Grey input selector, recommended sound cards?

[palawan]

1.2.3, 98SE , Dell Optiplex GX1 with onboard CS4236B. The input selection box is grey. My MuitiMedia panel doesn't look like that shown at
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... bar_Issues
I don't have "Then click on the Audio tab, then on "Volume" under the "Sound Recording" panel"

I've checked that all my drivers are provided by Crystal Semiconductor. I installed the driver supplied by Dell and the sound card works fine. I've tried 1.2.6 too on this machine.

When I click on the button below Recording on the Audio tab of Multimedia Properties, I see Master Record, Wave, Synth, CD, Line In, and Mic. All the volumes are set to the midrange, and all the Mutes are unchecked.

I would try another sound card if I had a list of cards that are known to work. Is there such a list?

I have 1.2.6 installed on a P4 XP machine and it works great.

[palawan]

Something else. When I change the recording volume in Audacity, the play volume in Windows Media Player also changes. Nothing is recorded.