Sound Question and Upgrade Question.

[Adrian Giddings]

Hello Everyone,

I hope you'll be able to help with a couple of questions (bit of a newb 
go easy on me):

1. The other morning the sound on my machine decided not to work and I'm 
trying to determine what caused it. Was working fine the night before, 
turned on  in the morning installed the following upgrades:

Commit Log for Wed Dec  5 07:40:03 2007

Upgraded the following packages:
firefox (2.0.0.10+2nobinonly-0ubuntu1.7.10.1) to 
2.0.0.11+2nobinonly-0ubuntu0.7.10
libmono-cairo1.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-corlib1.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-corlib2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-data-tds2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-security2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-sharpzip0.84-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-sharpzip2.84-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-sqlite2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-system-data2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-system-web2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-system1.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono-system2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono0 (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libmono2.0-cil (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
libperl5.8 (5.8.8-7ubuntu3) to 5.8.8-7ubuntu3.1
mono (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
mono-common (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
mono-gac (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
mono-jit (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
mono-runtime (1.2.4-6ubuntu6) to 1.2.4-6ubuntu6.1
perl (5.8.8-7ubuntu3) to 5.8.8-7ubuntu3.1
perl-base (5.8.8-7ubuntu3) to 5.8.8-7ubuntu3.1
perl-modules (5.8.8-7ubuntu3) to 5.8.8-7ubuntu3.1
tzdata (2007i-0ubuntu0.7.10) to 2007j-0ubuntu0.7.10
update-manager (1:0.81) to 1:0.81.1
update-manager-core (1:0.81) to 1:0.81.1

Went to use Rhythmbox and there was no sound or movement on the GUI also 
it haung when I tried to close it. Also YouTube videos would start and 
run for two seconds with no audio and then freeze. DVD player acting 
similarly. Two days later a small x turned up by the Speaker icon in 
Gnome with the following prompt:

The volume control did not find any elements and/or devices to control. 
This means either that you don't have the right GStreamer plug-ins 
installed, or that you don't have a sound card configured.

I'm assuming that none of the upgrades would affect the audio and I was 
wondering if anyone would be able to tell me if there was a way to test 
whether it's the onboard sound on my motherboard that's broken or 
whether something's monkeyed with GStreamer.

If it's the soundcard - what would you suggest as a good one to buy for 
someone with a burgeoning interest in experimental music (I mainly work 
in graphics atm)?

2. Currently Dual-booting Windows XP 64bit and UbuntuStudio, except the 
only thing I've used XP for since making the switch as an experiment 
when UbuntuStudio first came out is for the files in My Documents. I've 
only missed Photoshop twice in all these months.

Now that  US Gutsy has a 64bit flavour I want to wipe XP completely and 
just have US - (mainly so I can use the full power of the processor to 
speed up Blender and Gimp which are my main tools).

Is it a case of backing up all my files, wiping everything and starting 
again or is there an easier way? Also do you have to self-compile 
programs that only have a 32bit builds or do they also run under 64bit 
linux (kinda avoided compiling from source so far but it's about time I 
learnt anyway)?

Any help most gratefully appreciated and sorry for the longwindedness.

Kind regards,

Adrian.