Windows 98SE
Compaq Presario 7478
ESS Allegro PCI Audio (WDM)

When I try to play anything in WMP the window opens and it acts like it will play. The title of song and the length of the song are displayed. It thinks, and thinks, and thinks, and things,e tc. Sometimes, after several minutes, the song will play. More often that not I get this message:

Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a
problem with your sound device. There may not be a sound device
installed on your computer, it may be in use by another program, or
it may not be functioning properly.
CLOSE------------------MORE INFORMATION

The "More Information" button just tells me that I don't have a sound card.

When I run Belarc Advisor, it finds my card.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the card and drivers many times.

Thoughts anyone?

Use Linux

Actually, that may be a possible solution. But if you want to stay with Windows:
-Take the card out and look at it. Make sure there are no loose/damaged chips or traces (traces are the little light green shiny things that connect things on the card.)
-Do you have the latest driver?

I may have solved the problem. I did install the older version of WMP as suggested. But what I also did was delete 17 GB of music and video. It's working fine, for now. Thanks for the suggestions.