microphone picking up very little sound, checked basic causes

[kick53rv3]

So as title say, I'll list a more detailed description: my microphone is barely picking up sound when it is a little far from me (it works fine if i hold it up to my mouth and talk, but if i put the headset by my ear it will barely pick up anything at all) I have a cm haf case with frontpanel jacks, the connection have both HD and ac97, I plugged in ac 97 (should i have plugged both in? because the mobo only have slots for 1 front panel) also plugging it straight into the mobo from the back doesn't work either. I tried deleting and reinstalling the drive from both VIA site and MSI site (VIA is the audiodriver company, MSI board), I also tried to do a fresh install of windows (was gonna do it anyway since i got a new HD). No luck for both of them, I am running out of ideas, would it just be because my mobo is bad? since it picks up sound fine when im holding it close would it be because some default noise cancellation or something?

 

[fireberd]

With a new or at least recent motherboard, you should be using the HD audio interface. However, I don't know if that will solve your problem or not. With the HD, the integrated audio chip can sense what you have plugged in.

The mic apparently works OK when close, suggesting it could be the mic rather than the sound card. Can you get or borrow another known good mic and try that just to see. I assume you have the mic volume control set to maximum in the Sound Panel. Some sound cards also have a mic boost, check to see if yours has this as it will boost the input volume level too.