Webuser Forums: Audacity New comp

with my old comp I used audacity a lot,
I could record off internet radio,
from a record player etc
I could make mp3 files etc
and edit recordings
it was a very useful tool

Now I have a new comp and audacity is on there but
I have no drop down menu
line in
mic
wav
cd audio
sterio mix etc

when I do record Im getting a buzz or hiss

this is what Im seeing when I click record button

even though Im putting nothing in, the red panel top right is going too
and fro and play back gives a hiss, sound.

I went to the windows recorder and got a similar hiss

I went to sound and audio devices
audio
sound recording (set at 'line in mic' )
I clicked volume
a recording control window came up with 3 slide controls

recording........the slide works
line volume the slide does nt work its white, a dead button
microphone ditto above

so it looks like something in windows or my sound card is'nt right
its not audacities fault
but how do I cure this ??? that is the question !!!

thanks for any comment.

Im on xp ( I changed back from Vista )

2.2 intel processor
3000 ram
500 hard drive