The Holy Grail: Get WMC on Server 2011, 2012 R2 and 2016 tp4

Discussion in 'Windows Server' started by T-S, Sep 30, 2015.

  1. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    I think I'm going to try installing a HDCP compliant video card (temporarily) in the server just to see if I can get the Ceton Tuner working and if that works (which would be awesome) I can worry about the extender stuff. but it would be nice to get past at least one of these hurdles. (though I'll need both for this to be a useful solution for me)
     
  2. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
    3,984
    1,331
    120
  3. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Thanks T-S. i'll give that a try sometime tonight.

    Unfortunately the only video card I have for my server isn't HDCP compliant so I can't test any protected content on that machine. The only other computer I have available is a laptop so I'm going to have to do some network tuner shenanigans in order to do further testing so I'll be performing a clean install of WHS in a little while, and I'll keep you posted on what I find. Interestingly enough with the not-HDCP video card in there and logged in locally I did manage to get TV configured and everything appeared to be working as designed (got an error regarding the video card when trying to view TV) but I was able to download guide data and all of that worked without any hassle at all.

    On another note I also copied the 8 packages from 2008r2 for Hyper-V and it appeared to work but once again I'm not sure if the old processor on my server supports virtualization so I'll probably test that on the upcoming laptop install too. (but all of the services were running and everything appeared to work. The only thing I had to do additionally was copy the C:\Windows\System32\OptionalFeatures.exe from Win7 over to WHS in order to get the Hyper-V feature to show up anywhere as an installable feature since it doesn't show up as a role in server manager)
     
  4. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Yes, I did mean installed via DISM, but I was unaware of the /enable-feature switch, so that's another great tip. Thanks!
     
  5. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
    3,984
    1,331
    120
    Ok, good then.

    P.S. about the CPU, oddly enough, the server versions of windows have weaker requirements than desktop counterparts.

    Say, on may notebook (which is a c2duo) i can't use Hyperview on win8/8.1/10 because that CPU lacks the SLAT feature.

    But on the same machine I can use it on server 2008r2/2012/2012r2 and 2016
     
  6. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    #27 hmmurdock, Oct 16, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2015
    Okay, so I have WHS installed on my laptop and WMC installed. I tried it with the original files and no modifications just for kicks and got an error, something to the effect of "this software cannot start because of a policy in effect" or something along those lines. So I disabled the SPP service and used the tool mentioned above to modify the key mentioned above and got the same error. Did a restart and tried again and till got the same error. Set everything back to the way it was and took ownership of the 4 files, copied the modified versions and next time I launched WMC it did so without error. So it would appear that the modified files are the only working method at the moment.

    I'm still trying to get everything ironed out with my network tuners (which is a bit of a headache) but once I do that I'll try and see how protected content goes with the modified files.

    Edit: Okay I finally got the network tuner stuff ironed out. Everything installed fine. TV setup went without a hitch but when I try to tune to any channels I get a "Service is unavailable" / "no TV signal detected" error. However with the Ceton utility it successfully tunes all of the stations that I subscribe to so there is something weird going on. I haven't had a chance to try any extenders yet, but unlike last time it did immediately detect one of my 360's and prompt me to add it so I'm optimistic that they might work too.

    More details later.
     
  7. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
    3,984
    1,331
    120
    #28 T-S, Oct 16, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2015
    (OP)

    The SKU thing works for sure, I did my test on WHS with it before the files got a patch, so if you receive the policy message error you did something wrong with the policy editor.

    Not sure if you got right how it works. You have to push the apply to registry button, then reboot the machine in the special mode the program suggest, then exit from the command prompt to reboot the machine in normal way.
     
  8. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Right again. (I guess I need to start reading the ReadMe's before I delve into some of this stuff)

    Anyway, I replaced the patched files with the originals, went therough the proper procedures with the policy manager, and still got the same "service Unavailable" message in Windows.

    Suspecting something else might be wrong I used those same network tuners on a bone-stock Win7 WMC install and received the same error. I haven't used that tuner and CableCard in a while so I suspect I need to call my cable operator and have them refresh the card. I'm optimistic it will work once I get the tuner working. As always I'll keep you posted.
     
  9. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Okay, so I got past the previous extender error (Logon Failure: user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer) by going into gpedit.msc and modifying the security policy and adding "Users" and "Guests" to "Allow log on locally" (which is what my functioning Win7 machines was set to) and the next time it went right past the part where it previously hung, but eventually stopped on the last step and now I'm getting a similar error:

    "Media Center Extender Setup cannot exchange certificates with the Extender with ID:xxxxx.
    Error: The owner SID on a per-user subscription doesn't exist."

    At least it's progress.
     
  10. zevious69

    zevious69 MDL Novice

    Oct 6, 2015
    16
    0
    0
    hmmurdock, when you ran DCA did it give you any trouble? Mine is throwing an invalid application error.
     
  11. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    I used the DCA Bypass tool so never actually ran the DCA tool. (but I did install it)

    I'm not positive of forum rules regarding posting such a thing here, but a quick google search should help you find it with a minimum amount of effort.
     
  12. zevious69

    zevious69 MDL Novice

    Oct 6, 2015
    16
    0
    0
    Thanks I used the DCA override too, seemed to work but still trying to run the setup tests errors out on me. Thought it might be an indication of an issue.
     
  13. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Yeah, I've had enough issues with the DCA in the past that I've just gotten into the habit of using the bypass and just ignoring the test itself, especially when using it on hardware that I know is HDCP-compliant.
     
  14. zevious69

    zevious69 MDL Novice

    Oct 6, 2015
    16
    0
    0
    So I tried the product policy editor, first time the change didn't take, rebooted into setup again, set policy change as stated, media center enabled sku = 1, modified registry, rebooted to normal, checked product policy editor again to ensure change stuck this time and it was showing = 1. replaced \ehome\ files with originals and tried to run WMC which failed with the policy error. Put patched files back, ran WMC and it worked as it had before. So it appears that there may be some product policy setting that we are missing to get WMC to run on WHS with the original unpatched ehome files.
    Still not seeing the HDHomerun network tuner in WMC either but it does play with the HDHomerun provided player.
     
  15. zevious69

    zevious69 MDL Novice

    Oct 6, 2015
    16
    0
    0
    I see folks on the win 10 thread having success with the installation of wmc and hdhomerun tuners. Its killing me I can't get this working with slipstreaming the win7 wmc into whs2011. Was curious if it might be a wmc update issue with the base win7 files so i copied over the functioning win7 ehome files, copied patched files to it and tried,,, no luck. WMC attempted to start and died during and/or just after the startup wmc windows logo fade in. a couple times it looked like it might load with the wmc menu but crashed before it loaded. Tried with spp running and without. Though the new ehshell.dll might be checking ssp. Odd thing was that the only real updated file I saw in ehome comparing the functional up to date system (win7) and the base files was eshell.dll. Tried with the original eshell.dll file and has the same experience. There must be some other updates that are in subfolders or other locations that effect wmc's load up.
    Wondering if anyone knows if any of those win 10 install packages (even older version wmc) work on win7 or whs2011 since there seems to be success with hdhomerun tuners in that packaging? would like to try an inplace install if it might work.
     
  16. T-S

    T-S MDL Guru

    Dec 14, 2012
    3,984
    1,331
    120

    As I said to hmmurdock, if you get the error there you are doing something wrong.

    WMC on WHS starts with the sku stettings, period.

    It may have troubles with drivers or whatever, but the program itself must start and work as mediaplayer.
     
  17. hmmurdock

    hmmurdock MDL Novice

    Mar 30, 2012
    48
    16
    0
    Just to be clear, after I got my tuner issues worked out I had protected content playing from my networked Ceton tuner after I installed the 2 cabs created from step #3 and then replacing the 4 files as noted in step #5.

    This was on a new install of WHS and before proceeding with Live TV setup I installed Tuner drivers, PlayReadyx64, DigitalCableAdvisorx64 and ran the DCA Bypass cmd. After that Live TV setup ran as expected with no problems.

    Unless their is some specific need I'm unaware of, I'd skip the sku settings and just stick with the modified files as I've confirmed they do work with protected content.

    Hopefully I'll make some headway today on extender connections.