Headset Mic Problem

Ok before I attempt to go into detail, let me say this. I'm not smart or computer savvy in any way! I struggle even to play simple games online lol! so if you could help me with this in the most instructional sense u can, it would be MUCH appreciated.

Well what happened is this, when I first bought my new headset and tried to set it up, I noticed it wasn't working at all. With some web searching I found a solution to uninstall a Vista update and put my computer to sleep, when I woke it back up, it updated something and magically(atleast to me) it started working fine.

However, that was atleast a couple months back, which is why the details are slightly off to me. Today I was on a Ventrilo server(which I talk to gaming friends on) and my mic was working one minute, then all of a sudden it quit working! I tried to check to see what the problem was, but it seems almost as if the computer can't tell I have a mic plugged in. This is similar to what happened previously except before, even the sound wasn't working(which now it still is, it's just the mic)

I don't know exactly what information is needed for you to help me solve this problem, but I will try to find whatever it is you need to know, also there is no other headsets to be used in its place to test, however seeing as it's so similar to what happened before and a fix was found(though now I am unable to find it) I figure a similar problem is at fault(rather than a defect with my mic)

Any and all help is much appreciated, please help me solve this problem.

 

Newer systems all have something similar to Realtek's HIgh Definition Audio and one of its "features" is that it detects what is pluuged into its jacks and changes the function of that jack. If you have the Realtek software, you should be able to go to its applet in the control panel to see what it thinks is plugged in.
As another note, you must not use any other version than the one supplied by the manufacturer because their files include a list of which jacks exist, meaning Dell's will be different form Gateway's or GigaByte's, etc.