Win 7 Sound recorder- audio recording device cannot be found

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**Method 1. Run the Record Sound Troubleshooter:**Open the Record Sound troubleshooter by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Hardware and Sound, click Troubleshoot audio recording.‌  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.Let's cross check if the Sound Device and the Recording Microphone is enabled.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Open-the-Recording-Audio-troubleshooter

Method 2.

Perform the task mentioned below to enable the Microphone:

1. Go to Start and click on control Panel.
2. Click in Sound, then a new window will open up.
3. In the new windows click on the tab"Recording" and right click in the winodw and click on Show Disabled devices.
4. Now check if Microphone is listed there and right click on it and choose enable.
5. Once you enable it, right click on it update  the driver under Properties option.

Method 3.

Update the driver for Sound Devices:

1. Access Device Manager by clicking the Windows Start Button > Control Panel > System and Maintenance.
2. Then scroll down and click on Device Manager.
3. Then expand Sound, Video and Game Controllers" by clicking on the + sign, right-click over the sound device and click Update Driver.

Refer the articles below for additional help about updating the drivers:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Update-a-driver-for-hardware-that-isnt-working-properly

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Update-drivers-recommended-links

Hope it helps. 

Thanks and Regards:

**Shekhar S - Microsoft Support.**Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum

I did the things you mentioned above:

1.) method 1:  Windows 7 responded that it could not identify the problem

2.) method 2:  checked the show disabled devices and still no devices appear.  It still says no audio devices installed under the recording tab.

3.) method 3:  attempted to update driver and Win 7 reports I have the most up to date driver already

Any ideas?

I know this is old but in case someone else comes across it, what i found worked was right click on the speaker symbol at the bottom right, click recording devices/recording tab/then right click ANYWHERE in the middle/  then show disabled devices will come up, check it and then voila it will work.

You can also record after this by going to start/all programs/accesories/soundrecorder and it will record what your computer "hears"

I have the latest Acer Aspire with Vista Home Premium. The recorder worked fine in Vista. My free upgrade to Windows 7 went without a hitch. My speakers work fine, but the recorder does't work now. Since many others have Realtek sound devices and are having the same problem the problem seems to be compatibility with Win 7. A patch might be in order from Microsoft. 

Gary P.