[mikedomi]

This might be your problem and it might not be

if your sound card is USB and for what every reason your USB times out
say for lack of resource's then hoster will crash because it does not see the sound card if I were you.
I would try a PCMCIA card or a card that works of the com port
and if you have a desk top go with a pci card

This will at least tell you if it was the USB and if it was the USB
try a different set of drivers for the USB support
in most case's there are at least two sets of drivers for
every thing on your computer

now i and going on the fact that you have a usb sound card.
hope this helps