Looks to me as if E-Machines built this as a Vista-specific system and may not have developed an adequate driver set for XP, if any at all.
I recommend you go online or to local brick and mortar and pick-up a Creative Soundblaster Audigy card for $28, which has superb sound, lots of utilities and stable XP drivers.
It's that important to buy a good brand with stable driver sets!!
Hope this helps out. I've seen quite a number of systems being "Vista purpose-built", leaving the "rest of us" out in the cold.
Luck, and let me know how it turns out.
64-bit processor with AMD64 Technology
(2.4GHz | 512KB L2 Cache | 2000MHz System Bus) Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Chipset: NVIDIA® GeForce® 6150SE chipset Memory: 1024MB DDR2 dual-channel memory
(2 × 512MB), 667MHz, (PC2-5300)
Expandable to 2GB
2 DDR2 slots (Total) | 0 DDR2 slot (Available) Hard Drive: 160GB SATA II (7200rpm, 2MB cache) 1 Optical Drives: 16x DVD±R/RW Supermulti Drive
Up to 8.5GB with dual layer media
Write max: 16x DVD±R, 8x DVD+R DL, 6x DVD-R DL, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 12x DVD-RAM, 48x CD-R, 32x CD-RW
Read max: 12x DVD-ROM, 12x DVD-RAM, 48x CD-ROM Media Reader: High-performance 15-in-1 Digital Media Manager"
xD-Picture Card", CompactFlash® I (CF), CompactFlash® II, Secure Digital" (SD), Mini Secure Digital" (Mini SD")2, Multi Media Card" (MMC), Reduced Size MMC (RS-MMC)2, MMC Mobile2, MMC Plus, Memory Stick" (MS), Memory Stick Duo3, Memory Stick Pro®, Memory Stick Pro® Duo3, SmartMedia, IBM Microdrive" Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® 6150SE integrated graphics
Up to 128MB shared video memory
PCI-Express® (PCI-E x16) slot available for upgrade Sound: Eight-channel (7.1) high-definition audio
Amplified stereo speakers (USB-powered) Communications: 56K ITU v.92-ready Fax/Modem (RJ-11 port)
Intel® 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port) Peripherals: Standard multifunction keyboard
Two-button wheel mouse (PS/2) Ports/Other: 6 - USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 rear)
1 - VGA
1 - Parallel port
1 - Serial port
2 - PS/2 ports (keyboard and mouse)
6 - Audio (Rear): Center/Sub, Rear (Stereo), Line-in (Stereo), Front/Headphone (Stereo), Microphone
2 - Audio (Front): Microphone, Front/Headphone (Stereo)
1 - RJ-45 Ethernet port
1 - RJ-11 Modem port Dimensions: 14.50"H x 7.25"W x 16.50"D Weight: 21.2 lbs Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty4 Software: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Productivity SoftwareMicrosoft Works® 8.5
Microsoft Money 2006
Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student (60-day complimentary trial period)5
Adobe® Reader
Digital Media SoftwareVista® Integrated DVD Playback with six-channel audio
CyberLink® DVD Playback with two-channel audio
CyberLink® PowerDVD" (DVD Play)
CyberLink® Power2Go" (DVD Burn)
Microsoft Digital Image Starter Edition 2006 (includes 60-day Digital Image Standard 2006 trial)5
Connectivity/UtilitiesMicrosoft Internet Explorer
AOL® 9.0 (90-day risk-free offer)6
NetZero Internet Access 7
Google Toolbar" search bar and Google Desktop Search" search tool
eMachines® Connect"
eMachines® Comprehensive SecurityMcAfee® Internet Security Suite" (90-day complimentary subscription)8
BigFix® - helps identify and solve problems
Game SoftwareeMachines® Games Powered by: WildTangent® (preinstalled with 10 demo games with 60 minutes of game play)9
