MSN Messenger 7.5 Troubleshooter apparently renames some parameters in the registry that cause SAP to fail. Is there any way to stop the Troubleshooter from running or the parameter from changing:
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TCPIP\Param eters\DatabasePath
is changed from REG_EXPAND_SZ to REG_SZ

see below from:
https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/thread?messageID=795346

The following programs are currently known to cause this registry
change:

- Starting MSN Messenger 7.5 "Connection Troubleshooter" (Build
7.5.0299).

- Installation of MSN Messenger 7.0 or MSN Messenger 7.5 with
the option automatic scanning and configuration of ports.
This modification prevents the expansion of environment variables in the
value of the parameter. Therefore,
%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc
is not translated to
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
and the services database is not found by the API function
Page 2

getservbyname().

If you have checked the datatype of registry value DatabasePath and it
is REG_EXPAND_SZ, apply SAP Note 52959 to check the appropriate settings
in the services file.

Solution
Start the registry editor and rename the registry value
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TCPIP\Param eters\DatabasePath

Create an Expandable-String Value (REG_EXPAND_SZ) with the same name and
value.

Are you creating a new entry like the solution says or are you just changing the type? Are you leaving the old entry there?