I cant get audacity to record? [SOLVED]

[BC888]

Anyone who might be able to help me troubleshoot would be greatly appreciated.

OS Windows 8.1
Mic -Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
Audacity 2.1.2
logitek headphones USB

It was working fine the night before. Came back the next morning to finish a project I am right in the middle of and desperate on a dead line, and I can't make it record.
Became frustrated after 3 hours of youtube scouring for help and doing everything mentioned. Still wont record or monitor sounds so something is not connected correctly but I can not figure out what it is?
I am attaching a screen shot of my settings and have already right clicked on the sound to show you my setting here as well. I have been at this since 5am this morning and still cant make it work. I hope someone can help?

Thanks,
BC

[steve]

Quick suggestion - try rebooting (a quick fix if the USB mic has gone "off-line").

If that does not do it...

I can't make it record.

What exactly happens if you try to record?

[BC888]

Nothing! I can't even get it to register sound at all and it was working? Then I panicked because I am in the middle of a project that was due and started clicking buttons, I uninstalled then re-installed the newer version. It is probably operator error but I am just not sure how to back track and what might be causing no audio. Yesterday it worked fine. I came back to finish my project this morning and I had problems?

[BC888]

Forgot to say thank you for replying and I have rebooted many times and nothing. No recording? Uggh!

[steve]

Nothing!

You're saying that when you open Audacity, the Pause button is down (as in your screenshot), and when you click on the Record button, the button does not even go down?

[BC888]

No. That is just a screen shot I took and should have done one without the pause pressed. Sorry. When I try and record nothing happens? Sound is not even registering. I have changed preferences so many times trying everything. Also, oddly while turning up the mic recording, it all of a sudden then reverts back to -0? (see attch) I cant keep the recording volume on inside Aud.? Why would it after a couple of seconds revert back to -0 ???

[kozikowski]

Is it alive when you plug headphones into the microphone? There is a local volume control. Scratch the microphone. Do Not Blow!!!

What's the possibility you have more than one program messing with your sound? Skype? Live Chat? A different recorder? Game/multi-user game?

If it's a laptop, can you switch to the built-in microphone and does it work?

Koz

[kozikowski]

Close Audacity.
Win7 had control panel settings and little volume meters flashing up and down with the sound. Does Win8 have that and does that work?
Koz

[BC888]

Not sure what you mean "is it alive" when you plug headphones into the microphone? I can open Aud. and import a quick recording I did yesterday to insert into my tutorial I am working on. I wanted to see if if would play back and it does. I just can't get it to record now?
I dont plug anything into the microphone? I have a USB Mic, and a usb Headphone set. I use 2 separate usb ports to plug into my tower like I always do. Nothing has changed.
Not sure what you mean by a local volume control? You mean on the computer itself down in the right hand corner where the volume mixer is?
What do you mean scratch the mic and do not blow? I have no idea what you are saying?
I am not using skype and haven't in over a year. Live chat? Only Facebook chat. no other recorders that I am aware of? I don't do gaming.
If you look at the specs I originally posted you will see it is an OS windows 8.1 PC. No laptop. I am using a Audio-Technica mic--No built in mic with my PC that I am aware of. One day it was working then the next day it doesn't. I am so screwed trying to meet a deadline with this and wasted a whole day trying to trouble shoot this. Looks like there is no answers, but I appreciate you trying. I still cant understand why the mic volume adjusts itself to -0 all by itself within a few seconds of me adjusting it up. It goes back to -0 automatically????? see pic above circled in red!
There is a sound icon on the lower right hand side of my computer. When I right click that it shows a volume mixer and that is all I see. See attach.

Oh well. Thanks!

[kozikowski]

I think this is too much of a heavy Windows problem for me.

In my opinion, there's another application or program on your machine causing control problems or conflicts. We should wait for a Windows elf.

Koz