Lowell,
Are you 100% sure that the mic is plugged into the mic in jack and not the
line in jack? If your mic is good, has the correct plug on it, is
plugged into the correct jack, and you have the check box checked to
select the mic and it still doesn't work, perhaps you need an exorcist.
I assume that there is no way that your pc is equipped with 2 sound
cards and that you are adjusting the wrong one.
Isn't this hobby fun? 73 Steve KW3A