I’ve just gone through a re-build, replacing an ailing Sound Card.
Most things seem OK - except that I get no sound from IL2 when online.
Off line, in (local) DF’s or in QMB I get do get sound from game
TS is OK, so the sound/COMs system is working - I can chat to people while I’m in a QMB mission.
My install is standard 4(?).08, loaded from the European DVD and dl patch from UBI
The sound card is one of these
Have you disabled onboard sound in BIOS while testing Painter?
Ming
Ok, I have sound!
I had set up IL2 on different partition to my main Programs folder and Windows.
Moving IL2 to the main Programs folder solves the sound issue.
Thanks Peter. While the MoBo does have a RealTek sound chip, I can not find a switch for it in the BIOS 
All the guides always say you must disable AC97 onboard sound from the BIOS when you install a separate sound card… however, I have forgotten to do it on numerous occasions and it never seemed to have made any difference, and the sound card still worked. If you can’t find it in the BIOS I wouldn’t worry too much if everything is working.