Lsdmeasap,
In answer to your question, no, I've not installed an updated Realtek sound driver, simply because it's not needed when you're using a third-party PCI soundcard such as in my case. Realtek sound drivers and Microsoft UAA drivers are required only when you're using the onboard high-definition sound. In the end, I found that the problem I was having was due to a fundamental misunderstanding on my part as to how my Soundblaster needed to be connected, in a SATA environment; I'd missed the significance of a tiny SPDIF Out header on the motherboard, the signal of which which needed to be connected into my Soundblaster. So my sound is now working fine.
As for the general whinge about GGTS and how long they take to respond, I'm afraid we're all needing to be patient. With Gigabyte being such a worldwide producer and having so many PC motherboards in their library, so to speak, demand on their tech support from all around the globe must be substantial. With me, and I've now submitted a second and more important question to them regarding the strange FDD and HDD accesses I'm getting, they're getting around to reading my questions about a week after I've submitted them. Just at this moment, they are, in fact, urging people to wind up any questions to them that remain open and to generally be patient, as apparently they've a huge backlog of questions to deal with.
I suspect that they get a lot of queries about BIOSs and chipset drivers. Some, perhaps many, have inadequacies, and this may be a reflection on Gigabyte's rapid turnover in motherboards.
