Vista - No Recording

Hey'a everyone. I have an NEC Powermate V6250 Desktop. It's only a month old. I have the ALC888 R1.96 Realtek HD codec installed v6.0.1.5643. When I first got my pc, I could hear from my speakers and my headset...no problem, but I was unable to record using the mic (no voice chat in messenger ). I use my headset for the mic recording. I fluffed around with the settings for ages, enabling this and that, turning up recording volume, turning up Mic Boost, but to no avail (BTW, I also have a webcam PB-WC100 which has a built in mic which works, but the sound quality is bad...lots of noise and loud buzzing). Then one day it worked. I had a good recording quality, and my messenger friends could hear me without problem. Then after a further few days it stopped working (gotta be update conflicts???). I have enabled the headset mic and made it the default in sound properties. The mic level is at 100%, the boost is at 20db (but have had it to its highest with no change). I have disabled my USB mic so as not to cause any conflict with my headset mic. The mic is detected, and if I screen I get a faint whisper in return.

I also have a couple of questions;

1. If I can't sort this problem out (I've been working on it for hours, and hours) would an external Sound Card be advisable, and would it work for recording even if my headset mic doesn't?

2. My USB Webcam's mic works but has terrible buzzing noise/muffled sound...I don't have any drivers for Vista, but the XP ones at least make it usable (the camera part of the webcam works fine). Any advice on this one?

Thanks in advance....I really appreciate your help.

Me

Is there any way for the USB webcam mic to be disabled? I suspect it keeps taking over the 'default' mic setting....

Hey'a John, yes there is. As I mentioned in my first post, I always disable the usb mic when chatting with the headset so I don't the problem you mention.