Microphone doesn't work!!

I've bought my microphone about a month ago. I plugged it in and there was no problem. So I loaded up Yahoo and went into chat and I didn't use my mic because I spent most of my time watching others type. So I went to use my mic for the first time for the day and I couldn't speak through the mouthpiece. The sound was very very low and the person on the other end heard something but no where loud enough to hear it. However I can hear the playback of sound perfectly fine through my ear pieces. So I figured since I was disconnected a few times via boot programs that it was a virus or something so I scanned my computer with spybot, ad aware, and spy sweeper (AV program) and spybot found a few entries but they were nothing but a bunch of cookies. So after cleaning them I tried again, no luck. So I went into Vista's speech tab in control panel and tried to setup the mic figuring it somehow got messed up the same thing I couldn't read off the sentence because it couldn't hear me speak. So I rolled back the driver since I had recently upgraded it to the latest version via Windows Update, no luck. I tried the driver here on the forums for Realtek High Def Audio for Vista, no luck. I tried plugging the mic into the pink slot on the back instead of the front abosolutely nothing. I tried switching the two plugs with the two used front ports, nothing. I tried restarting the system a few times, nothing. I tried muting the mic on and off, disabling it and the stereo mix, and enabling them again, nothing. I tried everything I could think of except a HiJack This log. I am even on the verge of reinstalling the OS but I doubt that would work. I won't even be able to get another mic till the first of the month. I don't know what else to do I am so disheartened....

 

Could be a bad mic. Is there anyway you can exchange the mic or a new one? I know you said you couldnt get a new mic until the end of the month. Can you barrow one from a friend?

 

Search through the settings for your sound and see whether you have a "Microphone booster" setting. If so, enable it. If I don't have that enabled in my system (Win XP with C-Media sound driver), my mic is worthless. Here's what my software displays:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/farmpond/forums/sound.jpg

 

No, all volume levels are maxed out and so is the mic boost. Thats what has be freaking out. I was thinking that perhaps its static on the port or mic plug? Because I had a similar problem with my speakers before on the back port. The only way I could get sound through both was to plug the plug into the back and then pull it out so that only a tinly sliver of the silver head was showing. I tried the same with the mic no good.

 

One question, how do I eliminate the sound card itself as a problem. I had a similar problem with my speakers where sound was almost non existent in my right speaker and in fact it acted the same way as my mic's mouthpiece. I had to fiddle with the wire a little and actually pull it out part way in the back of the computer to get both speakers working. I was thinking maybe the ports themselves have static on them and thats keeping plugged in components from working correctly? Is that possible? If that is the problem how do I fix it get q tips and anti static cleaner and wipe inside?

 

Try a test recording with Windows Sound Recorder. You'll find it under Accessories, Entertainment. It has a graphical display that will change if sound is being detected; otherwise, you'll just see a horizontal green line.

Also, can you test that mic on another computer? Again, I'd use Windows Sound Recorder for this.

 

Well in sound record the green bar is very very low as if it's picking something up but no matter how hard I blow into my mic it doesn't increase in volume. I had this same exact problem in Yahoo chat, and the setup wizard for the microphone under multimedia in control panel. It's almost as if it's picking up sound but the sound level is being capped off or something. It's probably picking up faint background noise... But what does this mean?

 

Repeat:

 

No, I can't I only have one computer here.

 

What would happen if I bought some anti static spray and q-tips and wiped the connection port itself? If there is static on the connector would that clear it or blow the port?

 

I'm not sure about the anti-static spray idea. But, I do believe ports can be damaged by static electricity. I haven't actually had ports damaged that way, as far as I know, but I've occasionally connected something to a front USB port on my computer and the computer would immediately restart. I believe this is due to static electricity; it seems to more likely to happen during winter months when indoor humidity level is lower and static electricity becomes more likely to occur. I believe the best way to deal with issue is to ground yourself and the device before connecting the device.

I still think testing the mic on another computer is a needed troubleshooting step here. Could you take the mic to someone you know and explain that you'd like to test the mic?

 

Well I attempted to get it to work on my landlord's computer only to find out voice recognition isn't even installed on it. So I'll buy another one I got mine for around $15 dollars. What is the median price for a full duplex microphone (headset/mic)? I'm wondering if it died because it was too cheap?