I started getting this error in VirtualDub...

Lately, when I try to rip a WAV with VirtualDub, I get this error: "No audio decompression could be found to decompress the source audio format. (source format tag: 0055)"

Until about a week ago, I was always able to do this with no problem, and I haven’t made any changes or anything, so I’m confused about why this problem has suddenly popped up. If you know how I might be able to fix this, please let me know. Any help would appreciated.

did you delete everything when you uninstalled?  the fact that the problem persisted after the reinstallation makes me think it may be something external, such as codecs (though it sounds like you've already tried that approach.  you have gotten this problem with more than one wav file, right? 

as for other programs, it depends on what you are planning to do with the wav files.  there is a fairly popular modification of virtualdub, called virtualdub mod, but i don't know at all how it is different.  might want to look into it though.