EPG Cutover: Best Solutions Poll

[kdurbin82]

Please respond to the poll!

[wassupTC]

How many votes do I get? I have six different machines. (I voted for the "My WMC turned over automatically" because for three of my six machines, it did. One required re-running the WMC TV Setup. One required blanking my WMC setup and starting from 'scratch', editing the host file, changing the ZIP codes, and flushing the DNS. One required blanking WMC, editing the host file, changing the ZIP codes, flushing the DNS, and then setting the DNS to Google's.) So 3 of 6 means 'automatically' right?

[tzr916]

OTHER- new/different IP's in HOSTS file, flush dns, run tv setup.

Would have voted #3 but did not mention HOSTS file???

[Crash2009]

I voted for 3 because flush dns was step 2 in modify hosts file. I believe this step alone might jump start WMC to download ROVI.

Also this was the last thing I did prior to having success.

[bogglor]

None of these solutions work 100% and I honestly think it's the complete random luck of whatever your DNS resolves to AT THAT MOMENT as to whether or not updating the EPG is successful.

I have used Comcast's (my ISP) DNS, Google's DNS, my employer's DNS, set hosts files to every address under the sun - none of it works reliably. I've done the zip code thing, same story.

data.tvdownload.microsoft.com resolves to different things in different parts of the country, and I've used Looking Glass to test them all. No dice. Flushed DNS an infinite amount of times. Nada.

cdn.epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com is a load balanced address that is distributed among several Akamai caching sites across the globe. You may notice that you get a completely different one every 5 minutes you run an nslookup (no matter what DNS you use).

The only thing that I haven't done is uninstall WMC completely and start over. It's unfathomable that Microsoft would do this without having a contingency plan in place. I simply can't reach Rovi at all from either my location or my PC. Or I just haven't been lucky enough yet.

Hate this problem.

[scoobybri]

After going through the million or so posts about the EPG not working, I tried many of the solutions posted and none worked for me. I tried uninstalling WMC and reinstalling, changing DNS servers, installing all Windows updates, trying many different ZIP codes, etc. The TV setup process would never download the guide data. I tried running a packet sniffer to see what was happening when WMC was looking for the guide data and everything was working with the DNS, negotiations with the guide server, etc. Pulling on some of my old Windows knowledge about program installations and data, I found a solution that worked for me as well as a friend of mine who lives in another state.

Here are the steps:

Keep in mind that you will lose your recording schedule. You will just need to set it up again once you are finished with this process.

1. Uninstall Windows Media center from the Programs and Features section of Control Panel. Under the Media Features section, unselect Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. Click OK. Let Windows reboot.

2. You need to delete 2 directories that hold Media Center databases and other info. These directories remain after uninstalling WMC and need to be removed so that WMC does not pick up old settings when reinstalled. First, verify that you can view hidden files and folders. You will not be able to find the folders listed below if Windows is using hidden folders. To do this, open Control Panel and select Folder Options. Click the View tab. Under the Hidden files and Folders section, select "Show hidden files,folders, or drives" Click OK. Open File Explorer and select your C: drive (or whatever drive Windows is installed on). Open this directory: Users->(Name of current user)->AppData->Local->Microsoft. Delete the eHome directory. Next, Go back to your C: drive. Open ProgramData->Microsoft. Delete the eHome directory.

3. Reinstall Windows Media center from the Programs and Features section of Control Panel. Under the Media Features section, select Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. Click OK. Let Windows reboot.

4. Open Media Center and choose Custom Setup. Run through the setup process. In the TV section of the setup, the guide data should come down properly and the channels will be scanned and listed like they should.

Hope this helps!

Brian from Baltimore

[Moderator note: topic merged]

[DOS4EVER]

This doesn't always work. I think you really just have to get lucky at the right time when going through TV setup. I personally reformatted my hard drive more than once and still had trouble downloading on the first try. For me the only thing that may have helped was doing a manual mcupdate a few times, but again I think it's random.

[scoobybri]

Well, I've had 3 WMC PC that were failing and after I performed this procedure, all 3 instantly got the guide data properly. (2 different zips in different states/TV markets.) I really think that different problems have been manifesting due to MS servers. Alot have people have been working on this for a week at different stages of the new guide deployment. Since it had been a moving target, there have been multiple fixes that have worked and some things have looked to be random due to the service being in flux. At this stage, I think that the guide data is there but since the old data persists through uninstall/reinstall, WMC still looks to the old zip code/zapit data set it used to use. By removing the eHome directories in both places, WMC had absolutely no choice but to look for the new guide/channel info when configured after a reinstall. I would be interested to see if this process works for others before it is dismissed as not working.

[tzr916]

None of these solutions work 100% and I honestly think it's the complete random luck of whatever your DNS resolves to AT THAT MOMENT as to whether or not updating the EPG is successful.

I have used Comcast's (my ISP) DNS, Google's DNS, my employer's DNS, set hosts files to every address under the sun - none of it works reliably. I've done the zip code thing, same story.

data.tvdownload.microsoft.com resolves to different things in different parts of the country, and I've used Looking Glass to test them all. No dice. Flushed DNS an infinite amount of times. Nada.

cdn.epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com is a load balanced address that is distributed among several Akamai caching sites across the globe. You may notice that you get a completely different one every 5 minutes you run an nslookup (no matter what DNS you use).

The only thing that I haven't done is uninstall WMC completely and start over. It's unfathomable that Microsoft would do this without having a contingency plan in place. I simply can't reach Rovi at all from either my location or my PC. Or I just haven't been lucky enough yet.

Hate this problem.

My experience with DNS / HOSTS file:
Last Sept 2014 a whole bunch of people stopped getting guide updates. I was one of them. I tried every static DNS I could find and could not get guide to download/update. As soon as I entered some IP's into my HOSTS file, my guide downloaded/updated perfectly. I left those IP's in my HOSTS file. Until this Rovi mess- Tried several times but could not get Rovi to download so changed the IP's in the HOSTS file and the Rovi instantly updated.

New HOSTS:
65.55.186.113 data.tvdownload.microsoft.com
72.246.56.59 cdn.epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com


Old HOSTS:
65.55.5.170 data.tvdownload.microsoft.com
2.16.216.176 cdn.epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com

[bogglor]

I would love to try uninstalling WMC entirely via removing the feature, but that even won't work properly. It just quits in the middle of the process and tells me it can't be uninstalled. I might try stopping the services and moving the Ehome directory somewhere and seeing what the behavior is then.

[jlv]

I tried re-running TV setup, used the HOSTS data posted above, and several other things.

What finally worked for me was to use a different ZIP code. Someone posted a Boston-area one in the known working ZIP codes thread, and that was what worked for me.

[l-schm]

I finally decided after unsuccessful attempts restoring the EPG, to use the date and time record feature. For me, this is a good workaround seeing as how I can custom name the recordings. I just need to get tv listings from other sources rather than the EPG.

[mjovanovic]

Hi Guys,

I just joined to add to this board since I'd been having the same issue as everyone else and thought I'd chime in.

I tried everything, including the alternate zip code and it never kicked in or worked (left my machine on 24/7 for a full week, did windows updates, etc). I repeatedly tried to re-run TV setup.

What worked for me is that during a bit on insomnia at 3am this morning I decided to give it another shot and it took right away. At least one other member here has said that they believe that it's just the luck of the draw and good timing that gets it to work and now I agree with them. I don't know about the accuracy of the guide (it has a lot more channels than I remember having before) but I haven't auto-tuned it yet. Otherwise it looks ok (and the guide data on my primary WMC machine updated on it's own and it looks ok too).

Hope it's over for now. Just wanted to put my two cents in.

-Mike

[Chalk]

This worked for me finally. The trick was to delete the ehome folders in both places.

Thank you Brian from Bawlmer!

After going through the million or so posts about the EPG not working, I tried many of the solutions posted and none worked for me. I tried uninstalling WMC and reinstalling, changing DNS servers, installing all Windows updates, trying many different ZIP codes, etc. The TV setup process would never download the guide data. I tried running a packet sniffer to see what was happening when WMC was looking for the guide data and everything was working with the DNS, negotiations with the guide server, etc. Pulling on some of my old Windows knowledge about program installations and data, I found a solution that worked for me as well as a friend of mine who lives in another state.

Here are the steps:

Keep in mind that you will lose your recording schedule. You will just need to set it up again once you are finished with this process.

1. Uninstall Windows Media center from the Programs and Features section of Control Panel. Under the Media Features section, unselect Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. Click OK. Let Windows reboot.

2. You need to delete 2 directories that hold Media Center databases and other info. These directories remain after uninstalling WMC and need to be removed so that WMC does not pick up old settings when reinstalled. First, verify that you can view hidden files and folders. You will not be able to find the folders listed below if Windows is using hidden folders. To do this, open Control Panel and select Folder Options. Click the View tab. Under the Hidden files and Folders section, select "Show hidden files,folders, or drives" Click OK. Open File Explorer and select your C: drive (or whatever drive Windows is installed on). Open this directory: Users->(Name of current user)->AppData->Local->Microsoft. Delete the eHome directory. Next, Go back to your C: drive. Open ProgramData->Microsoft. Delete the eHome directory.

3. Reinstall Windows Media center from the Programs and Features section of Control Panel. Under the Media Features section, select Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. Click OK. Let Windows reboot.

4. Open Media Center and choose Custom Setup. Run through the setup process. In the TV section of the setup, the guide data should come down properly and the channels will be scanned and listed like they should.

Hope this helps!

Brian from Baltimore

[Moderator note: topic merged]

[hueyatl1]

Tried everything above still no EPG data. When running TV Setup get the following message:

"DOWNLOAD FAILURE The new TV setup data could not be downloaded. The existing data, if available, will be used as you continue through TV signal setup."

followed by on the next screen:

"Downloadable Guide Not Available Downloadable TV Program Guide listings are not available due to previous downloading failures. .....try again"

After finishing setup still no data in EPG. When I go to TV - Guide the About tab no longer exists.

[mjovanovic]

Tried everything above still no EPG data. When running TV Setup get the following message:

"DOWNLOAD FAILURE The new TV setup data could not be downloaded. The existing data, if available, will be used as you continue through TV signal setup."

followed by on the next screen:

"Downloadable Guide Not Available Downloadable TV Program Guide listings are not available due to previous downloading failures. .....try again"

After finishing setup still no data in EPG. When I go to TV - Guide the About tab no longer exists.

This is exactly what I was seeing as well, it turned out that doing it super early in the morning (3am) did the trick. I don't know if it was a fluke or what but it really seems like the luck of the draw whether you'll get pointed to an update server that works. I'm not saying to stay up until 3am to try but if your machine is on and you happen to wake up for a glass of water it's worth a try. The guide for me has updated on two different machines. One kept running out of guide data and just updated on it's own. My newly built machine sat for a week and never got updated until this morning.

[hueyatl1]

Tried everything above still no EPG data. When running TV Setup get the following message:

"DOWNLOAD FAILURE The new TV setup data could not be downloaded. The existing data, if available, will be used as you continue through TV signal setup."

followed by on the next screen:

"Downloadable Guide Not Available Downloadable TV Program Guide listings are not available due to previous downloading failures. .....try again"

After finishing setup still no data in EPG. When I go to TV - Guide the About tab no longer exists.

This is exactly what I was seeing as well, it turned out that doing it super early in the morning (3am) did the trick. I don't know if it was a fluke or what but it really seems like the luck of the draw whether you'll get pointed to an update server that works. I'm not saying to stay up until 3am to try but if your machine is on and you happen to wake up for a glass of water it's worth a try. The guide for me has updated on two different machines. One kept running out of guide data and just updated on it's own. My newly built machine sat for a week and never got updated until this morning.

Thanks mjovanovic this is the most useful information I have had so far. At this point I know I have run Setup over two dozen times.

In addition to all the solutions above I have also run MediaCenterRoveryTask from the Task Scheduler without success.

In case it might be of value I am running Win 7 Home.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Can you add a choice for the A-B-C method from post #1096 in the main thread:

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... f=5#p93138

My first two computers switched over after changing the zip codes a few times, but the third one didn't work even after hours of numerous attempts over two days. When I followed the A-B-C method word-for-word tonight, it worked the first time and finally switched to Rovi.

[Crash2009]

The only thing that I haven't done is uninstall WMC completely and start over.

Well, what are you waiting for?

Use Seans WMC backup

Tear it down, rebuild, and get Rovi working.

Then use Seans WMC restore

[Fatman]

A true American hero.

scoobybri / Brian from Baltimore.

In post 4 he details the only reliable fix to the no guide download problem. I had tried all of the fixes in all the forums multiple times with no luck. Brian's fix worked first try.