Microphone Disappeared

I can hear my hard drive through my speakers. Yes, it is irritating so I try now and then to "fix" it. I started disabling microphones but it didn't help. But the microphones disappear from the sound panel so how do you get them back?

I used this answer and it worked. Basically you Windows search within Control Panel for "audio" and find the "Troubleshooting" section and run "fix audio". It will find the missing microphones and you can re-enable.

I probably could have just gone to "device manager" and enabled. That was going to be my next try.

Thank you Dave Foord for the answer.

As to fixing the sound from the mouse and hard drive? I have no way of disconnecting the ground from my speakers but that seems to be the answer found here.

Blue Snowflake USB Microphone

I just landed a new Blue Snowflake USB microphone off eBay for $21.50. The price on Amazon right not is $34.98. I use Google Voice all day long as my phone and the Logitech USB desktop mic I grabbed for $10 some years ago lacks quality at a comfortable distance. The Logitech works and I've used it to death but a little better quality would be appreciated by my listeners. It will be interesting to hear the difference. I'm considering going whole hog and getting a Blue Yeti.

Yes the Blue Snowflake is good to very good depending on how close you are to it.

I don't want a bunch of mic posts so here is what to do if mic volume keeps resetting. At least I think this is what did it. I fixed it awhile ago but don't remember how exactly. The mic levels were changing wildly as I used it and this is my setting. Uncheck allow applications to take control.

Be sure to have updated audio drivers . Reaktek here. New drivers improved the quality of the Snowflake.

There are many ways to tell if your microphone is working. You can always go online and test it here. Volume and quality will still be a mystery but at least you will know if it works.