Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Windows 7 Media Center Configuration Tweaks


Over the past 4 months I have assembled a list of Windows 7 and Windows 7 MCE configuration changes that have worked to enhance my installation and create a more stable environment. I am currently running Windows 7 64bit, but most if not all of these tweaks will work fine with Windows 7 32 bit.

MEDIA CENTER CONFIGURATION CHANGES


Disable Autorun DVD/Bluray in Windows Control Panel

Disable Autorun Media in PowerDVD

Add /nostartupanimation to ehshell.exe to bypass startup screen for MCE
  • http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3831&Itemid=1
Clear MCE art cache (will only clear movie cache if using default Movies MCE application)
  • C:\Users\USERNAME\local\Microsoft\ehome and there should be a folder named Art Cache
  • Right click this folder and select the delete option.
Movie Artwork - manually adding movie covers when using default MCE Movies application
  • Search for & download a file for the movie you would like as a poster and save it in the movie folder (created by file2folder.zip) and name it folder.jpg
  • Do this for each movie.
To Allow for recorder to sleep when idle and wake and record shows
  • Disable 'password on wake' in power settings (control panel)
  • Clear the password for default logon account
  • Set 'Sleep After 2 hours' in Win7 Power Settings
  • Set MCE to start automatically on system boot (in MCE Setup)
  • Set 'Boot on power - (or equiv) in system bios so when power fails and UPS shuts system down, and power is restored, windows will boot and MCE will load and scheduled recordings will continue
  • Run gpedit from cmd prompt and go to: Computer Config, Windows Settings, Security Settings, Local Policies, Accounts: Limit Local Account use of blank pws (change to disabled) - This allows Remote Desktop to Media Center with no passwords, since the password had to be blanked for un-attanded entrance into Media Center from sleep.
  • Make sure that there is no media playing when you are not around; in order for the computer to sleep in 2 hours

Random wake problem - I wrestled with this problem for a log time until I finally found the secret!
  • Disable WOL in Net driver and in bios due to random startup while in 'Hybrid Sleep'
  • Configured power button to sleep unless pressed for 5 seconds
  • Configured 'sleep button = sleep' in power settings
  • Reference - shown below: http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs/fix-windows-vista7-sleep-mode-from-waking-up-by-itself.html

What woke up your PC?
To find out what event/device woke up your Windows from its sleep state:
  • Go to command prompt (type cmd on the Run/Search box and press ENTER), then type this: powercfg – lastwake
  • To get the most detailed info (and probably easiest) on the device that wakes your Windows up during the sleep, type: powercfg –devicequery wake_armed

Now fix your waking problem
Open Run command and type in:services.msc click [Ok] - Locate the service for Windows Media Sharing and Disable it - or disable from services utility

Do the following tasks to disable the wake on mcupdate service
  • Control Panel
  • System and Security
  • Scheduled Tasks
  • Expand tasks to Microsoft>Windows>MediaCenter
  • Find mcupdate_scheduled and right click on it
  • Choose Properties
  • Click Conditions Tab
  • Uncheck Wake the computer to run this task

Change the following parameters for your NIC
  • Right click on your “My Computer” then select Properties.
  • Click Device Manager on the left side of the Properties window.
  • Check your Network card on the Network Adapters (Click on the + sign to expand).
  • Right click on your network card and select properties.
  • Go to the Power Management tab and untick the option there to prevent your network card from ever waking up your Windows.
A few other parameters to check
  • Check out your Power Management Options on your Control Panel (Start, Control Panel, Power Settings, Change plan settings, Change advanced power settings).
  • “Multimedia settings” option, “When sharing media.” ->”Allow the computer to sleep.
  • Check other options one by one while you’re at it.
  • Disable WAKE-ON functions in BIOS
  • Device manager - properties on Keyboard and Mouse - turn off 'wake on lan'

To Remote Desktop into Media Center do the following

Make sure the following have been done
  • You must first make sure that the logon password is cleared. Make sure the policy is changed to allow no password for remote desktop - see above
  • Make sure that MCE is set to auto start within the MCE settings screen

Remote Desktop Procedure
  • Remote desktop to the Media Center Computer
  • Restart media center as instructed (current recordings will continue at this point)
  • When done with remote desktop, go to CMD prompt and type shutdown /r (this will reboot machine and start Media Center over - current recordings will be stopped)

1 comment:

  1. This is a great list of settings for someone just starting out with their first htpc. Thanks for the help!

    ReplyDelete