How to Troubleshoot Audio or Sound Recording Issues

Having trouble with the microphone or recording audio on your CyberPowerPC PC? If you notice symptoms like microphone not working, stuttering, jarring, crackling or choppy recording, intermittent issue with microphone recording, distorted recording, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

Troubleshooting

The sections below will offer more information to troubleshoot your recording issues, please follow the troubleshooting steps in a sequence.

For help with audio or sound playback issues, refer to the CyberPowerPC knowledge-base article How to troubleshoot audio or sound issues

Check the audio ports for damage and clean the ports

Audio performance issues may occur if there is any type of damage caused to the audio cables or the audio ports on the PC. You may experience symptoms like microphone stops working, works intermittently, choppy or distorted audio, static noise, etc.

Audio ports are exposed to elements that may cause a build-up of dust or even physical damages. If you notice that the port or connector has dust or other contaminants, use a can of compressed air to clean the ports.

Restart your CyberPowerPC Computer

A simple reboot can resolve many issues almost immediately. Restarting your PC is an effective way to clear the memory (RAM) and ensure that any errant processes and services that started are shut down.

Restarting your PC closes all the applications or software running on your PC, applications running on the taskbar and dozens of other services that may be running in the background which were started by various applications.

Check the microphone connection (external microphone only)

Standard headset or microphone

Most analog microphone ports are pink and belong in the corresponding pink connector on your headset or microphone. Most standard headsets with microphones are designed to work with the single audio connector on your laptop PC.

USB headset or microphone

Try swapping between USB ports. If you are using a USB hub, bypass the USB and connect the USB headset or microphone directly to the USB port on your PC.

Bluetooth headset or microphone

Ensure that the Bluetooth headset is paired with your PC and is selected as the default recording device on the PC. Refer to the bluetooth troubleshooting section in this CyberPowerPC knowledge-base article.

Set default recording device and check the microphone volume

The default audio recording device is the device that Microsoft Windows uses to record or listen to the sound. When you connect a microphone, Bluetooth headset, or other microphone enabled the device to your PC, you can select which device you want to use by default. Windows can record audio through the microphone port, built-in microphone or Bluetooth. It is essential to select the correct recording device and check the volume settings, for recording to work on your PC.

To set a default recording device and check volume settings

1. Right-click the Volume icon in the notification area (bottom-right corner) and select Recording devices.
2. Select the recording device and click Set Default.
3. Click OK.
4. Click the Volume icon in the notification area and set the volume to your preference. 

Run Microsoft Sound Troubleshooter

Microsoft Windows includes a variety of 'troubleshooters' designed to quickly diagnose and automatically resolve many PC problems. Although Windows Troubleshooter cannot fix hardware problems, they are a great place to start if you encounter a problem with your PC. Windows Troubleshooters are built into the Control Panel in Windows 10, 8.1 or 8 and 7.

How to run Windows Troubleshooter in Microsoft Windows 10?

1. Click Start and select Settings (gear icon).
2. Click Update & Security and select Troubleshoot.
3. Click Recording Audio and then click Run the troubleshooter.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.

If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.

Troubleshoot Bluetooth devices (Bluetooth speakers or headphones)

Pair your Bluetooth headset with your PC.

• Windows 10 - Connect to a bluetooth device in Windows 10

Reinstall or Update chipset driver, audio driver and BIOS

CyberPowerPC recommends updating the device drivers and BIOS as part of your scheduled update cycle. Device drivers and BIOS updates may contain feature enhancements or changes that will help keep your system software current and compatible with other system modules (hardware and software) as well as increased stability.

It is essential to update the following device drivers for optimal recording performance and to resolve common microphone related issues:

• BIOS
• Chipset driver
• Audio driver

Download and install Microsoft Windows updates

Windows updates can support your Windows operating system in many ways. Windows updates can solve specific problems, provide protection from malicious attacks, or even add new features to the operating system.

How to install Windows Updates in Microsoft Windows 10 and Windows 8 or 8.1?

1. Right-click Start and click Settings.
2. In the Settings panel, click Update & Security.
3. In the left panel, select Windows Update.
4. On the right panel, click Check for updates.
5. Restart the PC after downloading and installing the updates.

If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.

Perform Windows System Restore

System Restore is a built-in Windows tool designed to protect and repair the operating system. When something goes wrong with your PC, System Restore should be used prior to restoring the PC to factory defaults.

Select the Operating System installed on your PC to find more information about how to perform System Restore:

• Microsoft Windows 10

If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.

Restore your PC to factory defaults

If the diagnostic tests on the USB ports passed, it is most definitely an issue related to software installed on your PC. If the above troubleshooting steps did not resolve the issue, you can try to restore your PC to factory defaults as a last resort.

CyberPowerPC PCs are built with a small amount of hard disk space reserved for reinstalling your operating system. This method is the easiest way to restore your PC to factory condition. The restoration process deletes all user data from the PC, so be sure to back up all your files prior to starting this process

Select the Operating System installed on your PC to find more information about how to restore your PC to factory defaults:

• Microsoft Windows 10

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