DarcyEdwards
The microphone can be turned on in two different places, one is in Hal, ie., speach recognition and the other is a Microsoft switch. If you turn on the control pannel and then click on either sounds or microphone you can turn off the MS's mic. That should solve your problem.
I say this because there are only two ways to make Hal answer you and one is by hitting the enter button and the other is if the mic is turn on someware.
Good luck
Bill