MSI P965 Platinum - Front Panel Audio u/s

Question

Finally after managing to get XP Pro SP1 CD to install, I have a stable system, and thanks to those whom freely gave advice.
But we hit the next issue with this motherboard, the front panel audio.
Firstly the Realtek detection software doesn't detect anything plugged into the front panel.
Connected the cables as follows from my Coolermaster Stacker case;
mobo                = case wires/colour
pin1 aud-mic      = mic-in - yellow
pin2 aug-gnd      = gnd - black
pin3 aud-mc-bas = mic-pwr - red
pin4 aud-vcc      = empty
pin5 aud-fpout-R = R out - green
pin6 aud-ret-R    = R ret - green
pin7 hp-on          = empty
pin8 key
pin9 aud-fpout-L = L out - white
pin0 aud-ret-L    = L ret - white
The above pin out gives nothing at all, but audio from rear ports on the computer motherboard is fine.
I also tried the following,
where the microphone wires were left disconnected, therefore just the speakers plugged into the front panel audio header
mobo                = case wires/colour
pin1 aud-mic      =
pin2 aug-gnd      = gnd - black
pin3 aud-mc-bas =
pin4 aud-vcc      = empty
pin5 aud-fpout-R = R out - green
pin6 aud-ret-R    = R ret - green
pin7 hp-on          = empty
pin8 key
pin9 aud-fpout-L = L out - white
pin0 aud-ret-L    = L ret - white
The above still gave me no audio out from the front panel.
Intrestingly if I leave the front panel audio header blank, I still get rear audio fine, where I would have expected to have put jumpers across the L and R outputs as is the norm.
I have removed the front panel from the computer to ensure that the wires terminate OK, and have not been pulled out/off.
Have I plugged in the wires correctly?
Is there some hidden setting that I have missed, I admit that I do not like the Realtek audio software?
I cannot find any way to boost the microphone input since Realtek audio software has been installed.
One day case/mobo manufactures will use a standard for the front panel headers and front panel audio headers, and we will have a simple single plug to insert, rather than a group of single fiddly connectors that have to be attached to a header that was at the last minute attached to the motherboard as far away from the front of the case, and in the darkest most fiddle corner.
Oh well......
Cheers

Answer 1

AaronYuri - you're are so right there my friend.  I just pity Joe User whom might attempt such a move themselves.
In the end my entire issue was software related, and that has to be blamed on Realteks software, far too many options approached from far too many different angles. Audio is really simple, plug your cables in, and it should just work, certainly in the simple case of 2-1 speakers and a microphone. Why exactly it took a couple of hours to figure out how to get the front panel microphone to be seen in the first place, let alone any signal, is beyond me.
So my cables were all connected correctly as per the MSI manual, confirmed by my Abit manual and other post here and on other forums.
In the Realtek MSI audio software, on the I/O Audio tab, connector settings, I had to select 'disable front panel jack detection' and 'mute rear panel output when front headphones plugged in'. The other option here 'enable auto pop up...' is unchecked.
After this the Realtek software mentioned something about a new profile had been set up?
I then went to Windows Control Panel, Sounds and Audio devices, and selected the voice tab, on this page I selected 'mic IN at front panel [pink]' from the drop down list for Voice Recording'. Proceeded to 'test hardware' and the microphone is now working. This option to select the input in the drop down list was not available before.
All a bit of POKE and HOPE.
But we seem to be there.