[DISCUSSION] Patch WMC to run on Windows 10 final & possible alternatives

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by ricktendo64, May 8, 2015.

  1. clarkiej

    clarkiej MDL Novice

    Apr 12, 2016
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    I have just completed the upgrade to 1803.
    To get WMC64_8.8.1 running again, I did not bother performing a backup, but instead uninstalled and then reinstalled a clean copy.
    Rebooted my machine and then attempted to run up WMC again. It started up and then I configured a custom install, had WMC successfully scan for FTA channels
     
  2. clarkiej

    clarkiej MDL Novice

    Apr 12, 2016
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    #8802 clarkiej, May 9, 2018
    Last edited: May 10, 2018
    I have just completed the upgrade to 1803.
    To get WMC64_8.8.1 running again, I did not bother performing a backup, but instead uninstalled and then reinstalled a clean copy.
    Rebooted my machine and then attempted to run up WMC again. It started up and then I configured a custom install, had WMC successfully scan for FTA channels.
    WMC now plays live TV and will record the same. What it will not do is play back recorded shows pre 1803 update with the missing Decoder error similar to others, but will play back post 1803 recorded files. To fix this, I replaced the April version of MSVidCtl.dll under Windows\System32 with teh March version. I can now play back the older files without an issue
     
  3. guymontag

    guymontag MDL Novice

    Jan 2, 2016
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    +1
     
  4. chroma002

    chroma002 MDL Novice

    May 14, 2018
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    Hi. Just started using WMC on W10 (in fact, it's the first program after the chipset drivers and apps I installed on this new hardware), and I have a few issues:

    * Once I've started watching TV, I won't be able to change to another channel. I'll either get a black screen or the program will freeze with a loading icon in the middle of the screen. Takes a few seconds for the program to die once I alt+f4.

    * WMC becomes seriously slow and unresponsive. It seems to be related to going full screen, as I haven't experienced this issue while the program is in windowed mode. I added the program to Borderless Gaming, but WMC still goes full screen on its own accord. Is there any way to prevent it from going full screen? I'd prefer to find a way to hide the taskbar and have much faster window switching while using the program in borderless fullscreen.

    * All the recorded programs I have carried over from my W7 WMC use result in "decoder error". I begrudgingly downloaded the Shark007 codec pack as suggested in the workarounds.txt, but Windows Defender is blocking it. Is there a way around this problem without resorting to these shady bulk codec packs? How safe is Shark007's pack/why is it being flagged?

    * Sometimes, I get decoder error when trying to watch a TV channel.


    These are the issue I've come across so far, and they are quite restrictive. If you guys could help me out, that would be great!

    Thanks

    - A sad W10 user, still grieving their dead W7-capable motherboard
     
  5. jmsnyc

    jmsnyc MDL Junior Member

    Oct 2, 2015
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    I can say that WMC has not been stable for me. I just cleanly reinstalled and I also experience freezing and black screens especially when toggle between desktop and wmc. Sadly I think its time for alternative.
     
  6. royorlev

    royorlev MDL Novice

    May 25, 2012
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    H
    after upgrade to 1803 installed WMC v12.
    first time WMC started ok. but as mentioned before, i couldn't change channels (on live TV) or use timeshift. all i get is blank screen. In order to change channel, i have to stop completely (not pause) and choose a different channel from the guide (or exit WMC and start again). Sometimes it did work for a few minutes (changing channels and timeshift) but after a few minutes it goes back to the faulty behavior.
    uninstalled.
    installed WMC v8,8,1 x64, same behavior as above.
    uninstalled.
    installed V12 again. WMC will not start at all (like @Delphiwizard and @manintan described). checked event log, there are 2 errors:
    1. ..NET Runtime
    Application: ehshell.exe
    Framework Version: v4.0.30319
    Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
    Exception Info: System.AccessViolationException
    at Microsoft.MediaCenter.Interop.Win32Api.SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID(System.String)
    at ServiceBus.UIFramework.UserControlPoint.Launch(System.String)

    2. Application Error
    Faulting application name: ehshell.exe, version: 6.3.9600.16384, time stamp: 0x5215efc2
    Faulting module name: shcore.dll, version: 10.0.17134.1, time stamp: 0x85fa7861
    Exception code: 0xc0000005
    Fault offset: 0x0000000000009558
    Faulting process id: 0x2094
    Faulting application start time: 0x01d3ec71987d9091
    Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehshell.exe
    Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\shcore.dll
    Report Id: 04f19ebb-fd76-4b07-b6d4-630f842a00f0
    Faulting package full name:
    Faulting package-relative application ID:

    I didnt check if i have the codec error since i dont have recordings. I just use WMC for live TV.

    can anyone help?
    Roy.
     
  7. IceFragmatic

    IceFragmatic MDL Novice

    Aug 2, 2009
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    Have yopu read through the last 3 pages? You will find the answer there. You need to replace the current version of MSVidCtl.dll with the version from the old copy of windows. It will hopefully still be in the windows.old folder..



     
  8. jmsnyc

    jmsnyc MDL Junior Member

    Oct 2, 2015
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    Does it matter how old the MSVidCtl.dll file is , can it have a 2017 timestamp?

    Also, is a good way to do this is to use the trusted installer dos window launched with _testrights then cd to system32 ren MSVidCtl.dll MSVidCtl.bak and then cp <file location of old MSVidCtl.dll> . where the . is the current directory (windows/system32 ) ?
     
  9. j.c.f.

    j.c.f. MDL Member

    Mar 1, 2016
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  10. ejohnson0547

    ejohnson0547 MDL Novice

    Aug 3, 2009
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    #8810 ejohnson0547, May 16, 2018
    Last edited: May 16, 2018
    Sorry, wrong info...
     
  11. Bigal

    Bigal MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Hi j.c.f
    I tried your launcher, if you minimise WMC and unminimise it, the windows goes back to how it was if it was used without your launcher and a failure window pops up saying " didnt find window -8,-32,1936,1119 C:\Windows\ehome\ehshell.exe"
    Any suggestions?
     
  12. j.c.f.

    j.c.f. MDL Member

    Mar 1, 2016
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    #8812 j.c.f., May 16, 2018
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
    Curious. Well that version was an older version, I've since added a new layer to it using a different mechanism to look for windows so maybe if you download it again the new version will work on your machine. Didn't think that was needed for WMC but who knows (I use launcher to reposition all my windows these days as once the main monitor (a TV) turns itself off when the laptop sleeps every window moves and it's super nice to have a batch file to move them all back where they should be).

    Ooh, now there's a thought, maybe you've got a hung eshell.exe processes. I notice from time to time my machine has any number of superfluous WMC processes in the task manager so maybe you've got a few of these and laucher.exe is picking the first of them and of course it doesn't have a window associated with it if it's a hung process so laucher pukes and says it can't find the window. Either reboot and see if it happens again or see if you have extra green button processes with the task manager and nuke 'em.

    Yeah, just had a look at the source code and indeed I changed a couple of things related to hung processes between the last release and this one so I double down on the download the latest version option.
     
  13. royorlev

    royorlev MDL Novice

    May 25, 2012
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    I read everything. I understand that replacing MSVidCtl.dll fixes the decoder error. but i dont have this problem.
    Either i i cant start WMC at all (on ver 12) or i can't change channels (on ver 8.8.1), but no decoder error while watching.
     
  14. j.c.f.

    j.c.f. MDL Member

    Mar 1, 2016
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    You
    Have you tried the reset settings batch file in 8.8.1? I never had any success with v12 (v11 was the last main fork release that worked for me) and have since used the alternate branch religiously but it's possible the two fight each other so resetting everything (beyond just reinstalling) might be your ticket.
     
  15. mmortal03

    mmortal03 MDL Novice

    Feb 4, 2017
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    What other options out there provide the TV guide information for free?
     
  16. mmortal03

    mmortal03 MDL Novice

    Feb 4, 2017
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    I haven't had the channel changing problem. I wonder if it's tuner specific? One thing that anecdotally worked for me to solve other issues on 1803 was running the v8.8.1 Backup-Restore script to backup my settings, then running the ResetSettings.cmd script, then open and closing WMC (without configuring it), and then running the Backup-Restore to restore my settings. I'm curious if this might help your situation.
     
  17. IceFragmatic

    IceFragmatic MDL Novice

    Aug 2, 2009
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    depends what country....
     
  18. Bigal

    Bigal MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    hi j.c.f
    i downloaded it again and the txt file says the same version.. version 4.4 03/18/18
     
  19. Bigal

    Bigal MDL Member

    Mar 4, 2011
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    Tried that, no joy
    Bigscreen is not free