alsamixer, microphone, hear but not record

[BubblyFeet]

I have a Toshiba 2595CDT (old laptop) with Debian Etch (2.6.18-3-686) installed. After installing and running alsaconf, and adjusting the levels in alsamixer, I can hear my microphone through the speakers, but no programs can. I've tried audacity, sound-recorder, and skype, and none of them get *any* sound, however all run and 'record' with no errors. I also have tried every believable option in in alsamixer, switching the capture device from line to mic, unmuting everything, etc., etc..

This is the relevant (I think) section from lsmod: (added the dashes)

snd_es1968-------------26976 1
tsdev-----------------------7520 0
gameport-----------------14632 1 snd_es1968
snd_ac97_codec--------83104 1 snd_es1968
snd_ac97_bus-----------2400 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss------------38368 0
snd_mixer_oss----------15200 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm-------------------68644 3 snd_es1968,snd_ac97,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer------------------20996 1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc----------9640 2 snd_es1968,snd_pcm
snd_mpu401_uart------8064 1 snd_es1968
shpchp--------------------33024 0
snd_rawmidi-------------22560 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device---------7820 1 snd_rawmidi
pci_hotplug--------------28704 1 shpchp
evdev----------------------9088 1
intel_agp-----------------21148 1
yenta_socket------------24460 3
i2c_piix4------------------8140 0
floppy---------------------53156 0
snd------------------------47012 11 snd_es1968,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,
snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,sn d_rawmidi
snd_seq_device


and a line from lspci:

00:0c.0 Multimedia audio controller: ESS Technology ES1978 Maestro 2E (rev 10)


If the entire outputs of either of those should be posted, I can do that.
Looked around on Google, and found many similar problems. The only fix I saw but couldn't try had something to do wtih ADC and DAC switches, which my alsamixer doesn't have. I guess that has something to do with the driver ..?
As best I can remember, the onboard card Is a realtek ac97, so I think the drivers are right (alsaconf chose them).
If anyone has any hints or ideas, they would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[iwanabeguru]

i think you need software input mixing with alsa dsnoop plugin
you can get some instruction from here
http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc...module=Generic