I run Windows 2000 Professional and use an Intel Deluxe PC Camera. The camera's documentation states that the default video software is Intel Video Phone. I was using NetMeeting successfully until I installed the Win2K version of Intel Create & Share software. After the installation, NetMeeting wouldn't transmit audio to other NetMeeting clients on my LAN—although I could receive their audio. I uninstalled the Create & Share software from my machine, but the problem remained. The NetMeeting audio tuning wizard worked, and I could hear myself in my headphones.

Next, I used Microsoft Directory Services to connect to another PC on my LAN to test NetMeeting. MSN Messenger popped up on the other PC and accepted my call, but I received the error message This program is needed for opening files of the type 'URL CallTo Protocol'. Location of Intel.exe:. I browsed to find intel.exe, but the file didn't exist. When I clicked Cancel, another dialog box opened that said Internet Explorer cannot open this helper application for callto 123.123.123.123 (i.e., the IP address of the PC I was calling).

I used Device Manager to uninstall and reinstall the camera. Then, I started the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs applet and selected Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). I used the applet's Repair option to try to repair IE, but my machine still wouldn't transmit audio. I also discovered that you can't uninstall, reinstall, or otherwise repair Win2K Pro's NetMeeting.

I reviewed the Microsoft article "HOW TO: Remove and then Reinstall NetMeeting" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=267958), which explains how to uninstall and reinstall Win2K Pro's NetMeeting 2.x but not NetMeeting 3.0. However, the article mentioned the winnt\inf\msnetmtg.inf file—which pointed me in the right direction. I suspected that I could use the msnetmtg.inf file to launch a new NetMeeting installation. I right-clicked the file and selected Install. NetMeeting 3.0 then reinstalled with no glitches. The installation process asked for a file from the Win2K Pro Service Pack 2 (SP2) update CD-ROM.

I rebooted and tried NetMeeting again. The other workstation still couldn't receive audio over the network connection. I tried a directory server connection through MSN Messenger and discovered that the intel.exe errors no longer occurred.

Next, I used the Netstat —a command to see if another process (e.g., an Intel software remnant) was using NetMeeting ports 389, 522, 1503, 1720, or 1731. I didn't detect any conflicts, either with or without NetMeeting loaded.

Finally, I took another look at the msnetmtg.inf file. I noticed several references to HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry subkeys, and I wondered whether the problem could be related to the user. I remembered that I had installed the Create & Share software while logged on with my daily user account. So, I logged off and logged back on as Administrator—voilà; the other PC was then receiving my audio.

I realized that although the reinstallation had repaired NetMeeting, I still had a registry problem with the current user. I compared the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Conferencing\Audio Control registry subkey for my daily user account with the subkey for my administrative user account and discovered that the Administrator's Direct Sound parameter was disabled. I logged on with my daily user account and cleared NetMeeting's Enable DirectSound check box. The daily user could then transmit audio. Interestingly, I didn't need to disable the Enable DirectSound option to have audio before I installed the Create & Share software.