Quote:

However, when I visited the Gigabyte site it appeared that there were several updates, including several that pertained specifically to audio. Whether he has done these updates I have no idea.



RED FLAG.

Those "updates" do NOT have anything to do with the BIOS. Do a quick Google on BIOS and read what it actually is. BIOS is Basic Input Output System. BIOS is where you tell the computer "Yes I have SATA drives. Enable them." and "Allow me to wake my computer up remotely." and "The correct time and date is..." and "Boot from HDD first, CD second...." and "Front side bus speed"..... BIOS tweaking is skiing the black diamond slope. If you don't know what Front Side Bus is, it's a good idea to leave it alone, just like if you can't ski, stay on the bunny trail.

What you are seeing is DRIVER updates. Because the provided sound "card" is onboard, it is no less a sound card, and it still requires drivers. In your case, you are not using that. Your "sound card" is a USB device. Thus all you are doing with the computer is interfacing a USB device. That can be a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, an iPod or iPhone dock, a web cam, a reading light, a small heater for your coffee cup... there are a TON of USB devices out there (some of them are hilarious). In your case it is a Presonus sound making device. THAT device will have drivers.

(Refer back to an OLD discussion. Drivers are NOT magic little packets of fairy dust. A driver is nothing more than a small piece of software that tells your operating system how to interact with a piece of hardware. This is why I laugh when people harp on updating drivers. If it worked YESTERDAY, some company offering a newer driver is not going to fix something that is broken today. You ahev to find what broke it. I can't tell you how many repairs I have done for people who insist on downloading new video drivers. WHY? Your video works fine. Just leave it alone until it breaks. THEN try a new driver. Also read what the new driver is supposed to improve before disturbing something that isn't broken.)

There IS obviously something wrong. And Mac is right. Your computer is not in good hands with whoever it is you have working on it given the level of questions they are asking. It sounds like they build computers for gamers and for grandma to get her email and this is out of their league.