The combo plug for headphone/microphone on the right side works for the headphone, but not the microphone. The laptop always always always reports that no external microphone is plugged in. I have used multiple headsets and multiple device drivers to no avail. I can't use an external microphone if it is never recognized as plugged in. What do I need to do in order to use a headset microphone, or any external microphone?
Important: For a while I was fooled into thinking that the headset's microphone was working, but that was only because I was talking in front of the laptop. Once I started to move away from straight on, even slightly, my voice cut out. That's when I found that the internal microphone was still being used and tracked down the underlying problem: that the machine thinks the microphone is not plugged in.