Microphone is too quiet - tried many solutions.

This seems to be a problem for a lot of people using Windows 7 and there is no solid solution.

I have 32 bit installed on both my laptop and desktop and on both the microphone level is too low despite enabling Boost Gain, tinkering endlessly with the sliders and options (such as CD Quality, enhancements, etc) and nothing seems to improve the level.

On my laptop the sound uses High Definition Audio and my Desktop has a Creative XFi Extreme Music card. As previously mentioned, both have the same issue - the mic is way too quiet unless its right up against my mouth and I'm shouting. I've tried several different microphones, several different drivers and currently have the latest drivers installed for both.

As far as I can tell this problem existed in some of the earlier builds of Windows 7 going back to the beta.

Any more solutions? I've reached the last straw now and am really frustrated having wasted hours of my life trying to resolve the issue.

Thanks.

My laptop is a Dell M1530.

As I said however the exact same problem occurs with both my laptop and desktop leading me to believe that this is a Windows problem rather than any direct issue with my hardware.

I never had these issues with Vista, XP or Windows 98 for that matter.

I'll have a quick trawl through the BIOS but I remember doing it about 6 months back and finding nothing.

Unfortunately I've looked at them and it hasn't helped, with my laptop anyway. I have no external audio control for my desktop, only the knob for volume on the speakers.