Sound recorder doesn't work with microphone in Vista

[SilviaLaura]

I have a microphone that shows it's working in control panel, and is selected
as the default audio device. In the "recording" tab of the manage audio
devices I can see it is working (the bars next to the device move up and down
as I speak or make noise).

But when I open Vista's sound recorder and start recording, nothing is
recorded (I assume there would be an indicator moving in sound recorder, but
nothing happens), and the file plays back, but with no sound.

I did check the microphone boost for that device and moved it from 0dB to
+20 dB. I' out of ideas.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Almost always, this is a 'mute' setting on the Mic, but I assume you see no
red circle with bar on the Mic icon on the Levels tab. Advanced Tab on that
Mic Properties has a checkbox for 'allow exclusive control' Perhaps your
"Speech Recognition" is in control presently.
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Mark L. Ferguson
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[Rich T]

Do you have a Dell computer?

There is a big and unresolved thread on the Dell support pages about this.
There is a very complicated solution, which I can't even begin to remember,
and it only works for a few people.

The only reliable solution that has been proposed on Dell support is to
delete Vista and install XP.

 

[SilviaLaura]

I do have a Dell computer, and I just reinstalled Vista because of other
problems. Love Dell's solution. I actually wanted to go back to XP instead
of reinstalling Vista last summer and they said I had to return the computer
to get one with a different operating system. Also heard not to install SP1
for Vista, that it caused even more driver issues. Sigh.