Setting up your Microphone?

Click on START-PROGRAMS-ACCESSORIES-MEDIA or ENTERTAINMENT-SOUND RECORDER. Try to record yourself. If you don't here anything, follow the directions below.

1. Double-click on the speaker symbol located in the lower right corner of your screen on the Windows Tool Bar. This should bring up a Volume Control Dialog Box. (If you see only a volume dial you didn't double-click fast enough.) There are three sets of volume sliders available, for Playback, Recording and Other. You will use all three, switching among them.
2. From the Options Menu, select Properties.
3. Make sure 'Recording' is selected, and under 'Show the following volume controls,' make sure 'Microphone' is checked. Then click on OK.
4. On the recording control panel move the Microphone volume temporarily to the middle and make sure the checkbox underneath it is checked.
5. From the Options Menu, select Properties again.
6. Make sure 'Playback' is selected, and under 'Show the following volume controls,' make sure 'Microphone' is checked there also. Click 'OK.'
7. On the volume control panel, at the bottom of the Microphone volume control, make sure 'Mute' is checked. This does not prevent others from hearing you--it prevents your speakers from feeding back into your microphone.
8. Under the Options menu, (If option is not available, go to step 9) look at the Advanced Controls option and make sure it is checked. If it is not checked, select it, otherwise leave it alone.
9. Move the Microphone Volume bar to its highest setting. Click on the button underneath labeled Advanced.
10. At the bottom of this dialog box may be a checkbox labeled 'AGC for WaveIn' or 'Microphone Boost.' Check this box, and Select Close.
11. From the Options menu, select 'Properties' again.
12. This time, make sure 'Other' is selected, instead of Recording, and click OK to show the Voice Commands panel.
13. Again, move the Microphone Volume slider to its highest setting. Click on the button underneath labeled Advanced.
14. Check the 'AGC for VoiceIn' or 'Microphone Boost' box, then click on the Close button.
15. Now open your Windows Sound Recorder and see how it works.