Stumped on sound card problem

Hey eveyone im hoping someone can help me out...
Im currently using an Intel Celeron 2.60 ghz with windows xp profesional with sp3. Keep in mind please, that i am very amature in the ways of computers, i dont know a great deal about them! Its running a Sigmatel Audio device with STAC97.sys driver and i have absolutly no sound comming out of my speakers whatsoever. when i do the sound test in directx it comes up with 'failure at step 19 (user verifiaction of software): HRESULT = 0*00000000 (error code)'. I dont know what this means or if this is a part of the reason i have no sound. i have gone through the sound part of the control pannel and sigmatel is listed as all of my audio devices and is enabled, im really stumped and just want to have some sound!
also, i cant get to BIOS, i dont get a post screen when i start up just a blank screen and then the windows logo and the start up menu. does this have something to do with my lack of sound?
my motherboard is a intelD845GVAD2
my bios is intel LY48510A.86A.0038.P15.0303.100232 its AMI
Any help would be greatly appriciated!!! :)

As for You are not getting in the Bios you have to keep F8 Pressed until you get into bios option

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;829477
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

Hello Lucifire,

I can understand your problem and hence I am providing you the detail guide about how to Troubleshoot the Sound device.
Here you will get the information and step by step installation process about:

1. Use the Windows XP Sound Troubleshooter...
2. Update your Media Player software...
3. Update sound drivers...

So,please follow the Link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918

Hope this helps to solve your problem.

Unfortunatly, i have done the troubleshoot for sound... more than once! everythings been updated ect and because of the BIOS problem (it did suggest in the troubleshoot to see if the audio was enabled by checking in BIOS) i havnt been able to check that, so now ill give it a go!
This computer used to be an office computer but was reprogrammed for me for personal use... im wondering if the audio just isint turned on because it was an office comp
Anywho, ill give it a whirl :)
Cheers for your help, no doubt ill be writing more if no dice

I had somewhat similar kind of problem long ago with the same error message that you have. Someone here guided me to check the wirings. I run my sound through an amp and it had no indicator light for power on, so I changed the fuse and there me go....sound was back....must have had a power surge without knowing.

Sometimes simple problems troubles more unknowingly. I thank that guy for asking me to check wiring and cabling to be proper. So I'll say, check this first.

:S well computers are just confusing really. Now in my device manager ive had something new come up.... in other devices there is a big yellow question mark next to multimedia audio controller, it gives me the option of reinstalling the driver but blowed if i know where to locate it on my computer!

sorry to babble on... but i am not happy :( now when i go to sound and audio devices its not recognising sigmatel audio at all, yet when i checked in my add/remove programmes its still listed as a programme. i restarted my comp and its still the same
what has gone wrong?

Hey guys, well i managed to get hold of a copy of sigmatel on disk, and the chipset drivers to reinstall everything. When i have tried to install them, it comes up with cannot copy ksuser.dll. i found where it is and selected it with the little brouser window, and it says it cannot copy the file... not to sure whats going on with that! can anyone shed some light?