A couple of weeks ago, I posted a message explaining that I have a brand new Dell Optiplex 990 (8 gigs RAM, i5 2500 processor, Realtek sound card, Windows 7, etc.). Not only can I not get DNS to work with what is supposed to be a very powerful machine, but I can't get the machine to recognize *any* microphone other than a USB Skype telephone. That is, Windows sound recorded does not hear me on any microphone--from a $20 Radio Shack job to a $150 Boom. 

I have tried these microphones on other computers, and they work with both WSR and DNS. 

Dell, which gives incomparable telephone support (if only Nuance gave support one-tenth as good, even by email!), spent three hours on the phone with me trying to figure out the problem. They concluded that it could be an incorrectly configured OS (driver, whatever) or a sound card problem, but that I need to rule out a software problem first. (Myself, I'm beginning to think I will never get DNS to work again, and that it's neither a driver nor a faulty sound card, but just a misalignment of the stars.) 

So, this is my question: If I recall correctly, someone here said that DNS wants to be installed before any other programs. Is that right? 

Does anyone have any other advice before I proceed to reinstall the OS?

Thanks, 

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Lunis,

Thanks for the feedback.  

I read the article on the Realtek soundcard and fully understood that it is not the world's greatest. However, the fact that WSR was not hearing ANYTHING indicated, to me at least, that there was something else going on--I mean, one thing is for a soundcard not to meet Nuance's demanding requirements, and another is for No sound to get through.

So, I went ahead and did the reinstall. And, lo and behold, WSR now hears me, both with the crappy Radio Shack mic and with the Boom. *And*, most amazingly of all, I was able to configure DNS and pass the sound test and create a user profile. 

Now, I may well find that the performance is not *that* great and that I need an external soundcard. But I didn't want to have another soundcard shipped all the way down to Mexico only to find out, like last time, that that had not solved the problem. 

So, the problem seems to be more or less solved. But looking back on all of this and on the multitude of tests I have run, it occurs to me that the problem could be Skype. Why? Because Skype has heard me all along, on all of the computers I have tested my microphones on, and I wondering if Skype could somehow be monopolizing the sound input. 

Therefore, my question for today is if anyone knows of a possible conflict between Skype and other devices that use the soundcard. Just in case there is such a conflict, I have not installed Skype on my now-DNS-enabled computer. That said, I should note that before this incredible fiasco began, I had used Skype successfully alongside DNS.

All for now, and thanks to those of you who have generously sent your input on this problem.

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