Cannot record. I get visible and audible artifact in stead.

I have been using Audacity successfully to transfer from LPs for a long time. Hadn’t done any for a while but today I attempted to do so. I have Windows 7 (32-bit). I had the latest beta version of Audacity but when I had a problem today I installed version 2.0.2, but that did not help.

When I simply click the ‘record’ button I get some kind of artifact on the screen that I can also hear as a popping or hissing–it changes when you adjust mike or speaker volume. Also, if you just click ‘record’ and observe for a few minutes you see and hear the artifact go through changes. When you put the stylus onto an LP nothing changes.

This is not 60-cycle artifact. There is nothing different about the environment where my computer and turntable (an Ion Profile Pro) reside since the last time I used Audacity successfully.

I am attaching samples of what I am seeing on the screen when this happens.
artifact on Audacity, 1 of 2.jpg

Here is the second attachment from my last post.
artifact on Audacity, 2 of 2.jpg

How is the Ion Profile Pro connected to your computer?
If it is connected via USB then you need to select the USB option as the recording input in the Device Toolbar.