The MCEClientMaintenance package is not available

[rimmel]

A couple of weeks ago I build a new HTPC from scratch using Windows 7, Windows Media Center, and EPG123. The setup of WMC was done as I have always done it except I used a zip code of zeros to get past the no longer existing Microsoft/Rovi guide download. I setup EPG123 as I have in the past without issue. Everything seems to be working OK. Recording are good. However, whenever the mcupdate_scheduled task (mcupdate -crl -hms -pscn 15) created by WMC setup runs all I get in the event log are messages about such and such packages (ClientUpdate, SportsV2 and EpgListings to name a few) are not available which I assume is normal since Microsoft shut down all that stuff. But one of those messages is: "The MCEClientMaintenance package is not available". In other words, client maintenance has never run. At least not automatically. I can still run client maintenance from the command line using the -dbgc switch, but that's a pain. I have an older HTPC build in 2017 that did not experience this issue. Client maintenance has run every 5 days on this HTPC from the beginning and still does to this day without any intervention. Has anyone experienced this issue? What are these "packages" anyway? Is there a way to make an unavailable package available?

[stuartm]

I doubt it. It's probably not that important anyway. You best option is to just set up a regularly scheduled task to run DB garbage collection. I don't think that there was any other functionality that you would be missing by not having the package.

[unclebun]

You set up WMC wrong if you put in a zip code of all zeroes. Follow the instructions that EPG123 gives, which is to decline the guide at all when setting up WMC. There should never come a point where you are asked to enter a zip code.

[garyan2]

As an experiment, you could copy over all the files and folders from c:\programdata\microsoft\ehome\packages on the working system over to the fresh system.

[rimmel]

As an experiment, you could copy over all the files and folders from c:\programdata\microsoft\ehome\packages on the working system over to the fresh system.

I copied the files and folders from the working system to the fresh one. Unfortunately, this did solve the problem. I still just get a bunch of package not available messages in the Media Center event log when mcupdate runs. I do appreciate the suggestion though and if you have any more I'm all ears. I suspect that since Microsoft retired all this stuff this condition my be the new normal for a fresh system build.

[unclebun]

Set up Media center TV again, but this time decline the guide like you're supposed to. I've done fresh installation and encounter no such problems.

[garyan2]

I think this one is a little different. This is on a fresh OS install that will never get any package updates for WMC. It's going to need some investigation.

It would be the same as if you removed WMC, deleted the programdata\microsoft\ehome folder, and then added WMC back. It looks like there is a possibility that the 5 day client maintenance will not happen in this situation.

[unclebun]

Unless the OP didn't sit through three days of Windows Updates, they should be there. I just rebuilt a Windows 7 computer less than a month ago and everything worked just fine as far as WMC. Installed Windows from scratch on a new SDD in an old laptop.

The thing I am keying on is that he had to enter a false zip code to get arounf that step in setup. To me that means he has a halfway installed Rovi guide.