one thing i learnt with ubuntu is that during
installation if one makes an error and goes back a screen it seems to
upset things. I had someone on another group who has update problems
with 8.04 - i don't. I did have update problems with 7.10 when i
installed another desktop environment and then removed it. Shouldn't
have given trouble but did - somewhere there was a glitch.

I don't think it is an installation problem - some glitch that isn't
probably worth wasting time and effort on to be honest. Another
installation is a solution but that goes without saying - i know "it
goes against the grain" but saves you less time in the end. See if you
get the same problem or try ubuntu. I had trouble with another distro
on the same machine that ran ubuntu perfectly and loads of problems.
I've got three machines and each one runs ubuntu fine.

been working oodles of over time. OK with that said. Please open up
the terminal and type in or just copy and paste. Enter
aplay --list-devices

Please post back on what it has found. Then we can go from there.

I don't know if 8.04 still has the issue, but I do know that Ubuntu has
some issues with Intel sound cards. If thats the case, this will fix
your problems. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=416207