I had a similar problem with my parents' PC, and in the end it was a fried soundcard. There was effectively no sound at all, except a tiny faint crackle when you plugged/unplugged a mic. I got a nice soundblaster replacement for cheap, and the problem was worked around.

Do you have sound at all? Do you have the installation disks/drivers that came with it? I guess thats integrated sound on that, try this , uninstall your sound card, restart, and let windows redetect it and install drivers, or use installation disk if applicable.

I do have sound. I can play music, vids, everything, and the sound is fine. Just the mic won't work for some reason. Should I still uninstall the sound card ?

Yes, it wont hurt anything to try it, the mic is controlled thru the soundcard.

I went into the "SoundMax Integrated Digital Audio" properties window, with the options for drivers and all. Do I select "Uninstall - to uninstall the driver(Advanced)" to uninstall it?

Then after I do that, I restart and windows will find it and I"ll have to reinstall it? Just want to be safe! Thanks

Yep, you got it right.

Edit. Windows will reinstall it for you, you dont have to do anything but wait for it to detect it and find the drivers.

Alrighty. I did that, windows reinstalled it and all, and still no go. The sound works fine, sitll no recording.

Here's a new development I just hear though. When I put the plug for the mic in, if I fiddle it around like half-way in and move it in/out a slight bit, I get the distortion or slight crackle coming through the microphone. I can hear it in the mic. I don't think it's supposed to be doing that?

The mic is brand new, just bought it, so I don't think it's the mic. I've tried another mic too.

I take it something else is wrong???