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

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

  1. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
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    It doesn't work on N versions w/o the media feature pack installed. Not because the lack of the WMP itself, but because other components needed (no Live TV configuration shown at all).

    It works on standard versions (Enterprise and Education included) or on N versions + media feature pack disabling the WMP from the windows optional components manager.

    Haven't tested yet to fully remove the WMP from the Iso, using dism.
     
  2. abbodi1406

    abbodi1406 MDL KB0000001

    Feb 19, 2011
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    #1662 abbodi1406, Sep 25, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    WMP is needed i think

    on first WMC launch i noticed WMP is launched as well in background using this paramaters:
    Code:
    "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /SkipFUE /RemoteOCXLaunch /SuppressDialogs
     
  3. Sergio526

    Sergio526 MDL Novice

    Aug 19, 2015
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    I'm no expert, so this could be me just talking out of my butt here, but does anything different happen if you add the MCX account to the local administrators group? Maybe the tighter permissions are keeping it out.
     
  4. The Mac

    The Mac MDL Novice

    Sep 14, 2015
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    Extenders use the RDP protocol, changes in the protocol between 8.1 and 10 could be problematic.
     
  5. Sergio526

    Sergio526 MDL Novice

    Aug 19, 2015
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    I thought only 3rd party extenders used RDP and the 360 had some sort of dedicated client. Although RDP still kind of makes sense since codecs installed on the PC make files work on the 360
     
  6. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
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    #1666 T-S, Sep 25, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017

    Ok. I did some tests:

    Uninstalled the 5/6 WMP packages with the following script

    Code:
    @echo off
    cd /d "%~dp0"
    echo Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer...
    CLS
    install_wim_tweak.exe /o /l
    install_wim_tweak.exe /o /c Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer /r
    install_wim_tweak.exe /h /o /l
    echo Microsoft-Windows-MediaPlayer is uninstalled. Please reboot Windows 10.
    pause
    
    Rebooted and WMC (already configured) was unaffected.

    I wanted to be more sure, so I uninstalled WMC, uninstalled the playready update, rebooted and reinstalled everything.

    Aside the usual "vodoo" maneuvers to get the listings, I had no problems.

    So I can say that WMP isn't needed, at least on the actual WMC status.

    Maybe it has a part on the DRM management which isn't working anyway.

    Update:

    Nevermind.

    Just realized what

    Code:
    "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /SkipFUE /RemoteOCXLaunch /SuppressDialogs


    does.

    It isn't used because the codecs or drms. WMC use the WMP to sync with mobiles (
    TBH a function that I never used in my life) so that function will be broken removing the WMP.
     
  7. Klownicle

    Klownicle MDL Member

    Jul 27, 2009
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    Update playready does work. Just stop the WMC receiver service before hitting Update. It'll start back up after the PlayReady install + you can install the play ready update manually via Microsoft. This doesn't have anything todo with the issue. After everything is all set, its not play ready that complains but WMC saying System Files Modified.
     
  8. phrunt

    phrunt MDL Addicted

    May 1, 2007
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  9. The Mac

    The Mac MDL Novice

    Sep 14, 2015
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    #1669 The Mac, Sep 25, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2015
    while the 360 obviously has its own client, AFAIK, it still communicates using the RDP protocol/server on the host.

    This was the basis for the SoftSled project to turn a standalone MC into an extender.

    They never could get it to work, and gave up after network tuner pooling became available.
     
  10. meluvalli

    meluvalli MDL Junior Member

    Nov 11, 2013
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    Neither am I :) And I already tried that! Probably should have mentioned that...

    The service runs as "Local Service" as well, so I even tried adding "Local Service" to the Administrators group and that didn't fix it either!

    It was a good thought though (Obviously I would think so since I thought of it as well LOL :biggrin: )
     
  11. meluvalli

    meluvalli MDL Junior Member

    Nov 11, 2013
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    Good point.... So to verify that's not the problem, I could install Windows 8.1 (w/out media center) and use the tool to install it correct??? And see if the extender portion works? Because if it does, then you are probably right... However, if it has the exact same problem, you still could be right, but that wouldn't be the root of the problem...

    Agreed?
     
  12. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
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    The issues with 3rd party extenders breaking with Win8 is due to the WMC user interface being rendered via RDP on those extenders. The user interface is rendered locally on the 360 which is why the changes to RDP didn't effect it. Video still works on all extenders on Win8.

    But my understanding is that the 360 doesn't use RDP at all.
     
  13. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
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    Well, I'm not aware of any significant changes with RDP between 8.1 and 10 so I'm not sure why that was even brought up, but your proposed test has entirely too many unknowns to tell us anything definitive, regardless of the results.

    That said, even if there are changes in RDP between 8.1 and 10, the behavior seen right now is not indicative of an RDP issue. 3rd party extenders that weren't compatible with 8.1 could still connect. (you just couldn't see the UI) Right now, the process is stalling during the initial setup of the extenders, sometimes pointing to an issue creating a scheduled task which shouldn't have anything at all to do with RDP.

    Point being 3rd party extenders still won't be able to render a UI on WMC10 but the 360 issues don't appear to be related to RDP.
     
  14. meluvalli

    meluvalli MDL Junior Member

    Nov 11, 2013
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    Just to somewhat clarify part of this... Extender setup does kind of complete.... The last step is where it fails and that's after hanging for a bit waiting for a connection... If I am not mistaken, the last step only waits for the connection from the Xbox/Extender to complete... And this is where it fails... Because the Xbox never is able to "login".... Even on a genuine WMC machine (Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center), I have gotten that far and it failed, but the Xbox still connects and everything works... Just Media Center didn't get the connection in time, so it thought if failed....

    Normally, when an extender "signs in", you can see the user is signed in on the computer... However, the user never gets signed in with this case.

    The user account is created successfully for the sign in, and the Xbox thinks it's a go to connect, but it never makes it... I almost agree that maybe it is an RDP issue as it completes everything else.

    The error received in the log is only one and it's before it even gets to the last point, so it's not relevant to the issue of the Xbox not connecting... There are no other logs that point to any other issue, so makes it hard for me to determine what the real problem is, and I am not talented enough to know what to even try next :(.

    I have looked under the Windows Logs/Security, and don't see any failed attempts of a login... I am actually thinking it never gets to that point.

    I guess I will just have to wait for this until someone else with more knowledge starts working on this portion... I just wanted whoever to know what I have tried and the outcome.... Obviously, the V10 one gets further than the V6/7, so it's a starting point.
     
  15. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
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    The critical point being that it fails during initial setup, whereas a 360 will complete initial setup on a bona fide WMC 8.1 box. This is the first indication that it is not related to the RDP issue. If you're 360 won't connect on a genuine WMC 8.1 box then there is likely something else wrong with your setup that should be corrected before trying to troubleshoot the WMC10 connectivity.





    360's don't use RDP for WMC. That's why they continued to work with 8.1 when all of the 3rd party extenders broke. It would be one thing if something did actually change in RDP from version 8.1 to 10, but there is no evidence I can find anywhere that RDP has changed. So what you're saying is that something that the 360 doesn't use and didn't change is causing it to act differently between windows versions. It's simply not logical.



    I don't mean to come off as overly negative because your input regarding what your system is actually doing is useful, I'm just saying your speculation is almost certainly incorrect.
     
  16. meluvalli

    meluvalli MDL Junior Member

    Nov 11, 2013
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    I probably didn't word that correctly... I meant to say I have seen this happen... I didn't currently have this problem with my Win 8.1 machine...

    Knowing that I am not an expert, I am not sure what protocol it uses to connect... But, I do remember with Windows 8.1 seeing that when the Xbox is connected, it shows the user signed in to the computer as a normal user...

    Basic troubleshooting that I did when it wouldn't connect to the Win10 machine was try to telnet in to port 3390 from another machine and it worked...

    That very well may be :) I am not an expert in this department :)
     
  17. marcevan

    marcevan MDL Novice

    Sep 11, 2015
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    Hey I went on a business trip for 3 days, came back, and no channels will play even though before they all did. Using Ceton with WMC v6 setup worked before. Now, every channel says "There is currently no TV signal detected for this channel". I've been thru setup again and checked the Ceton diagnostics and all shows I should be able to watch all channels.

    Do I need to uninstall WMC and reinstall every time the PC reboots or something?

    - Win10, with WMC v6 and Ceton 6-tuners (network).
     
  18. meluvalli

    meluvalli MDL Junior Member

    Nov 11, 2013
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    Media Center Extender:
    Ok... I just noticed this in my even log... Not sure how I missed it before!!!

    I have an EVENT ID: 592
    Your Media Center Extender was set up successfully, but failed to connect (timed out after 180000ms).

    So... Yes... System is setup correctly, but for whatever reason Xbox doesn't ever login... Still get "Connection Failure" screen on the Xbox... Again, this is ONLY with V10... V6/7 doesn't get ANYWHERE NEAR THIS FAR!

    If anyone has suggestions to try, I am all for it...

    I have tried adding "Local Service" and "Network Service" to Administrators Group. I have tried adding the "MCX1-" user to Administrators group. I have tried Running Media Center as Administrator. I have even tried running Media Center as "System" user as a last ditch effort... Nothing seems to do the trick... Computer seems to be 100% setup for it, but the Xbox refuses to connect... I can't find any logs where it even tries... I have also tried disabling ALL firewall in Windows 10 thinking maybe it's a firewall issue, but that doesn't seem to fix it either.. Also,

    Device Manager does show the Extender. If I click Properties on it, it shows the correct IP under Location... However, it does show "Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code45)... I am not sure if that's normal or not... I can try re-installing Win8.1 with WMC to see... I guess that would be my next step, but still wouldn't tell my what the root problem is :(

    Update: Ok, just noticed as the Xbox tries to connect to the PC, the device becomes available in Device Manager and says "This device is working properly"... So I assume this is normal... So Why won't it stay connected???? :(