Media Center 2005 on a Windows 2003 Server

[Cactus]

Hi,

For weeks I've been trying to get MCE 2005 to work on a Windows 2003 Server. Don't ask why, I just needed a server instead of an XP box. Many people suggested loads of approaches but none of them worked; they all had some kind of problem mostly Tuner and Video related. After testing a lot I found an easy way (imho) to get this to work. Everything (really everything) seems to work. I guess I don't need to tell you none of this is supported by Microsoft or any OEM reseler and I'm not sure if this is legal. But then again I have valid licenses for both the MCE and the Win2K3 software so I guess I'm save : Best part of it is that you don't need to patch any of the original files!

This is the way I got it to work:

What you *need*:

Windows Media Center Edition 2005 CD's , of course with a legal license
Windows 2003 Server CD, again with a valid license
Windows 2003 Server Service Pack 1 Build 1260 or newer (Try eDonkey / Torrent / IRC)
Microsoft.NET framework 1.0.3705 (Download @ Microsoft.com)
Hardware that is supported by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Everything else you need to get MCE2005 going on a XP box (DVD/MPEG decoder etc.)
Here's how to do it:

First things first, format your HDD. This is always the best way to start. Now do a normal installation of your Windows XP Media Center Edition software. Check if everything is working. If so, copy the following files:

\Windows\eHome\custsat.dll
\Windows\Inf\medctroc.inf
\Windows\Inf\plusoc.inf
\Windows\Inf\sonic.inf
\Windows\System32\CatRoot
\Windows\System32\EHOCGEN.DLL
\Windows\System32\encdec.dll
\Windows\System32\MEDCTROC.DLL
\Windows\System32\Mpeg2Data.ax
\Windows\System32\msvidctl.dll
\Windows\System32\PLUSOC.DLL
\Windows\System32\quartz.dll
\Windows\System32\sbe.dll
\Windows\System32\sbeio.dll
\Windows\System32\vbicodec.ax
\Windows\System32\wstpager.ax
\Windows\System32\wstrenderer.ax
\Windows\System32\wstrendr.ax
\Windows\System32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\MEDIACTR.CAT
\Windows\System32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\PLUS.CAT
\Windows\System32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\SONIC.CAT
Now start regedit and export the following keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\MediaCenter
Having saved these files/registry exports to your USB key of something reformat your drive again.

Now install Windows 2003 Server and apply build 1260 (or newer) of SP1. Install the Microsoft.NET framework 1.0.3705 and go to WindowsUpdate to get every update available (if any).

Update all drivers you updated on your Windows XP version and ignore any WHQL message. Now you need to disable Windows File Protection somehow. I used XPLite for it but I'm sure there are easier ways of doing that. Now copy all files you saved from you XP box (overwriting any existing files) and register them with RegSvr32. Place them in the same location as they were on your XP Box. Take a look at your Event Viewer to make sure they aren't roled back to their original versions due to WFP. Also import the two exported registry keys. Now add a the C:\Windows\eHome\ folder to your path environment and we are ready to rock-n-roll

So lets install MCE. Just insert your MCE CD2 and start the following command:

rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction Freestyle 128 medctroc.inf
When it asks for files point it at the MEDIACTR.CAB and let it run. After it completes wait a few minutes (or wait until the ngen process ends) and reboot. Now again copy the saved files from you XP box over the existing files and register them again. Now reboot you PC. Your done Just start MCE to start the wizard.

If you want the add-ons that came with MCE2K5 you may want to run the following commands:

rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusTheme 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusSpac 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusGold 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusDavn 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusNatr 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusMpix 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusDancer 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusParty 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusAudio 128 plusoc.inf
rundll32 syssetup,SetupInfObjectInstallAction PlusCDLM 128 plusoc.inf
That's all folks. Nothing to it!

To get the MCE Remote to work wasn't that hard, the EPG worked like a charme (and yet I choose to use MCEGuider) and even messenger worked after installing it. So wow, this is what I wanted. Hope some people benefit from this info. If not I still had great fun diggig in to it.

Cheers

Le Cactus

Note to self (and others):

Get ehTray.exe not to disturb rebooting
Find an easier way to get the remote to work