Dragon naturally speaking standard version 10, all updates applied and current, on windows seven ultimate. Was working fine, now whenever I click the desktop icon to start the program, I get the startup splash screen followed shortly thereafter by that message. The only option given is to close. The details button is grayed out slash disabled.

If you are using NaturallySpeaking 10 or 10 with SP1, it is not the latest version. Click Ver. 10.1 Download if you'd like to upgrade from Ver. 10 to Ver. 10.1. Note that this has nothing to do with your problem but we just wanted to make sure you have the latest. Now onto your specific problem...

This error message typically occurs when you are using the Windows Vista or Windows 7 User Account Control (UAC) which you should disable with extreme prejudice. You will find a step-by-step on this process when you look up elevated in the NaturallySpeaking Quick Tips at the top of every page on the KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums.

You might also consider checking out the KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums for other speech related issues as it is the world's most popular speech recognition forum.

Thanks, but I've already been there and seen the solution, and apparently does not apply to this problem. The program is not being run as administrator. I checked both the shortcut on the desktop as well as the actual executable in the program folder file. I've already tried reinstalling, to no avail.

Are you saying that you have already tried the following

Click the "Start" button.
3. Click "Computer".
4. Double-click the "Local Disk C:" drive.
5. Double-click the "Program Files" folder.
6. Double-click the "Nuance" folder.
7. Double-click the "NaturallySpeaking9" or "NaturallySpeaking10" folder.
8. Double-click the "Program" folder.
9. Right-click "natspeak.exe".
10. Select "Properties".
11. Click the "Compatibility" tab.
12. Clear the check mark from "Run as Administrator".
13. Click "OK".

and changed your UAC settings, In the Windows 7 “Action Center” to the lowest settings never notify?

Are you saying that you have already tried the following

Click the "Start" button.
Click "Computer".
Double-click the "Local Disk C:" drive.
Double-click the "Program Files" folder.
Double-click the "Nuance" folder.
Double-click the "NaturallySpeaking9" or "NaturallySpeaking10" folder.
Double-click the "Program" folder.
Right-click "natspeak.exe".
Select "Properties".
Click the "Compatibility" tab.
Clear the check mark from "Run as Administrator".
Click "OK".

and changed your UAC settings, In the Windows 7 "Action Center" to the lowest settings never notify?

Yep, that's correct. It was never running as administrator to begin with. I even tried changing the ownership from system to my user account. No change.

I've resolved the issue. Somehow, yet again, my user files became corrupt. I have now begun training this accursed program for the sixth time in two years. That's three different machines, two different operating systems, two different major releases of Dragon, and yet all the same issues throughout.

Now I have another issue. For some reason it's no longer picking up my microphone. I can get through the audio settings wizard all the way, but no dictation or command is registered in the program. Can't even perform general training, there is no microphone registering. I give up. I think I'll just use windows voice recognition and be done with it.

I'm already using it, right now. I really don't find such a great disparity in recognition accuracy between the two. I'm still using the Sennheiser microphone and the cable that I bought from you. I really am sick of troubleshooting dragon. I've been doing it for two years on three different machines and I'm really sick of it. As I've mentioned before, in my opinion it's the single buggiest program I have ever seen, of any type.

you may not believe this one, Martin, but a simple reboot resolved the microphone issue with Dragon. Go figure...

Technology is evil. I'm going to Mecca.