Combo Input Changed from Mic to Line In: Can't revert to Microphone

Hi,

I have an Windows 10 HP Desktop (product # Y1B39AV) which has builtin sound (i.e. no sound card). It has only 2 audio jacks on the back labeled with icons. One appears to be output and is plugged into my speakers, which work fine. The other appears to be input and is plugged into a microphone which used to work but now doesn't. (There are also 2 output jacks on the front labeled with icons: 1 appears to be for a headphone and the other for a headphone with a mic. They both work when I plug a headphone in.) I also have a Logitech C310 Webcam which plugs into a USB port and works fine for both sound and video. All of this has been connected and working correctly for over a year.

My problem is that my microphone no longer works. When I use Audacity to record from the mic I previously selected Microphone (Synaptics HD Audio) but now that's been replaced with Line In (Synaptics HD Audio). When I record from that I get very faint sound.

It seems that my PC previously thought that the input jack on the back was a mic input but now it thinks it's a line in input. As I recall when I first plugged the microphone in I was prompted to select what type of device I had plugged in, either Line In or Microphone, and I picked Microphone. That worked fine until the PC decided for unknown reasons that it's a Line In device. Since the Line In inputs expect 40 to 60 dBV higher levels than the Microphone level the microphone input sound is so low as to be useless.

The problem is I don't know how to switch that input jack back to Microphone from Line In. I don't see it in the HP documentation or anywhere else. Everywhere I look in Windows (Device Manager, Settings for Sound) it just shows the Synaptics Line In input (and also the Webcam mic) and there's no Synaptics Microphone anywhere. Under Settings/Sound/Manage Devices there is a Synaptics Stereo Audio input that's disabled but when I enable it and record from it in Audacity (called Stereo Mix there) there's no sound at all. Nowhere do I see a Synaptics Microphone.

Can anyone tell how to fix this? I'm running Windows 10 ver. 1903.

Thanks,
Mike

- - - Updated - - -

Further research on the HP web site reveals that this input port is "re-taskable" as a Line-in or Microphone-in port. However so far that hasn't helped me figure out how to re-task it.

Can anyone provide any suggestions on how to fix this? I've scoured the web and found nothing. I tried uploading the current drivers from the HP web site but that didn't help. I'm getting close to buying a sound card but I hate to waste money when there should be a non-cash solution available.


Thanks,

Mike

Does this look like your computer?

Front


6) Audio-out (headphone)/Audio-in (microphone) combo jack
7) Audio-out (headphone) jack

Rear


1) Audio-out jack for powered audio devices
6) Audio-in jack

When a device is plugged into either audio jack, a dialog box will appear on the monitor screen asking if you want to use the jack for a microphone or a headphone. You can also reconfigure the jacks at any time by double-clicking the Audio Manager icon in the Windows taskbar.


Hardware Reference Guide
HP EliteDesk 800/880 G3 TWR Business PC
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05386806

Yup, that's it. Thanks for tracking it down.

Unplugging and replugging my mic (or a different input device) into the Audio-in jack doesn't generate a prompt. There's no "Audio Manager" tray icon but there is a "Audio Controls" icon. Clicking that displays the Audio Controls dialog box below.

Moving the pointer over the grayed out External Microphone icon or "External Microphone" text shows "Device unplugged" and clicking anywhere around there does nothing. Clicking around the Line In icon lets you mute it or make it the default device but there's nothing about unplugging or disabling it. Restore Defaults doesn't help. Right clicking anywhere has no effect.

There's a speaker icon in the tray but that only lets you control the speaker volume. There are no other tray icons (even hidden) about audio.

Don't know what else to try here or anywhere else.

Thanks,
Mike

Jaycee,

That worked! I've spent more time fooling around with this than I would like to admit and have asked people on several other forums for help, but no one else figured it out. Thank you for that suggestion!

Mike