Latest Norton antivirus LiveUpdate: No Sound!

For clarification, my OS is Win ME. I don't quite follow your suggestions. Is your conclusion that a Norton LiveUpdate download destroyed my soundcard? And if so, the items on the link you provided all say: 'plug in your headphones/mike': would this work for the stock speaker set that came with this Dell system? Thanks.

I did not come to that conclusion. I do know that most PCs and more are five year designs. I offered the cheapest fix I know of. I'm sure many will lose time over trying to resurrect the old sound card but I've learned to fix it and move on. Even if it costs 7 bucks.

As I have no spec on the stock speaker set, I can't answer. I can write that almost any amplified speaker set works.
Bob

Sir: I'm a researcher, so I was curious as to how/why something like this happened, and if it happens with some frequency: judging by a quick search of 'no sound' postings, apparently it's pretty common.
I appreciate your time and your solution, and will order the item you recommend: the cost is trivial compared to a new card, and servicing time. I'll give it a try: thanks very much!

I'm an electronics designer with some years in forensics or failure analysis. While we would spend ungodly amounts of time and money on what it was then, now we have to not do that when a possible fix is affordable.

I wouldn't have suggested this on newer gear but at over 5 years I pull the plug early and pop in the cheapest fix I can find and move to the next problem. I hear you that you would like to know what broke. But we are beyond that 5 year mark.
Bob