Win 1894, s/n 857903, in 32-40. How common is this?

Simple...look at the ticket.
If you won, can I be your new best friend?!

My answers are short and sweet. Common sense mostly. If you are trying to get something for nothing...Don't waste my time! Remember if something sounds to good to be true that it usually is. I've spent many years of my life trying to cheat the system and was pretty good at it. This all changed when I discovered that people were doing the same thing to me. What comes around, goes around. Karma! Now I assist people in making win-win deals...that are legit!

Is this a OS upgrade? What was the original OS? Win 7? It's a common problem with OS upgrades, Did you verify the minimum spec requirements for a Win 8 upgrade/install? I would revert back to win 7. Wait for Win 8.1. coming next month. I have both, in my opinion Win 8 is a pig, Win 8.1 is a pig with Lipstick.

A common problem with OS upgrades is often the driver for devices aren't correct or compatible. Look for a device in Device Manager that is in error or a Unknown Device. You can sometimes tweak the Win 7 drivers to function with Win 8 by modifying the compatibility.

You may be exceeding the Hardware limits of your laptop, Win 8 has hardware minimum requirements. See: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/system-requirements That's a common problem in a OS upgrade. Did you check the Hardware Compatibility list before you installed Win 8? Take a look at this: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termshm/g/windowshcl.htm First you must ID the Unknown Device, Card Reader is common along with Fax modem, Audio, on a full size laptop. ID the device and download the driver from the Dell website.

This is a common problem with a new OS upgrade. Try to use Win 7 drivers. Modtify the drivers to be compatible with Win 8. Most times this will work, not always. Try here for Win 7 32 or 64 bit drivers: http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/download_drivers_bios.jsp?service=UK&mode=allMachines&action=search&teddProduct=6017&selShortMod=1041

A common problem when you update to a new OS the drivers have to be sorted out. If you jumped from Vista to Win 8 try using Win 7 drivers. You will have to modify the Win 7 and make the drivers compatible with Win 8.

Sound like a driver issue. Did you do an upgrade to Win 8? If so you will have to locate drivers for the devices that Win 8 does not have stored, beeing a new OS that is a common problem on older computers.
That said, does your volume work ? Can you use the tray icon to control volume? Is the audio working at all?

You could, drivers are based on manufacture. Like Realtek is a common maker of audio chips, and sometimes distributors use a popular motherboard.
You may have plateaued at Vista, by try the Troubleshooting Compatibility with Vista 64 drivers before you roll it back.

BTW - This happened to me with Win 8.

I wonder how you couldn't find this driver, this is the most common audio drivers available. click the following links to download, For windows Vista and Win 7 Realtek Ac'97 for Win vista, 7
For windows Xp, 98, etc.. Realtek Ac'97 for Win 98,xp,2003,
Good luck. Thanks for using FixYa.

Easiest way is to install it on one computer, then make sure it is shared with all.
On the other computer, do a search for printers on the first computer, and install it on the second one.
It should be literally that simple, so long as there is at least a peer network, at the least, as a common link between both computers.
-a.