Windows 10 microphone mind f@ck

Ever this?

After a couple of hours of use, my Dell laptop automatically switches sound input sources from my headset (green checkmark still appears) to the built-in mic (green activity bars) while sound output is maintained through the headset.

No way to switch back. Disabling, unplugging, rebooting, nothing works. Next day, same deal: works fine for a couple of hours, the it switches. Been going on all week. WTF?!

 

Have you tried using a different USB port on the computer?

 

Try unplugging, deleting the USB headset device driver and reinstalling the drivers.

 

Tried both.

 

Or can you disable the built in microphone so it doesn't have anything to switch to?

 

Tried that too.

 

Did you?

 

I think my Dell is newer than yours (my audio devices are labeled similarly, but slightly different and I just got it a couple of months ago). I just tried disabling on mine, and other than requiring a reboot to complete the process, it did what I told it to.

Every Dell I've ever had uses some version of Realtek audio. Assuming yours is also by Realtek, I did a couple of minutes of research, and confirming my suspicion - the audio driver is the same for both input and output. (In other words, you can't just easily remove the driver, because the sound might go with it).

This is gonna sound like some Tech support BS, but see if there's a BIOS update and an audio driver update. BIOS first, reboot, etc. Then audio driver. If there's a way to disconnect the headset while the audio driver is installed, even better. The idea is to try to get to a point where the microphone portion can be disabled while the external microphone isn't present, then introduce it into the system to become the default. Those are the first steps I would take if I were doing it.

If its still not working after that, we might be able to cute with it and introduce some third party software that will switch/disable inputs without really doing it. I have seen a couple of programs that'll allow you to control your audio in ways that Windows doesn't. The problem is, they sometimes create unpredictable results for other programs. Although, I've never tried to use one for inputs, only sound outputs.

 

Thanks, I'll look into all that.

 

Have you looked at the event log to see if there is anything going on when these changes occur? Like say, device drop outs...?

 

I have not. Thanks.

 

Not on a hub are ya?

 

Nope.

 

I think I've even had that happen in Win7 as well. Reboot resolved my issues though, thankfully

 

I've had it happen with audio output on my home theater PC... For some reason, Windows 10 wants to send digital audio to HDMI (connected to TV) instead of the optical output (audio receiver). Occasionally, I have to fiddle around with it and disable HDMI audio output again. But, I've never had it act this way on input. Also, the HTPC isn't a Dell - its one I built.

 

No new BIOS/drivers updates since I did them all a couple few years back.

 

Unplug your computer, wait ten seconds and plug it back in.

 

audio_to_smoke_signal_converter.jpg

 

Do you have a way to have it rebooted without headset plugged in and try to disable onboard mic, then plug in headset?

The weird thing to me is not that the system is getting confused about the onboard mic, but that you can't disable it.

An alternative way to disable would be to go to start menu, input "device manager", and look in the list - Audio inputs and outputs should be the first category. Might be able to disable there.

Effectively, you're doing the same thing, but in a direct place as opposed to the sound control panel. In theory you're changing the exact same setting, but I've seen weird shit in Windows where you think you're changing the same setting, but it's not.