Replacing soundcard

[Casino]

My HP Presario's integrated sound has stopped working. I have tried re-installing the drivers ( both the latest and rolling back to the original) but to no avail!! Can I just add a PCI soundcard? Most demos on the web talk about a wire from the motherboard to a card but as mine is integrated I don't have a wire, so how could I add a card?
Thanks in advance!!

[ChuckFickens]

not sure what you are on about a wire?

Anyhow, yes you can just add a PCI sound card, before doing so though, firstly check in the BIOS that the intrigrated card has not simply been disabled, and also check the windows audio service hasn't stopped. (start > all programs > administrative tools > services) if it has then right click on it and start it.

[Casino]

Thanks ChuckFickens, but I've tried all that already, Windows Audio is set as automatic, no boxes are muted in the volume controls and device manager just says the device is working properly!! But obviously it isn't as I can't even get sound from the headphone jack on the front! I think it's best to just buy a cheap soundcard off E-bay and hope for the best!
Thank-you.

[ChuckFickens]

I personally would firstly boot it from a live Linux CD (a live cd means it will start your computer from the CD and not touch anything on your hard drive) and see if the soundcard works in another OS, ubuntu will detect most sound cards.

it's a big download, and then you have to burn the ISO onto a CD, set your computer to boot from the CD and off you go, the sound from the login prompt will be enough to tell you if the cards ok or not, if not you sound like you could find a way of making it make a sound (remember you are running from a cd, so anything you do is not affecting windows at all)

http://ubuntu.com

if you cant be bothered with the hassle, then a £10 PCI sound card should fix your problem, but if it a genuine windows audio problem it wont.