Microphone Complications

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Though I'm sure there are plenty of posts like this on the forums, I'm too lazy to find them, so sorry in advance. Anyways, I got a new microphone for my computer, and for the first couple of days it was working and audible. Then one day it just up and quit on me. I tried going through the sound options, all the volumes are up, front panel mic enabled and boosted, etc... but still i have no luck. I've downloaded the latest drivers for my system, and even that doesn't work. The only way i'm able to make the mic work and be detected at all is to just about yell into the mic, and even then its almost like I whispered into it. Any suggestions to as of what might be wrong and how i can fix this complication?
 
your honest declaration about being too lazy to even look for a solution myself might put some people off you know...

Are you 100% sure the mic is in the mic input and not line input? Not b eing smart:

some computers have only one input for both and you switch the function in software. Computer mics are condenser type and they need some power. Line input does not pass the power on so the mic behaves exactly as you say.

Other then that - get a different mic and try it?
 
indeed it might turn people off... and yes I've tried to find my own solutions just with no success...

I tried my previous mic which worked just fine, and it came with the same outcome of having to yell into the mic just to hear it recorded almost as a whisper, I use the front Mic and headset pannels on my computer just as the old mic/headset version. The front pannel mic is turned on in the settings, and its even on microphone boost. I've really tried a lot of things, all settings are where they should be, volumes are maxed, nothing is disabled, drivers are even updated. I'm just trying to figure out if there is something that i haven't tried yet, that some one may be able to point out to me.
 
test the mic on another device, say another PC or a PA system/karaoke machine (if applicable). Could be the mic or the cable is busted, or not making good contact. Same goes with testing another mic with your PC.

If you've used the front audio connectors, then have you tried it with the back ones?

Bit of trivia knowledge (half related to this):
Computer mics are condenser type and they need some power. Line input does not pass the power on so the mic behaves exactly as you say.
those small ordinary PC mics you get from the computer shops/electronic shops/etc (including headsets mics) almost all are just plain dynamic mics, unless it says otherwise in the box. Its actually runs through a Pre-amp which makes the signal louder for you to hear it, while line-in doesn't have the pre-amp, so you're half correct, just wrong words :)

Condenser microphones however, without the specified power requirements won't even give you a whisper of sound.. besides, it needs some sort of 3-pin connection (to provide the power) nearly all the time. Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphone
 
I've tried it using front and back connectors, and it seems to be the same outcome, i also tested with my old mic (was a headset as well, just blew out the speakers ^^;;;) and it came with the same outcome, i guess it could be bad contact with the plug ins, but as for testing with another computer.... i guess its worth a shot even though in my honest opinion i don't think it has to do with the wiring in my mic, but i've been wrong before.

~thanks for the suggestions i'll let u know if it changes anything
 
i also tested with my old mic (was a headset as well, just blew out the speakers ^^;; and it came with the same outcome,
... came with the same outcome of screaming into it to get a decent level? Then its most likely the pre-amp thats busted. Get a proper sound card if you still want to record stuff with your microphone, or get one of those USB microphones/soundcards.

The testing on the other pc/audio device step is just to eliminate a bad microphone. You can still perform this step if it puts your mind at ease..
 
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