Ok what I believe ultimately fixed the issue was removing a file from the registry that was associated with Gom Player:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32
Delete the value called msacm.divxa32.
here's a direct
link.
it worked for me i hope it will help others. at first the sound wasn't working then i set the compatability mode to windows xp SP2 and it worked. Thank you ainmer and everyone else who replied or considered this post!
Off to play bioshock.. its spokey to me tho... hA hA