How do you install Media Center on PC running XP Tablet PC Edition? [Archive] - HardwareGeeks.com A Community For the Sophisticated Geek or Geekette

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rickncharlotte

12-12-02, 03:21 PM

Does anyone out there know how to properly install Media Center on a PC running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition...???

I have CD1 & CD2 of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition OS. CD2 of course has the Media Center and Tablet PC components.

Freestyle windows component is not listed in the Add/Remove window components window.

I would greatly appreciate any help that you can provide!

Thanks all!

RicknCharlotte

Rudy

12-12-02, 03:24 PM

i think the best place to look for is irc

AlphaAlien

12-12-02, 04:28 PM

you can do it if you have longhorn, and Freestyle is listed just hidden. You need to go into %windir%\sysoc.inf and move the Freestyle listing to the main group of components and remove the word HIDE from it, but keep the double comma's. On longhorn their's 5 system files that allow you to install MCE without tweaking. Do a search for *m*c* to find all 5 in longhorn (2 in %windir%\inf, 1 in %windir%\system32, 1 in %windir%\system32\restore and last one is in one of the CLSID folders of system32)

rickncharlotte

12-12-02, 09:50 PM

I have already made the change to the sysoc.inf file and yes now it shows in the Windows Components listing and Freestyle has a checkmark in its box but I'm not able to uncheck it at all and Media Center is still not installed. I don't have Longhorn but I am running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition which gets its Tablet PC components from CD2 and the Media Center Components are on that same CD...CD2....so there has to be a way to install the Media Center Components.

Got any other suggestions???

Thanks,
RicknCharlotte

AlphaAlien

12-13-02, 04:24 AM

you need those 5 files from longhorn in order to do it post-install, otherwise you could format and reinstall but use a Media Center key. otherwise, no go.

rickncharlotte

12-13-02, 08:41 AM

OK sounds great! What are the names of the 5 longhorn files that I need? I do have a Longhorn CD...can I extract/expand them from the CD to my computer? Where does each one go? If I put them all in the right place how do I go about with a post-install?

Sorry for all the questions...but you are all knowing!!! LOL

Thanks!
RicknCharlotte

AlphaAlien

12-13-02, 12:32 PM

@werejag: I'm in a lazy mood after writing something for the site. Care to fill in RicknCharlotte on how weve gotten MCE installed post-install?

rickncharlotte

12-14-02, 10:19 AM

Hello??? Can anyone help me??? Post install of Media Center Edition on Windows XP Pro or Windows XP Tablet Edition PC?

Thanks,
RicknCharlotte

AlphaAlien

12-14-02, 07:26 PM

On longhorn their's 5 system files that allow you to install MCE without tweaking. Do a search for *m*c* to find all 5 in longhorn (2 in %windir%\inf, 1 in %windir%\system32, 1 in %windir%\system32\restore and last one is in one of the CLSID folders of system32)

robotor

12-18-02, 02:31 PM

I managed to install MCE on Windows XP, I found installing a new OS was a major pain and hopefully this will help anyone that has the same problems using MCE in Windows XP any version.

What you need is Windows XP Pro CD 2 or the 5in1 CD and the ehshell.exe file from the Longhorn CD.

1. You need a folder called CMPNENTS you will find it in the ROOT folder on the Windows XP CD or the 5in1 CD. .It is only necessary to have the MEDIACTR and NETFX directories and corresponding cabs within the i386.

2. AlphaAlien made a post for a fix for the MEDIACTR.CAB, you can get it http://www.hardwaregeeks.com/download.php?op=viewdownloaddetails&lid=25&ttitle=Longhorn_Media_Center_Tutorial_and_Files

3. Extract the MEDIACTR and NETFX using Winrar or Winzip to the ehome directory under C: Windows/ehome and unzip the fix that AlphaAlien made to the same directory overwriting the files.

4. On the Longhorn CD you can find the same MEDIACTR.file zip, extract the ehshell.exe to the ehome directory same as #3. Overwriting it. If you try to use the one that you extracted from the Windows XP CD or the 5in1 CD it will give you an error saying that this can only work under Windows Media Center.

5. Run medctrro.exe followed by a 40 second pause while the drivers load, after that run ehshell.exe from the same directory and all works great!

I hope this will help anyone wanting to use MCE in Windows XP any version, I found it works great, the only problem is getting my TV to work using my Hauppauge card, the only one that works with it is Hauppauge PVR 250, unfortunately that�s not the one I have.

Robotor

AlphaAlien

12-18-02, 03:56 PM

*points and says, you can see why I've been looking for easy ways to do this*

@Robotor: You can also do it by getting all the preinstall files from a longhorn install related to media center (theirs 5 of them).

viperez

12-19-02, 08:08 PM

AlphaAlien,

Although convoluted, could you post a How-To to get Media Center working on XP? I tried the above steps and they didn't work.

AlphaAlien

12-19-02, 08:24 PM

not until I find a simple enough way to do it, I don't think their's a clean way to do it, so I'll just work on making it simpler.

wertup

12-21-02, 05:40 PM

i have compleated the diy project to create windows media center edition i instaled it over and over again but it didnt work but then he said it wouldnt work without a mce product key he gave me the proper key then he told me to change it to the real oem key after the setup finished in the begining of the setup it copied the files and then it asks for my windows xp professinal sp1 cd and i dont have one why is it asking for this what do i do should i order the cd or what i tried extracting the downloade sp1 files to a cd and that dosent work i tried burning the origanal setup file dosent work what exactly is on the real sp1 cd additional files or what please reply please !!!!??!?!?

wertup

12-21-02, 05:41 PM

bettykelly

01-02-03, 09:54 PM

if u create a MCE CD correctly.
then the important step was the key.
the 1st key can be any valid .net key (got it fr MS officially)
the 2nd key after install n first boot is the real MCE key, which u
must enter by changing the key. otherwise u can enjoy yr MCE.

there is no way 2 teach u how 2 get this , just the same as ...
how 2 download LH, how 2 download 8 in 1....baba.....

good luck.

netkk

01-04-03, 08:22 AM

I did as you posted, but it don't work here. I get an Strong name validation failed error, and just after that one I get an Common Language Runtime exception error.:confused:

bettykelly

01-06-03, 02:32 AM

just try 2 work it out in my spare time.

i hv the experience above that its works fine on my old .........old DELL PII350 desktop without any problem.

But i hv the same status as u when i install on HP PIII450 notebook.
i think their must be a way 2 let it work on [laptop] or might be the display card problem ( my HP with silicon motion LynxEM with 4mb memory size built-in, n the resolution only 600x800, 24 bits)

actually i still try 2 figure it out abt using laptop using LH and/or MCE final.

AlphaAlien

01-06-03, 02:45 AM

netkk: install the .net framework

bettykelly: you have to have 32bit color turned on to use mce, if it can't handle 32bit color then you're kind of out of luck :(

bettykelly

01-06-03, 03:07 AM

great answer, thanks

DigitalMad

01-06-03, 04:19 PM

I am having the same problem as netkk, even after installing .net framework. This is a post XP install (Tablet Edition to be exact). Any more ideas? I would love to get this working!!!

AlphaAlien

01-06-03, 04:27 PM

you most likely won't get it working properly without a reinstall

DigitalMad

01-06-03, 04:35 PM

That sucks! I was trying to avoid that since it seems impossible to install Tablet and MCE on a fresh install.

If anyone figures this out for real, please post the info here!