Weird microphone question

[QueBert]

I have an audio interface for my XLR mic. It works great with most programs, but I have stumbled upon a few lately that for the microphone option I'm only getting line in/mic in, and an older version of Rosetta Stone & a few other programs that's aren't detecting a mic at. I think they're looking for something plugged into a line/mic in, and this interface doesn't have those. Any program where the setting for microphone is line in/mic in I don't get any recording

Is there anything I can do to trick Windows to see my Steinberg CI2 interface as a line in device? The default recording device says Line and shows the Steinberg, but it's not good enough for some programs. I don't have a regular 1/8 mic and even if I did this interface doesn't have inputs for anything other than XLR any ways. It does have L/R outputs, I was thinking running a 1/4 to 1/8 cable from 1 into the mic input on my on board sound, but I'm not even 100% sure this would work. One thing I do notice is in the recording tab in my audio my Steinberg is the deault device, but I'm not seeing an option to make it the default communication device. And I'm not finding anything on Google to tell me how to change this, when I right click on it it's not even a grayed out option, it's just not there. Not sure this is the problem, but I know my Realtek microphone device has a default communication option.

Any ideas?

 

[sm625]

Go into your bios and turn off your onboard sound. You might not have any sound output but you should still be able to test if this forces your programs to accept the XLR as default. If they accept it then re-enable your onboard sound and hope it keeps the XLR set as default.

 

[QueBert]

good idea, I tried it and Dragon says it can't detect an audio system, Rosetta still has no mic showing up. I guess these 2 programs are just dumb

 

[sm625]

If they arent detecting your microphone then its your microphone driver that's at fault. It must not be showing up as a proper microphone. Is this windows 7?

 

[QueBert]

Yeah Windows 7, it's not listed as a microphone in the recording devices in the sound settings. It's "line", but in the Windows 7 built in sound recorder it's recording without me doing anything, so as far as Windows seeing it as a mic it's seems all good. Dragon's looking specifically for something connected to the mic in/line in and nothing else and Rosetta is doing the same thing. It sucks these programs are so inflexible, and neither are what I'd consider cheap. I bought them off CL, but new Rosetta's like $350 and Dragon's like $200. The problem here's definitely the programs since I can record with other proggies without any problem. I just wish I could figure out a work around. I guess my only hope at this point will be to run a cable from the line out on my interface to my on board mic in and set my Realtek line in as my recording device.