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My WAVE volume control in Windows XP default sound controls lowers all the way down even if I set it on high. When I turn it all the way up and close the controls it defaults back. I have an AC97 audio card built into my MSI motherboard, but those controls are not controlling anything.

Update your Sound Card Drivers for System Stability

This is an often-reported problem, with several potential solutions. One suggestion is that recent Microsoft Service Packs for XP or Vista might be uncooperative with older sound card drivers. While you are right that the drivers aren’t directly responsible for the sound control, an incompatibility might be throwing the settings out of whack. You can use Device Manager to find the sound card listing and update the drivers.

Remove Conflicting Programs from Startup

It is more likely that another sound program is interfering with and overriding the Windows sound settings. Since the settings are resetting every time you boot your computer, it is most likely that there is an audio program loading at startup that is responsible. To monitor and configure your auto launch programs in Vista:

1. Click Start to open the menu
2. In the search bar type msconfig and click Enter
3. Choose Continue to accept the user control prompt
4. Choose the Startup tab
5. Look through the list and see if there are any audio programs - you can now troubleshoot the audio problem by removing the suspicious programs one at a time and track the changes. Uncheck any programs that you want to remove
6. Click OK
7. The next time you turn your computer on you will see a popup from the system tray at the bottom of the screen that says Windows has blocked some startup programs - click the icon
8. Click Run a Blocked Program, then System Configuration Utility
9. In the System Configuration window, click OK to bypass the blocked program message
10. Click OK and close the boxes - repeat for the programs you want to disable

Undo Changes with Windows System Restore

Another option is to use System Restore to set your computer back to a previous configuration. If the problem is recent and you thing a recent audio program install or process might have altered the registry and interfered with the master volume control, using System Restore effectively reverts the computer to a previous reality.

1. Click Start - in the Search bar, type restore then select System Restore when it appears at the top of the menu
2. Choose Recommended Restore, then Next, for an auto restore point
3. To choose a specific restore point, select Choose a Different Restore Point
4. Click one and confirm the Restore
5. Keep in mind that this process also removes any positive changes you’ve made, so make sure to reinstall any updates and security software