Problem with XP! Please help going insane here!!!

I have Windows XP and a Gateway Lap top. I know I know its
a bad combo. Am just finding that out. After 7 crashs and
8 reinstalls now I am having an annoying proble.

So here it is.

I play 2 games on my lap top. Well Of Souls and Sims.
As of 4 days ago neither one will work. No Error pops up.
Nothing happens when I try and start the games. They just
dont start. Also i have AOL. More fool me I know. And Its
8.0. Well in 8.0 you can customize your Soudns, so you
hear each persons Instant Message with a different sound.
Well that stopped working also. Media player has stopped
working telling me i have no sound devise installed. Now I
have uninstalled my sound devise and reinstalled it twice.
Still not fixed. I have uninstalled real player and
reinstalled it. Still nothing. Have uninstalled Media
player and reinstalled it. Still NADA!!

What am i missing? What else can I do?? Please someone
help me before i go insane. And shoot my lap top.

And please only send me e-mail if you have an answer.