I have encountered the identical problem to that of the initial poster
in the last week. I have tried replacing audiosrv.dll with one from my
laptop (with working sound) but that did not work. I do not have a
system restore point far enough back from when the problem began, so
that won't work. I really am not interested in reinstalling Windows and
all my programs. Does anyone have any other thoughts that might help?
Bob


--
drbob4248
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