My volume setting (wave) seems to change automatically when I use a
media player (I have Windows and Real Player)and I keep having to access
the setting to put the level up from zero (no sound). Is this some
automatic thing my XP is doing?

Steven, media players have their own specific volume controls, which in most
cases "mutes" the system volume control (to avoid conflicts between "system"
and "application" drivers).
To avoid the problem, stick with ONE media player. If you must use two (or
more) then you are stuck with the problem, since the "system" volume gets
muted on start-up of the player application, but NOT restored when it
closes.
Can be annoying! (It's remembering this fact that's the real problem -
solution is 2 mouse-clicks to restore, as you know).
Silvabod.

"Steven Chipman" <schipman2@cox.net> wrote in message
news:fGW0f.3712$sE3.3611@lakeread07...