[Good Music]

PC recording question:

When I'm recording realtime analog audio, how can I buffer the audio so that
when my PC becomes preoccupied with other activities (popping up license
renewal reminders, etc), it doesn't result in a "skip" (missed information)
in the resulting music .WAV file?

I keep having to re-record cassette tape transfers due to this problem
("skips" in the .WAV file).

How can such buffering be achieved? I would really like to find & purchase
some sort of USB 2.0 device with L & R analog line-level RCA inputs on one
end, and a USB plug on the other, which will perform the buffering for
however long needed (let's say, up to 1 second) at CD-quality audio
recording. Is there such a thing? If so, what are they generally called?

If that's not possible, then what are some reasonably priced, decent,
reliable sound cards which give the user the ability to perform this
buffering?

My system: I'm currently using a Windows XP (SP2) Dell PC, about a year old,
with USB 2.0, and with a "SoundBlaster Live! 24 bit" soundcard. I tried
going to the sound card "properties" to change buffering time, but it only
offered one so-called "advanced" option, with two radio button positions:
"Use sound card features", or "Don't use sound card features". Weird.

Thanks,
- Good Music