Windows Vista forum: Vista recovery and sound gone

Operating System System Model
Windows Vista Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 6001)
Install Language: English (United States)
System Locale: English (United States) Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook PC 1
System Serial Number: CND9311HFJ
Enclosure Type: Notebook
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2.20 gigahertz AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core
256 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)
Not hyper-threaded Board: Compal 30FC 01.99
Serial Number: CND9311HFJ
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: Hewlett-Packard F.49 08/17/2009
Drives Memory Modules c,d
500.11 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
399.19 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GT20L ATA Device [Optical drive]

WDC WD5000BEVT-60ZAT1 [Hard drive] (500.11 GB) -- drive 0, s/n WD-WXE0A6904692, rev 02.01A02, SMART Status: Healthy 3838 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
Slot 'SODIMM 0' has 2048 MB (serial number AD000000000000000109264750D311)
Slot 'SODIMM 1' has 2048 MB (serial number AD000000000000000109264730D4BD)
Local Drive Volumes

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 485.02 GB 396.89 GB free
d: (NTFS on drive 0) 15.09 GB 2.29 GB free

Network Drives
None discovered
Users (mouse over user name for details) Printers
local user accounts last logon
Anna Ruth 10/28/2010 7:13:11 PM (admin)
local system accounts
Administrator 10/27/2010 4:49:35 PM (admin)
Guest never

Marks a disabled account; Marks a locked account KODAK ESP 5200 Series AiO on USB001
Microsoft XPS Document Writer on XPSPort:

Controllers Display
IDE Channel [Controller] (8x)
Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller
Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics [Display adapter]
Generic PnP Monitor (17.2"vis)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller (2x)
Standard OpenHCD USB Host Controller (4x) High Definition Audio Device
IDT High Definition Audio CODEC
Virus Protection [Back to Top] new Group Policies
Norton AntiVirus Version 16.8.0.41
Virus Definitions Version 10/28/2010 Rev 24
None discovered
Communications Other Devices
Agere Systems HDA Modem
Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g WiFi Adapter
APIPA Address: 169.254.229.7 / 32
Dhcp Server: none responded
Physical Address: 00:26:5E:07:6C:B3
Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Realtek RTL8102E/8103E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)
primary Auto IP Address: 192.168.10.47 / 24
Gateway: 192.168.10.1
Dhcp Server: 192.168.10.1
Physical Address: 00:23:5A:B8:BF:6A
Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Networking Dns Server: 192.168.10.1
Microsoft AC Adapter
Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
ENE CIR Receiver
HID-compliant consumer control device (2x)
HID-compliant device (4x)
Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver
USB Human Interface Device (3x)
HP Webcam
HID Keyboard Device
Microsoft eHome MCIR 109 Keyboard
Microsoft eHome MCIR Keyboard
Microsoft eHome Remote Control Keyboard keys
Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard with HP QLB
HID-compliant mouse (2x)
Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad [Mouse]
JMB38X MS Host Controller
JMB38X SD Host Controller
JMB38X SD/MMC Host Controller
JMB38X xD Host Controller
USB Composite Device (2x)
USB Root Hub (6x)
Generic volume shadow copy

I had to do a recovery yesterday because of numerous problems. When I did it the Service Pack 2 refused to install. Also, the sound does not work. The sound light on my HP laptop keeps showing red when it should be blue. The volume control is on high. Staples tech support went over it with me today on the phone for about two hours. He tried various things but still the sound is not working. They are going to send me a box to return the computer to them for repair. In the meantimetime I thought maybe someone here might have an idea. I had lost the sound shortly after I got the computer in September 2009 and HP support went into the registry did something (which I do not recall) and it started working. My support warranty with HP expired a month ago but I still have one with Staples where I bought it. Might someone have any ideas? Even though I will return the computer in a few days (and get it back in about two weeks) would be nice to get my sound back, if possible. The Staples tech support guy did not go into the registry.

I do have two Windows 7 disks ? entitled HP Upgrade Manager, Insert this disk first, and the other one is called Microsoft Windows 7 Home premium Upgrade Media for 64 bit software only. Leery about using them, though, until this Vista problem is fixed. When I get the computer back I will use them. I am so tired of all the problems I have had with Vista.