Please begin by doing the following:

Download the (free) HijackThis utility:

Once downloaded, follow these instructions to install and run the program:

Create a folder for HJT outside of any Temp/Temporary folders and move the HijackThis.exe file to that folder now. A folder such such as C:\HijackThis or C:\Spyware Tools\HijackThis will do.

Run HijackThis, but do not have HJT fix anything yet; only have it scan your system! Once the scan is complete, the "Scan" button will turn into an option to "Save log...".
Save the log in the folder you created for HijackThis; the saved file will be named "hijackthis.log". Open the log file with Windows Notepad, and cut-n-paste the entire contents of the Notepad file here.

Right. Here ya go.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 2:37:23 PM, on 6/26/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\AOLacsd.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLDial.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\TrojanHunter 4.5\THGuard.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Gaim\gaim.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Recguard] C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\RECGUARD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPLpr] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AOLDialer] C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLDial.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [THGuard] "C:\Program Files\TrojanHunter 4.5\THGuard.exe"
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O16 - DPF: {1239CC52-59EF-4DFA-8C61-90FFA846DF7E} - http://www.musicnotes.com/download/mnviewer.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: AOL Connectivity Service (AOL ACS) - America Online, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\AOLacsd.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: PrismXL - New Boundary Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
O23 - Service: AEGIS Client (SVC8021X) - Meetinghouse Data Communications - C:\WINDOWS\system32\svc8021x.exe

That log looks clean.
Make sure when you run the scan with HJT you are NOT in safe mode.

Yes, I know it's clean, hence my problem. I was not in safe mode upon running the scan.

Perhaps I should try reinstalling my sound drivers at this point, which I have no copies of... so... damn. Gateway support, here I come.

Well then isn't there an update driver option in the properties menu.
That might work.
and i think youl have to call the company that made the sound card not gateway.