Microphone doesn't work...

Midlou

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 12, 2016
208
238
When I do load up a source game (Tf2, cs:go) I get this error in console:
unable to initialize sound capture. you won't be able to speak to other players

I already tried every single solution in the google results!
 

hutty

aa
Mar 30, 2014
538
444
Does your microphone work in other programs?
What is your default mic set to in the audio settings?
What OS are you on?
Is it USB or Audio Jack?
Are you in the Steam Client Beta?
 

Midlou

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 12, 2016
208
238
Does your microphone work in other programs?
What is your default mic set to in the audio settings?
What OS are you on?
Is it USB or Audio Jack?
Are you in the Steam Client Beta?

"Mic in at front panel (pink)" - the problem persist even at rear
Win10.
Audio Jack.
Nope.
 

hutty

aa
Mar 30, 2014
538
444
Does it work in other programs?
What does windows list as your default audio Mic device.
upload_2019-1-14_9-39-6.png

it should have a little green check by it, you can get to this window by rightclicking the volume icon and selecting recording devices. (on windows 8 at least)
 

Midlou

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 12, 2016
208
238
Does it work in other programs?
What does windows list as your default audio Mic device.
upload_2019-1-14_9-39-6.png

it should have a little green check by it, you can get to this window by rightclicking the volume icon and selecting recording devices. (on windows 8 at least)

Yep, I use the microphone in the Discord normally...

2YUKXff.png
 

Nethy

L1: Registered
Jan 19, 2018
25
15
How is this related to mapping?

Edit: Didn't mean any harm, just asked out of curiosity.

All Vasya is saying is that should this post is in 'Mapping Questions & Discussion' when it would be more accurate to have placed it in 'Team Fortress 2 talk' or 'Off Topic'. (Not to resurrect that argument, but I just felt it was kind of rude to sarcastically / reprimand Vasya with down votes when they brought a valid point).

However, for solutions.

Try:
1.) Standard Solution
  • Click Start, go to ⚙ Settings> Privacy Settings> Microphone.
  • Turn On "Allow apps to access your microphone"
  • Should be fixed then
2.) Another solution
  • Copy the file dsound.dll from your Windows\system32
  • replace the dsound.dll in CSGO/Tf2 folder
    • You will have to find the Tf2 Alternative of:
      • SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\dsound.dll
3.) A technical grey area solution
  • right click my computer>properties>advanced system settings>enviroment variables>
  • click "user variables for commander"
  • click "new"
    • on the top line input: devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices
    • on the second line input: 1
  • click ok
  • now go to right click my computer>properties>device manager> sound, video and game controllers
  • go through every greyed out device and manually uninstall the drivers for each.
    • WARNING: Some people accidentally uninstalled a few drivers, which caused their headphones to stop working: saying "It says they're not plugged in"
    • tl:dr - be cautious of this method
  • Should be fixed
4.) Another Technical Solution
  • If you right click on the speaker icon in the taskbar of windows and go to recording devices
  • see your headset there and enabled but it will go away then come back in 5 second intervals over and over
  • this constant change caused CSGO/Tf2 to not initialize the recording device because it kept going in and out.
  • To fix it:
    • right click it when it came back
    • quickly go to properties> advanced and in the drop down changed from 16 bit CD quality to 16 bit DVD quality and that made it stop disappearing and now CS/Tf2 is fine.
      • May have to fiddle with 16 bit and select other options

5.)
Worst Case: If all fails then you just gotta restore your computer to factory settings
6.) Sketchy Third Party App (https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/)
  • Try downloading "Equalizer APO".
  • If you cant find it after downloading, go to C:\Program Files\Equalizer APO\Editor.exe
  • After running the program, it will detect the problem and requested a pc restart.
    • Apparently works?

Just a disclaimer: Half of this was cross referenced from a CS:GO forum with the exact same issue while the others were referenced from a Tf2 forum.

Anyway, Good luck & hopefully you can fix your problem!
 
Last edited:

Midlou

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 12, 2016
208
238
All Vasya is saying is that should this post is in 'Mapping Questions & Discussion' when it would be more accurate to have placed it in 'Team Fortress 2 talk' or 'Off Topic'. (Not to resurrect that argument, but I just felt it was kind of rude to sarcastically / reprimand Vasya with down votes when they brought a valid point).

However, for solutions.

Try:
1.) Standard Solution
  • Click Start, go to ⚙ Settings> Privacy Settings> Microphone.
  • Turn On "Allow apps to access your microphone"
  • Should be fixed then
2.) Another solution
  • Copy the file dsound.dll from your Windows\system32
  • replace the dsound.dll in CSGO/Tf2 folder
    • You will have to find the Tf2 Alternative of:
      • SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\dsound.dll
3.) A technical grey area solution
  • right click my computer>properties>advanced system settings>enviroment variables>
  • click "user variables for commander"
  • click "new"
    • on the top line input: devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices
    • on the second line input: 1
  • click ok
  • now go to right click my computer>properties>device manager> sound, video and game controllers
  • go through every greyed out device and manually uninstall the drivers for each.
    • WARNING: Some people accidentally uninstalled a few drivers, which caused their headphones to stop working: saying "It says they're not plugged in"
    • tl:dr - be cautious of this method
  • Should be fixed
4.) Another Technical Solution
  • If you right click on the speaker icon in the taskbar of windows and go to recording devices
  • see your headset there and enabled but it will go away then come back in 5 second intervals over and over
  • this constant change caused CSGO/Tf2 to not initialize the recording device because it kept going in and out.
  • To fix it:
    • right click it when it came back
    • quickly go to properties> advanced and in the drop down changed from 16 bit CD quality to 16 bit DVD quality and that made it stop disappearing and now CS/Tf2 is fine.
      • May have to fiddle with 16 bit and select other options

5.)
Worst Case: If all fails then you just gotta restore your computer to factory settings
6.) Sketchy Third Party App (https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/)
  • Try downloading "Equalizer APO".
  • If you cant find it after downloading, go to C:\Program Files\Equalizer APO\Editor.exe
  • After running the program, it will detect the problem and requested a pc restart.
    • Apparently works?

Just a disclaimer: Half of this was cross referenced from a CS:GO forum with the exact same issue while the others were referenced from a Tf2 forum.

Anyway, Good luck & hopefully you can fix your problem!

I found exactly these results when I did my google research... None worked :\
 

Midlou

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 12, 2016
208
238
As a last resort, you could try resetting all of your TF2 configuration.

Delete the tf/cfg folder and launch TF2 with -autoconfig

I tested it. Did not work.
I'll format the computer... If it does not work, nothing works.