Can't get microphone to work

I have the Microsoft Office speech recognition software installed in an XP system, but can't seem to get the microphone (Logitech USB 250) to work at all.

I tried all suggestions in the Troubleshooting section of http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q306537 but the mike is dead as a doorknob.

Any ideas of what else I can try?

 

Have you checked to make sure the mic is set as the default recording device? This may be some more of the same as the MS article but have a look anyway. I'm not really sure. It deals with choosing the sound card as the default so you want things just the opposite of what it says.
http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/logitech_en_amr.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=887&p_created=1089643721&p_sid=AnXBbi5i&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NTImcF9wcm9kcz04NDQsMTMsMCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9Mi4xMzszLnUwJnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

Thanks Zander, the solution turned-out to be a matter of finding and navigating to all the correct set-up windows. I thought I'd post the detailed steps here to help anyone else with a similar problem. Here is what finally got the mike to communicate with the computer.

Start > Control Panel (In classic view) > Speech.
Select the Speech Recognition tab.
Choose one of the "Recognition Profiles ". If none are listed, create one.
In the "Microphone" section, click on button "Audio Input ".
In Audio Input Settings window, click on radio button "Use this audio input device ".
Review the list of devices in the drop-down list and select the correct device. Depending on the specific device and system configuration, only generic devices may be listed here.
Click on button "Properties ".
In the Advanced Audio Properties window click on radio button "Use this audio input device ".
Select "Microphone" from drop-down list.
Click OK > OK > Apply.
Tap or speak into the mike and check the horizontal "Level" flag in the Microphone section for activity.
Assuming there is activity, click on "Configure Microphone" to set the volume level.

If the volume is too low, depending upon the specific system configuration, it may be possible to boost the mike volume:
Click on "Audio Input" button in the Microphone section.
Click on the Volume button.
From the Microphone section, click on button "Volume ".
If button "Advanced" is available in the Microphone section, click it.
If there is a box "1 +20 db gain" in the "Other Controls" sections, make sure there is a check mark there. Close, exit, and retest the mike for volume.

If button "Advanced" is not visible in the Microphone section, click Options near the header, then click on "Advanced Controls" to place a check mark on that line. That should add the "Advanced" button in the "Recording Control" window and allow boosting the mike level by 20 dB.

 

Glad to hear you got it working. Thanks for posting back with the solution. My guess is that somebody will benefit from it some day.