701c internal microphone failed

[Howard <howie@loop.com>]

Recently there was a scratchy sound coming through the speaker when I
adjusted the 701 screen/lid.  When using an audio application, this was
particularly apparent.  (Sounded like a bad connection.)  Last night the
internal microphone totally gave up the ghost, and is inoperative.  I
suspect the sound I heard was the wiring for the mike slowly disintegrating.
Anyone had a problem like this?  (Connecting an external mike worked, so it
is not an audio driver problem.)  

This also unearthed another fact:  Even with the internal microphone out of
service, audio applications still seem to pick up much background sound from
within the computer, such as the hard drive searching.  When testing with
Audio Recorder, that came pre-installed, if I recorded sound, I could "hear"
the hard drive clicks on playback.  This is true even with the external mike
plugged in but turned off.  

Love to hear any feedback before I contact IBM.

Howard Simpson