Help! Cannot select recording source in WinVista

[ImagoX]

I'm using Audacity (1.2.6) on a Dell laptop running WinVista Pro.

I've read through forum posts, the Wiki and the FAQs, and I've attempted to select the "recording device" in Control Panel, all with no effect.

SETTINGS SYMPTOPMS: there are NO available "recording devices" in the "Preferences" area of Audacity. Hence, I cannot record anything.

CONTROL PANEL WOES: The only Recording devices in my Control Panel are the "Microphone Array" and the "Microphone /Line In". I can Enable the "Microphone Array", which seems to only turn on the built-in mic on the laptop lid (incorrect and unusable for line recording), but I CANNOT Enable the Line In, since I do not have a mic plugged into the proper jack. Even if I could, I assume this would be the wrong audio stream since I want to record the sound card output.

What I just want to do is record audio going through the speaker array, just like I do with my old WinXP machine - how do I direct Audacity to use the signal going from my audio codec to my built-in speakers? Note that my audio works fine for web-based playback, in iTunes, in games, etc, so I know that my audio devices are set up properly in WinVista. My Dell uses a SigmaTel High Definition audio CODEC device, which DOES show up in the "Playback" tab.

Can you please help me?

Thanks in advance!!

[steve]

Some sound cards do not support the "Stereo Mix" option under Vista, but have a read through this part of the wiki just in case: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... s_Vista_OS

If you are able to enable "Stereo Mix" in the Windows Control Panel, upgrade to Audacity 1.3.7 and try again.