Hi! Just tonight I've bought myself a headset. For some reason, Windows didn't detect anything. So I went to control panel, looked around, nothing. I tried looking in sound/audio properties, not detected anything. I pay £20.00 for this?! I also tried looking on all sorts of Microsoft guides, how to install speech recognition, how to set up a headset, but all of the guides mentioned things that don't even exist in Control Panel. Why is everything so complicated in windows XP?! Does anyone know what's going on here?

Last edited by Simmie : 30th Oct 2011 at 07:23 PM.

Headset? Just earphones/headphones or the ones with microphones?

Does it need special drivers (and this is installed, already, if so?) for its features or is it a generic audio headphone? Does it work in another device?
You tried the Audio jacks at the front or back panel? Or both don't work? Do you have another headphone to test with, one that you know works, on the PC?

The headset has a mic. It doesn't mention any "Special drivers" on the packaging. I've plugged both the plugs into the coloured slots. (Mic and Normal audio.) I can hear everything fine, like normal, I don't think there are any "jacks." (What are they?) I don't have another headset, but I have an old mic, and that works fine.

If you can hear audio, then what's the issue? Just the fact that Control Panel is not showing anything? Is it listed in Device Manager?
Can you record with the mic? If you go on skype (or whatever you use), can people hear you?
Can you adjust volume? If you right-click on the Volume icon, can you then go to the Sound Properties or Volume Mixer and stuff?

If the whole Sound Property is not showing in Control Panel and right-clicking on the Volume icon still does not work, and you want to see what's what, go to Start -> Run, and type "mmsys.cpl", without the quotes, then enter.
If it is just a matter of the device not appearing in Control Panel, I won't sweat it, especially if the device works. There are other things you can wig out about.

"jacks": I meant the holes you plug the cables into.

The fact is Control Panel isn't showing anything whatsover. I can't change the volume of anything because for some reason the software isn't installed for my sound card. I tried mmsys.cpl but that just brings up the menu I've already searched. I can't try it on Skype or anything because nothing detects it's there.

EDIT: Thanks for the explanation about Jacks...

EDIT2: Jacks are actually the holes the plugs of the headset go into... One for the mic, one for the sound. It isn't a USB.
Basically, I'm just a noob wanting to record with Fraps, with a headset, but Windows is showing no signs of detecting it's there.

Last edited by Simmie : 30th Oct 2011 at 12:01 PM.

Windows doesn't detect headsets since it's an external audio device.

The thing doesn't need drivers, therefore windows can't tell you if it's there or not. It doesn't tell you if you have speakers plugged in! :p

What I would do is go into control panel -> sound -> playback and click properties on your microphone (I haven't used XP for a couple of years, so I'm doing this from memory).

Somewhere in there will be an option to unmute the mic. Unmute that, turn up the volume and try talking. If you can hear yourself through your headset (no you don't need to be recording for this), then your mic works.

Also, and this is important, check to make sure your headset doesn't have a "mute" option on the actual cord. Mine does, and I've swore a few times because my mic didn't work, only to find out I muted the mic on the actual headset... NOT on the PC... >_>

Thanks for the advice, but I solved it. (Somehow?...) I tried plugging them in the jacks ( ) at the back, then solved it clicked every button on the screen in excitement. I hope it's not as hard to set up a headset in Windows 7 I'm getting on Tuesday...