Laptop Mic

[saintpeter48]

I cannot get my laptop mic to work.
Its an Acer Aspire V3-531, i've had it for about 6 or 7 years and I cannot remember ever using the mic, but in this lockdown it would be nice to communicate with family and friends on the laptop instead of using my mobile.
Any help is much appreciated, thanks.

[Buenchico]

The first thing to remember is that your microphone needs some software to process its signal. In your situation that's likely to be Skype, Zoom, Teams or something similar and you might need to go into the settings for that specific software to tell it to use your laptop's built-in microphone as its sound source (rather than, say, looking for a signal from a non-existent external microphone). So it's possible that your built in mike is already working properly but not being recognised by the software that you're using.

Having got that out of the way though, start by right-clicking on the volume icon at the bottom right of your screen and selecting Recording Devices. You should see a line showing the microphone. You're hoping to see
(a) a green tick alongside it ; and
(b) a volume bar that moves up and down as you speak.
If you've got both of those, it's probably a specific software issue, as above.

Otherwise click on 'Microphone' and select 'Properties'. With the 'General' tab selected, check that 'Device usage' shows 'Use this device'. With the 'Levels' tab selected, check that the two sliders are positioned towards the right.

If you're still getting nowhere, you probably need to reinstall the audio driver. Download this file:
https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Audio/Audio_Realtek_6.0.1.7040_W81x64_A.zip?acerid=635171415292247332&Step1=NOTEBOOK&;Step2=ASPIRE&Step3=ASPIRE%20V3-551&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=EMEA_27
Double-click on it to extract the set-up file.
Double-click on the set-up file to run it.
Restart your laptop.
Check that the microphone is enabled, as per my second paragraph above.

[waterboatman]

Excellent chris, I might need that too!

[ducksie]

Chris, I have done most of what you have suggested and watched numerous how to videos on Youtube as my mic stopped working right at the start of lockdown, but this is the first time I seen about extracting the file, thanks - I'm gonna try that - if it works, I promise to stand you a pint in your local when all this is over :) Good morning

[Buenchico]

Ducksie:
The file I've linked to above is for the audio driver for SP48's laptop. Unless you've got the same model (or one that happens to use the same driver), it won't work for you.

The other stuff should work though, although I've assumed that SP48 is using Windows 8 (because that's what his laptop was shipped with) and you might find that things look rather different with Windows 10. (My instructions are actually based upon Windows 7, because that's what my own Acer machine runs, but Windows 8 should be much the same).

PS: Quiz thread to follow this evening ;-)

[ducksie]

Ah thanks Chris, mine is a Lenovo V110, windows 10, I've tried everything to get the realtek mics working - have had to resort to using my old skype phone in the jack again ahhhhh

I'll be about later for the quiz (just check my diary ;) )

See ya later sunshine :)

[saintpeter48]

Buenchico .... thanks for that, but i'm stuck i'm afraid.
I followed your instructions and clicked on the download, it downloaded into 'my downloads', i'm lost from there!
What do I need to double-click on?
You say to do this but I don't know how, i'm so sorry but I am a complete novice at this sort of stuff, sorry for wasting your time.
I just don't understand where to go from your instructions below.
Double-click on it to extract the set-up file.
Double-click on the set-up file to run it.

[chelle7272]

Go into the file in downloads and double click on that

[saintpeter48]

chelle7272
I've done that and a file marked Audio_Realtek_6.0.1.7040_W81x64_A appears, when I click on that a list of about 20 other files appears, where do I go from there?

[Buenchico]

The download is a zip file, so you need to extract its contents first (by double-clicking on the yellow folder icon with a zip on it). That takes you to the folder full of the actual files, which seems to be as far as you've got.

You now need to double click on that yellow folder (without a zip on it this time) to open it. There are various files with 'Setup' in their names in there; you then need to double-click on the one shown as 'Application' in order to run it.

[saintpeter48]

Buenchico ..... I have clicked on the zip file, which sent me to another yellow file marked 'Audio_Realtek_6.0.1.7040_W81x64_A', i've double clicked that and there is no Application file in there, the files that are in there are; Config. DS1. MSHDQFE. PCEE4. VISTA. VISTA64. and WDM, there are other icons in there, but nothing marked Application.
What have I done wrong?

[Buenchico]

Hmmm.

Maybe the downloaded file isn't self-extracting on your machine in the same way that it is on mine.

Return to the original file that you downloaded. (i.e. the yellow folder icon, with a zip on it). RIGHT-click on it and select 'Extract all'. Then double-click on the yellow folder icon (without a zip) that you see. You ought then to see this
http://www.upl.co/uploads/Setup1588342909.jpg
which will allow you to double-click on 'Setup'

[saintpeter48]

Buenchico......
Phew, I think I've done it, I have clicked on the volume icon and if I speak the volume bar is moving, I suppose the proof now is to speak to one of relatives to see if they can hear me!
Thank you sooo much for your help, I think I speak on behalf of a lot of people on here when I say, that your knowledge, help and advice is priceless, to help a complete novice like me, to talk me through it stage by stage, I cannot thank you enough, you are a star!

[Buenchico]

Thanks for the feedback (and for your kind remarks), SP48.