External microphone not working

[Fiorentino01^]

Hi, hope somebody can help. I have this problem quite often lately.Maybe is because I study php and mySql and practice with examples given in tutorials.I don't know.Also I am selective about installing updates, I don't install updates that I don't need, like updates for Office since I hardly use it. Anyway since the microphone is a plug and play device should it be affected by the above? I use skype to talk with my kids far away and when I cannot do it is a big problem. What gets me is that the thing is not working now even though everything seems in order, then maybe after a couple of days works perfectly, drives me nuts.My pc is a Compaq Presario CQ61-414NR Notebook running Win7.I appreciate your help.Thank you.

[Octet]

PHP and MySQL won't have anything to do with your microphone not working. If you going into device manager and see if it is listed there, it might have a little cross/triangle next to it suggesting there is a fault.
Once you've located it, right click on it and re-install the drivers, let us know if this works and/or any further error messages it comes up with.

Good luck.

[rubberman]

If you have two microphones (built-in and external such as bluetooth, usb headset, or physical mic plugged into headphone/mic port), then the built-in may not be enabled. As suggested by AHarrisGsy, go to the device manager, right click on the microphone icon, and see if it is enabled. If not, change that.

[Fiorentino01^]

Hi, thanks for your help. I cannot believe it, I shut down the PC and went for a walk.When I came back it was working perfectly whithout me doing anything. I wish I knew what was the matter, I don't like it when I cannot figure out the problem, this has happended a few times,any idea? I thought that shutting down and restarting was what did it, but not so, as a matter of fact the first thing I tried after I checked everything was to restart the pc.

[Fiorentino01^]

Hi Guys, finally I found out what the problem was with the external microphone.Moving the PC around I noticed that it started working.I kept checking and sure enough there is something loose inside, when I move it, it works.So now I know what to do.In the meantime I discovered ( I don't know much about audio)that I can use my internal microphone anyway whithout needing to plug in anything.So I disabled the internal one and tested it with sound recorder and skype, it works. Now I have to see if the problem I have will affect also the internal microphone, hope not.Thanks for your help.