Back to your original question re SmartSuite 97. I've used SmartSuite and its predecessors for ever. When I moved from Win98 to XP, SmartSuite 97 declined to install, so I upgraded to SmartSuite Millennium (9.8).
I think I could have found a way around the install problem, but the upgrade was inexpensive. I've had no problems since.
As far as I know, IBM has not developed a version for Vista. If your version is working, I wouldn't worry. I don't think IBM are putting any resources into SmartSuite development, although someone will probably tell me otherwise - certainly the changes from 97 to Millennium were not very visible.
On the other topic, today's Technology Guardian has a front page article on problems with Vista sound . I don't think it deals with your problems specifically, but it explains some of the background.