<< This might help, it did for me.
Get into the mixer app (i.e., double-click the little speaker icon in the system tray) and under Options->Properties click "other" and choose AC97 audio from the list. Click OK and you should see a volume control with 2 sliders, one for the front and one for the back. For some reason they are set reaaly low. Slide them up until everything is loud enough. >>
Dude, you are the man, Workin! I just got this sound card, and I didn't know why it didn't sound as loud as my previous SB Live. Now, everything's A-OK...sweet! 😀