Ok, so I got my computer fixed and when I got it back there was no sound.
I noticed that both the onboard sound and the sound card were enabled. I knew this because I ran direct x and is said sound 1 and sound 2.
I unistalled the Realtek audio from the device manager and I think i've disabled the onboard sound on the BIOS. Under direct x it now just has sound listed, rather than 1 and 2.
That didn't work so I uninstalled the sound card in safe mode following instructions at step 8 here.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc [...] e=bph07154 and I renistalled them.
Interestingly the hardware that gets installed after is SB Audigy rather than Soundblaster Audigy (which was listed under the device manager before.)
I go to Creative System Information, and under all of them under 'sound, video and game controllers' it says harware disabled!
Please help, I'm stuck for ideas!