WMC has disappeared

[DirtyRat]

Help! Something quite odd has happened, and I can't seem to fix it.

A brief history:

I recently upgraded to Windows 10, cautiously, to see if I could setup a DVR system. I dabbled with NextPVR/Kodi, but was not satisfied by how buggy it all was. I then tried to install WMC via a year old guide on Lifehacker. That guide pointed me to a 2.1 version of the WMC install 'patch'. While WMC DID install, and I was able to watch and record TV, the guide didn't work. Google searching this issue landed me at thegreenbutton.tv, where I found out the patch had be updated to now version 12.

I attempted to uninstall WMC via the included batch file, and reinstall the v12 patch. However, while it did appear to install, attempting to run WMC did NOTHING. The icon was in the start menu, but clicking it made nothing happen.

I wiped 10, did a clean install, went straight for v12 this time, and it installed fine, guide updated, life was good. Ran as well as it did in 7, I was on cloud nine.

Fast forward about a week, I've been using WMC flawlessly for almost a week now. Everything has worked PERFECTLY, wakes up PC to do recordings properly, TV playback is flawless, etc. However, just now I fired up my Windows 10 box, and pushing the green button on my remote does nothing. I look for WMC in the start menu, and it is gone! I also note that my LAN adapter seems to have reset. (On fresh install of 7, and also of Win10, my LAN adaptor has to be tweaked to work with my router. No clue why, but if the Speed settings are left to Auto negotiate, the PC and the router don't see one another. As soon as I set the adaptor to 100 Mb full duplex, the network works fine. So anyhow, I assume the updates WMC has been pestering me to reboot for the past several nights have installed themselves and redid some things.

In a panic I try to rerun the v12 patch, the installer fails. I run the uninstaller, reboot, and then run the installer again. It works fine, no problem, WMC is back in my start menu, but alas! It does nothing when clicked! Just like my previous uninstall/reinstall fiasco! i'd like very much to avoid another rewipe of Windows10, any suggestions how to revive Window Media Center?

[Crash2009]

I have always had to use the Win10 RESET and do a fresh v12. However, others keep telling me wiping out windows is not necessary. Maybe you will have better luck getting it right or coming up with a great set of instructions.

1) Uninstall v12 with the v8 uninstaller
2) Run SFC /scannow and/or DISM restorehealth
3) Boot
4) Install v12 normally

v8 is available in my signature over at the MDL site. http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... ternatives

[DirtyRat]

Thanks for the tips crash, I went after v8 for the uninstaller as you suggested, the download froze at 98% in Chrome. I closed Chrome, then it wouldn't reopen either, just spinny timer icon when you click Chrome, then nothing. Just like WMC. A reboot appeared to run further updates, then WMC was gone again, Chrome worked after that. I went after v8 again, but MDL website seemed to be down and out this afternoon.

For grins I attempted another v12 install, as that was the only patch I had downloaded. That repopulated WMC in my start menu, but still nothing would happen when I tried to run it. I then checked Event Viewer, it showed a couple of errors, one was a .Net Runtime error 1026, the other followed that and was essentially ehomeshell.exe or something like that just wouldn't run. It seemed to be caused due to the .Net error. I briefly scoured Google for a fix, nothing obvious, so I launched the nukes and reinstalled W10.

This time, after W10 finished reloading (total wipe of hard drive), I fired up Windows Update and let it chug. It did go after a hefty Build 1511 Upgrade. After a few hour download (I'm on 'economy' internet) and seemingly as long install time, W10 rebooted with the new build, and it did knock out my LAN adaptor again. So I'm 99% sure this update is what happened immediately before WMC disappeared. Got the LAN card back, gave Windows Update another whirl, all good now. Grabbed 7zip, and v12 WMC. Installed painlessly (I didn't go the hosts file hack this round and the guide still downloaded fine).

WMC is back and purring again. I pointed WMC to my 500 GB spinner (W10 is loaded on a 120 GB SSD), and it found all my recorded shows. Took a moment to resetup series records, and we seem to be cruising again. I wish I would've poured a little more effort into figuring out why WMC wouldn't start prior to nuking the SSD, as I really appreciate the work everybody's down getting WMC working in 10, and I'd like to contribute in some form.

I have been told another beefy update (SP1 style) is headed for W10 this month. So I may have another chance to diagnose things if it goes belly up again.

[Crash2009]

Thanks for the tips crash, I went after v8 for the uninstaller as you suggested, the download froze at 98% in Chrome. I closed Chrome, then it wouldn't reopen either, just spinny timer icon when you click Chrome, then nothing. Just like WMC. A reboot appeared to run further updates, then WMC was gone again, Chrome worked after that. I went after v8 again, but MDL website seemed to be down and out this afternoon.

For grins I attempted another v12 install, as that was the only patch I had downloaded. That repopulated WMC in my start menu, but still nothing would happen when I tried to run it. I then checked Event Viewer, it showed a couple of errors, one was a .Net Runtime error 1026, the other followed that and was essentially ehomeshell.exe or something like that just wouldn't run. It seemed to be caused due to the .Net error. I briefly scoured Google for a fix, nothing obvious, so I launched the nukes and reinstalled W10.

This time, after W10 finished reloading (total wipe of hard drive), I fired up Windows Update and let it chug. It did go after a hefty Build 1511 Upgrade. After a few hour download (I'm on 'economy' internet) and seemingly as long install time, W10 rebooted with the new build, and it did knock out my LAN adaptor again. So I'm 99% sure this update is what happened immediately before WMC disappeared. Got the LAN card back, gave Windows Update another whirl, all good now. Grabbed 7zip, and v12 WMC. Installed painlessly (I didn't go the hosts file hack this round and the guide still downloaded fine).

WMC is back and purring again. I pointed WMC to my 500 GB spinner (W10 is loaded on a 120 GB SSD), and it found all my recorded shows. Took a moment to resetup series records, and we seem to be cruising again. I wish I would've poured a little more effort into figuring out why WMC wouldn't start prior to nuking the SSD, as I really appreciate the work everybody's down getting WMC working in 10, and I'd like to contribute in some form.

I have been told another beefy update (SP1 style) is headed for W10 this month. So I may have another chance to diagnose things if it goes belly up again.

MDL was down for awhile yesterday.

I have been told to use jdownloader to avoid virus/etc., problems from sites such as Mega. I went in to some Mirror Site the other day, and had to un and re-install Edge. Apparently Edge Sucks. Vivaldi was suggested as a replacement (haven't tried it yet, but it is high on the to-do list)

I don't think anyone has bothered to figure out why WMC gets knocked out occasionally. Restore System Image is just a couple clicks.

You might want to do a System Image and save it to your Spinner or.... DVD (preferably)..... if you have a burner.

Sean's WMC Backup will save your Series configuration, and is restorable on a virgin WMC. If you use it on a non-virgin, WMC will be destroyed.

You might want to have a serious look into why the Lan Adapter gets knocked out. I'm just guessing.....could be Win10 Network related or NIC driver, might even be hardware. If WMC has no Internet, you get no guide....then you get recording conflicts, and possibly other symptoms.

[DirtyRat]

The LAN adapter isn't a big deal. I only mentioned it as a symptom that a significant update had occurred. It's actually a router issue, and not the LAN adapter. Windows defaults the drivers to "Speed/duplex settings" in Advanced as set to "Auto negotiate". Which my older Linksys router handled fined. The new router, if my driver is set to Auto negotiate, the router and PC act like the CAT5 cable connecting them isn't there. Literally no lights on either router or motherboard come on. Once I set that to 100 Mb Full Duplex, lights start blinking and it works fine. On a clean W10 install it defaults to Auto negotiate, and likewise after the 1511 update it also defaulted the driver.

On to a more important matter, or a matter I figure you guys here at The Green Button.tv would take very seriously. My green start button doesn''t load WMC! The love! The Green Button doesn't work!

That was actually the first symptom that something had failed when I cried for help. My remote's green button would fire up WMC fine in 7, and also in 10 once I installed it. I was tickled. Prior to firing up WMC, the button did nothing. After installing it initially the green start button launched WMC. All is right in the world I said!

However, I woke W10 one day, and the start button opened "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties". Furthermore, WMC was gone. I eventually figured out that the 1511 update happened.

Fast forward to my latest wipe, upgrade to 1511 FIRST, then installed WMC. WMC works great, everything is good, but the Green Start button still launches Taskbar properties, it seems the 1511 update did something to the way Windows responds to button pushes.

I've looked in Device Manager and do not see any mention of a "eHome" device. I have noticed that some remotes are "eHome" and some are not, but haven't gotten into deeper layers yet.

[Crash2009]

The LAN adapter isn't a big deal. The new router, if my driver is set to Auto negotiate, the router and PC act like the CAT5 cable connecting them isn't there. Literally no lights on either router or motherboard come on. Once I set that to 100 Mb Full Duplex, lights start blinking and it works fine. On a clean W10 install it defaults to Auto negotiate, and likewise after the 1511 update it also defaulted the driver.

On to a more important matter, or a matter I figure you guys here at The Green Button.tv would take very seriously. My green start button doesn''t load WMC! The love! The Green Button doesn't work!

I don't agree with your priority's.

1) If you have no Link Light, you have no Connection. You shouldn't have to adjust the NIC to make a connection to the router. If they don't Auto-Negotiate, you likely need a new Driver. We normally use the driver posted on the NIC Manufacturer Website. Look in Device Manager or get the model number stamped on the NIC.... What is the Model of the NIC (aka Lan Adapter)?

2) This sounds like a driver problem also. Might even be related to 1) The model number is in very fine print on the USB receiver. After you get a new driver, you might have to press the green button twice in Win10/WMCv12.

3) If Chrome will not download a file, use Edge or Internet Explorer, or better yet Jdownloader as I suggested before.

[SpencerC]

1) If you have no Link Light, you have no Connection. You shouldn't have to adjust the NIC to make a connection to the router. If they don't Auto-Negotiate, you likely need a new Driver. We normally use the driver posted on the NIC Manufacturer Website. Look in Device Manager or get the model number stamped on the NIC.... What is the Model of the NIC (aka Lan Adapter)?

That is not necessarily true Crash. I've seen networking gear that simply just won't work (or not work right) without hard setting the duplex and speed. It really shouldn't be this way, but sometimes it is. With that said, my experience is with enterprise gear and have never seen this behavior with home gear.

[Crash2009]

1) If you have no Link Light, you have no Connection. You shouldn't have to adjust the NIC to make a connection to the router. If they don't Auto-Negotiate, you likely need a new Driver. We normally use the driver posted on the NIC Manufacturer Website. Look in Device Manager or get the model number stamped on the NIC.... What is the Model of the NIC (aka Lan Adapter)?

That is not necessarily true Crash. I've seen networking gear that simply just won't work (or not work right) without hard setting the duplex and speed. It really shouldn't be this way, but sometimes it is. With that said, my experience is with enterprise gear and have never seen this behavior with home gear.

Just trying to help the guy get his priority's straight.

[Crash2009]

Devices aside, here is another idea. Try a cat5e cable instead of cat5.