Replacing a motherboard on an HP Media Center m7490n

I purchased an ASUS P5LP-LE motherboard to replace the one I had since it was diagnosed as damage in a computer repair shop (fan failure error on boot). My question if replacing a motherboard is as simple as just replacing the parts from one to another or if I need to run or do any other procedure?

The BIOS is already installed on the motherboard_it is programmed in a chip. If you still have the old motherboard, you might try reinstalling it.
Marmaduke has a thread here and solved the error about fan failure:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Operating-systems-and-software/System-fan-failed-to-start-Service-syste...
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HP Media Center model numbers, what does the letters and numbers mean?

Does anyone know what the model numbers of the HP Media Center Computers mean? What does the 'm' at the beginning of the model number mean and what does the 'n' at the end mean? How do they come up with the numbers and do they have any special significance? I have a HP Media Center m7658n. I am looking for a motherboard to replace my original but the clostest one I can find is a HP PAVILION MEDIA CENTER M7480CH-A M7560A MOTHERBOARD. Does the 7560 mean it's of lesser quality than the original and what is the difference between the 'a' and the 'n' at the end of the model number?

paullevy,
Can I ask why you want a replacement board?
The "m" means Media Center. The "n" denotes US and Canada. In the 7560, the "a" is New Zealand.
Your board is a Leucite, Specs here googled
If you were to purchase the wrong board, your OEM Windows will cease to be 'activated'.
I am a volunteer. I am not an HP employee.
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(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
HP m9200t E8400,Win7 Pro 32 bit. 4GB RAM, ASUS 550Ti 2GB, Rosewill 630W. 1T HD SATA 3Gb/s
Custom Asus P8P67, I7-2600k, 16GB RAM, WIN7 Pro 64bit, EVGA GTX660 2GB, 750W OCZ, 1T HD SATA 6Gb/s
Custom Asus P8Z77, I7-3770k, 16GB RAM, WIN7 Pro 64bit, EVGA GTX670 2GB, 750W OCZ, 1T HD SATA 6Gb/s
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Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus

IMac as Media Center

Good evening,
I've got a late model MacBook Pro and an 800mhz PowerBook at present. The PowerBook hosts my iTunes library, ipods (got a few), and SlimServer for my SqueezeBox (slimdevices.com). I'm rather peeved that Leopard will not support the PowerBook as Time Machine and screen sharing seemed like a brilliant way to keep that little bugger alive. Doubly annoyed as I replaced the hard drive and had to buy Tiger (lost originals) to bring it back on line a few months ago.
Anyway, I just ordered a 42" LCD TV and was thinking a Mac Mini would be a great replacement for the PowerBook as a media center for my downloaded videos, etc. But, by the time I buy a Mini, drop a bigger hard drive in, buy a wireless keyboard and mouse, I've spent as much as I would on a 17" refurb imac.
What is the village consensus on using the imac as a media center? What challenges are expected (versus a Mini)?
Any thoughts are appreciated.
-P.

Hello,
I would just use the program to enable Windows to read the OS X partition. Get a good Anti-Virus and FireWall installed for Windows. And, keep it updated (as well as keeping Windows updated).
The potential problem you mention would be true of any external drive if the Windows installation was able to read / write it. So, it really makes no difference there.
The only file system that both OS X and Windows can read and write to is FAT32. And OS X's PKG files (downloaded programs, installed programs, and system updates) cannot be written to a FAT32 volume. So, you would still prefer to have that external drive formatted as a Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) volume.
So, I'd just go with a program like MacDrive:
http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6/
It has a trial version (limited by number of days it will work) that you can use to see if you like it. I've used it before, and it worked great.
I hope this helps.

Replacing Motherboard on HP Media Center PC running Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)

Running OEM version of Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit) on an HP Pavilion Media Center m8226x Desktop PC. Replacing motherboard ASUS M2N68-LA Motherboard 6150SE HP Narra2-GL8E with an MCP61PM-HM (Nettle2) motherboard due to failure. Both boards have same chipset and form factor. Can I just replace board without reinstalling windows? Do I need to install new drivers? I don't have an install CD or install key, would Microsoft provide a key if needed? Is there a link I can reference for MB replacement/ install?
Thanks for you assistance!
HC
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The OEM license is tied to the original motherboard version, ie M2N68-LA. You lose the OEM "rights" when you changed the board.
I am a volunteer. I am not an HP employee.
To say THANK YOU, press the "thumbs up symbol" to render a KUDO. Please click Accept as Solution, if your problem is solved. You can render both Solution and KUDO.
The Law of Effect states that positive reinforcement increases the probability of a behavior being repeated. (B.F.Skinner). You toss me KUDO and/or Solution, and I perform better.
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Hp media center m7350n video port on motherboard

I'm having problems with the video card on the HP Media Center m7350n. The picture on the web site shows that there is a motherboard video port, but I don't see it on the machine that I have. There seems to be 25-pin port, possibly printer, in that location. Am I looking in the correct place? Thanks, JLHSCTX

Hi,
Please review the specifications for the HP m7350n PC. The motherboard in your PC does not have an integrated graphics processor.
HP DV9700, t9300, Nvidia 8600, 4GB, Crucial C300 128GB SSD
HP Photosmart Premium C309G, HP Photosmart 6520
HP Touchpad, HP Chromebook 11
Custom i7-4770k,Z-87, 8GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650,GTX 760
Custom i7-4790k,Z-97, 16GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Plextor M.2 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650, GTX 660TI
Windows 7/8 UEFI/Legacy mode, MBR/GPT

Qosmio G30 - Media center remote control doesn't work in windows

Dear All,
I have Qosmio G30-194,
first i had a problem with the VGA , i send it for repair, when it comes back i noticed that the remote control is not working on windows Media Center, while in A/V mode it work perfectly.
I tried to do full system restore from the recovery DVD, but nothing changed, even i installed Windows Vista with all of its drivers.
Nothing changed also, I borrowed a USB IR received for another remote control it worked perfectly with my remote on windows.
Please advise me what to do, do i send it back to the service center , or there is an easier solution.
Mazen Habbal
N.B, : My laptop info are:
Model Number PQG32E-01P018AR
Thank you in advance

don't expect toshiba to fix problems like this.
they replaced motherboard on my laptop and ever since the remote was not working.. it would turn the laptop on but was unresponsive thereafter. thing's we have tried:
- install software and drivers for remote again
- reinstall windows
- replace reciever
- change motherboard
- change remote
- terminate and restart relevant processes
- downgrade bios
- update bios
- combinations of the above
on several occassions Toshiba told me they were able to replicate and solve the problem but after trying it on my laptop they remembered that actually their one was slightly different.
almost a year later, i still have a non-working remote
my theory is the laptop leaves factory with certain software which Toshiba fail to include in recovery partition and\or bios that is available through them... so once you lose the factory components (i.e.the original motherboard) you also lose some necessary files with them.

Pavilion Media Center PC m7330n - 3gig drive support

I have a Pavilion Media Center PC m7330n and am think about purchasing a 3g SATA hard drive. The BIOS version is Phoenix-Award V3.47 (Core version 6.0) Do you think that my system will support a 3g drive? Thank you

Hi chavinda546,
No you can't put an Intel i7-960 chip into the motherboard in your PC. You would end up replacing the motherboard, memory, power supply and processor. And, your HP recovery disks would not work so you would probably need to buy a copy of Windows 7.
HP DV9700, t9300, Nvidia 8600, 4GB, Crucial C300 128GB SSD
HP Photosmart Premium C309G, HP Photosmart 6520
HP Touchpad, HP Chromebook 11
Custom i7-4770k,Z-87, 8GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650,GTX 760
Custom i7-4790k,Z-97, 16GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Plextor M.2 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650, GTX 660TI
Windows 7/8 UEFI/Legacy mode, MBR/GPT

HP Pavilion Media Center m8300f Hangs on boot

I have a HP Pavilion Media Center m8300f which came loaded with Vista Home Premium. About 18 month sold. Recently the computer would hang on boot up. I used the system restore and went back to a safe install. This worked ok until Windows added more patches which caused the same problem to occur again. After one or two of these episodes I was not longer able to return to a safe install. I ran the system recovery several times to check the hardware. Everything turned up good. Since I did not have a good set of recovery disks I decided to install XP on the computer and then upgrade to Vista. XP installed without a single problem. I purchased a NEW Vista Home Premium because I could later upgrade free to Windows 7. I tried to install Vista over XP. The process would start and then hang. So I reformated the hard drive using an external USB unit on another computer, replaced the drive and tried to install Vista off the DVD. It would not boot up. As a test using the Vista DVD I purchased, I upgraded XP on a separate computer to Vista. Worked very nice.
I ordered a set of the recovery DVDs and tried them. They would not boot up. I replaced the hard drive with a new SEAGATE SATA drive because I felt the connectors were not locking in. I still could not get the recovery DVDs to run. I went back to the XP and it installed. So here I am with a computer that willl not run or install Vista but will run XP. Also HP does not provide the XP drivers for the hardware on this computer.
Does anyone know why Vista will not install or how to get it on this computer?
I installed a NEW Seagate SATA hard drive for drive "C" because the connectors where not locking in place. rmated the hardI purchased the Recovery DVDs from HP and tried to reinstall it.

I had the same problem with computer halting with blue screens, black screens, etc. Motherboard had 6 capacitors with bulging tops. I found a replacement Nettle 2 motherboard from seller diypc2008 on E-Bay for the cost of $75.00 with free shipping. Installed new motherboard and computer works like new.
It appears like at around 2 years, this problem occurs from what I read on this forum. Look for capacitors on the motherboard with bulging tops. I fixed my computer by replacing motherboard after running many hours of diagnostics, replacing power supply, and changing out drives.

My Hp Media Center PC M 7000 will automatic shut down

My Hp Media Center PC M 7000 will automatic shut down when not in use reset the time & date. To start up, un plug the power supply over and over until it start up. Both fans work when it do start up. Changed the battery on the mother board, did not help

urrein wrote: My Hp Media Center PC M 7000 will automatic shut down when not in use reset the time & date. To start up, un plug the power supply over and over until it start up. Both fans work when it do start up. Changed the battery on the mother board, did not help
Hello urrein, Did you enter the BIOS and set the day, time, and year after you replaced the CMOS battery on the motherboard?
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Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem.

HP Pavilion Media Center m8200n Desktop PC Upgrades Tips and advice help.

Hello everyone I have a HP Pavilion Media Center m8200n Desktop PC that I'm looking to upgrade. Can anyone please advice me on the following topics:
Memory: What's the best possible memory that my system can hold I am currently running windows 7 ultimate 32-bits
Video card: I'm looking to upgrade to a decent video card with hdmi support that my system can hold I'm aware that i cant use certain video cards cause of my power supply capacity, upgrading the power supply can be a option. Can anyone please advice me on those topics It will be much appreciated thank you everyone I will be sure to rep and appreciate anyone's help thank you.
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View Solution.

Hi chavinda546,
No you can't put an Intel i7-960 chip into the motherboard in your PC. You would end up replacing the motherboard, memory, power supply and processor. And, your HP recovery disks would not work so you would probably need to buy a copy of Windows 7.
HP DV9700, t9300, Nvidia 8600, 4GB, Crucial C300 128GB SSD
HP Photosmart Premium C309G, HP Photosmart 6520
HP Touchpad, HP Chromebook 11
Custom i7-4770k,Z-87, 8GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650,GTX 760
Custom i7-4790k,Z-97, 16GB, Vertex 3 SSD, Plextor M.2 SSD, Samsung EVO SSD, Corsair HX650, GTX 660TI
Windows 7/8 UEFI/Legacy mode, MBR/GPT

How do I get fios to work with my new desktop w/ Windows Media Center

Can someone please help me I have "fios".TV and internet 1HDSTB + 1HDDVR with multi room dvr Home media mgr.how do I get fios to work with my new desktop HP Pavillion m9715f**(specs below)**w/ Windows Media Center or did I just throw away my money?
also equipted is 47" Samsung 850series 1080p 120hertz HD LCD TV + 36" Samsung 560series 1080p 60hertz HD LCD TV and 19"Samsung 950b LCD Monitor
** computer specs**
Product number NZ017AA
Introduction date 30-Jun-2009
Country/region sold in: United States,Canada
Hardware Base processor
Phenom-9650 (A) 2.3 GHz (95W) 3600 MHz HyperTransport 3.0 Socket, AM2+
Chipset AMD 780G
Motherboard Manufacturer: MSI Motherboard Name: MS-7548 HP/Compaq motherboard name: Aspen-GL8E
Power supply 300W
Memory
Component Attributes Memory Installed 8 GB Maximum allowed 16 GB (4 x 4 GB) (64-bit OS)
4 GB* (4 x 1 GB) (32-bit OS)
*Actual available memory may be less Speed supported PC2-6400 MB/sec Type 240 pin, DDR2
Hard drive750 GB SATA 3G (3.0 Gb/sec)7200 rpm
Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner with LightScribe Technology drive
This Blu-Ray Disc DVD drive introduces a player that reads Blu-ray Disc format enabling you to watch high-definition Blu-ray Disc movies. NOTE: This drive does not include high-definition write capability.
Formats/Disc types Write speeds Read speeds Storage capacity Blu-ray Disc BD-ROM SL NA up to 6X up to 25 GB BD-ROM DL NA up to 4.8X up to 50 GB BD-R SL not supported up to 6X up to 25 GB BD-R DL not supported up to 4.8X up to 50 GB BD-RE SL not supported up to 2.3X up to 25 GB BD-RE DL not supported up to 2X up to 50 GB HD DVD not supported DVD DVD-ROM SL NA up to 16X up to 4.7 GB DVD-ROM DL NA up to 8X up to 8.5 GB DVD+R SL up to 16X up to 12X up to 4.7 GB DVD+R DL up to 4X up to 8X up to 8.5 GB DVD+RW SL up to 8X up to 10X up to 4.7 GB DVD+RW DL not supported DVD-R SL up to 16X up to 12X up to 4.7 GB DVD-R DL up to 4X up to 8X up to 8.5 GB DVD-RW SL up to 6X up to 10X up to 4.7 GB DVD-RW DL not supported DVD-RAM up to 5X up to 5X up to 4.7 GB CD CDROM NA up to 40X up to 700 MB CDR up to 40X up to 40X up to 700 MB CDRW up to 24X up to 40X up to 700 MB CD-DA NA up to 32X up to 700 MB Video CD NA up to 10X up to 700 MB
Wireless Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g
Video Graphics Radeon HD4350
512 MB DDR2 memory
I/O Ports: HDMI, VGA, single-link DVI
Television Hauppauge ATSC/NTSC TV tuner card with FM tuner
Sound/Audio High Definition 8-channel audio
ALC 888S chipset
Network (LAN) Integrated 10/100/1000 Base-T networking interface
Memory card reader
Contains an Infrared receiver for remote control
Supports the following cards:
Compact Flash I
Compact Flash II
IBM Microdrive
Secure Digital (SD)
mini-SD
MultiMediaCard (MMC)
Reduced size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC)
MultiMediaCard Plus (MMC plus)
MultiMediaCard Mobile (MMC mobile)
Memory Stick
Memory Stick Pro
Memory Stick Duo
Memory Stick Pro Duo
SmartMedia
xD Picture Card (xD = extreme digital)
External I/O ports
I/O ports on the front panel
Port type Quantity 15-in-1 (4 slot) with IR Receiver One USB Two Headphone One Microphone One Audio L-R One S-video in One Composite video in One
I/O ports on the back panel
Port type Quantity PS/2 (keyboard, mouse) Two S/PDIF out (coaxial) One VGA One (disabled due to the installation of a graphics card) DVI-D One USB Four 1394a One LAN One Audio (side speaker out, rear speaker out, center/subwoofer-out , line-in, line-out, microphone) One Each
Expansion slots
Slot type Quantity PCI Express x16 One (None available) PCI Express x1 Three (Two available)
Drive bays
Bay type Quantity 5.25" Two (One available) 3.5" Two (One available) Personal Media Drive One (One available) Pocket Media Drive One (One available)
Keyboard and mouse HP multimedia keyboard HP PS/2 optical mouse
Remote Control USB infrared remote control,Remote control expansion card with IR ports,IR emitter cable to transmit codes to a set top box

Based on what you've posted, your computer does not have the right tuner. You need a QAM tuner to record locals from FiOS, or a CableCard tuner to record all local and cable channels from FiOS.
QAM tuners to record local channels only
This requires Windows Vista or Windows 7
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
SiliconDust HDHomeRun (info on a sale)
CableCard tuner to record local and cable channels
This requires Windows 7 + one CableCard from Verizon for $3.99/mo
ATI TV Wonder Digital PC CableCard Tuner (records one channel at a time) -- $200-$250 on ebay
Ceton MOCUR tuner (records four channels at a time) -- coming in early 2010 for $400-$600
Make sure your computer has Windows 7 Home Premium (or better) installed. That's necessary to support CableCard tuners.
If you are the original poster (OP) and your issue is solved, please remember to click the "Solution?" button so that others can more easily find it.

Windows XP Media Center Edition FAQ

What is a Media Center PC?
It is basically a regular PC, but designed to fit into your home entertainment system to replace your DVD player, Hi-Fi, TV set-top box, as well as allowing other functions as email, web browsing and more, all from the comfort of your armchair, or elsewhere
Many new Media Center PCs (MCPCs or Home Theatre PCs - HTPCs) are styled like hi-fi components to blend in under your TV, while many are regular PCs with extra multimedia functions.
What is Windows XP Media Center Edition?
Windows XP Media Center Edition (or XP MCE for short) is basically Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2) without advanced networking support (but including Remote Desktop Connection) and extra applications to turn your PC into a fully fledged Home Theatre PC (HTPC). The main Microsoft Media Center appplication allows a full screen interface suitable for viewing on TVs (pictured below left) and controlled by an easy to use Microsoft remote control device (below right), so you can watch and record TV, view DVDs and listen to audio CDs and digital music files.
How do I get WinXP MCE?
At the time of writing, XP MCE is only available as an OEM pack which you can purchase from your nearest dealer or online reseller, or if pre-installed on a purchased system. MCE is currently only available as a 32bit (x86) version, but works on 64bit systems.
The Media Center application is also included with the Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista.
How do I install WinXP MCE?
MCE installs the same way as any other version of Windows XP. However it cannot be installed as an upgrade, you must do a clean install. MCE comes on two disks; a WinXP XP SP2 disc, and the MCE extras disc. Boot from CD1 as you would normally when installing Windows. The setup screens will indicate Windows XP Professional, this is normal. During the graphic part of the install process, you will be prompted to insert CD2. This is obviously the second CD of the set which you should insert, as it contains the necessary extra Media Center enhancements. When it is done, Setup will ask you for the "Windows XP SP2 CD". It is actually just asking for the first disc again, so reinsert it and let it continue.
When install is complete, the system will reboot, and you will see the normal Windows XP desktop, though with a slightly different theme. To begin using the Media Center program straight away, click on Media Center in the Start Menu to begin the Media Center Setup wizard.
What graphics hardware is required for MCE to work correctly?
MCE works with DirectX 9.0c, so ideally your hardware at a minimum needs to be DirectX 9.0 compatible.
MCE requires a minimum of 64mb video RAM (shared or dedicated), 128mb recommended for the full visual "eye-candy" interface effects.
For Nvidia GPU chipsets, MCE drivers can be found here: nVidia Drivers. You'll need at least a Geforce FX5200 for MCE to work (however I have it running on an integrated Geforce 4 MX with no problems).
For ATI GPU chipsets, drivers for MCE can be found here: ATi Drivers. You'll need at least a 9250 for MCE to work, but I understand that the 9200 may also suffice.
Unfortunately, I understand that SiS and Via (S3) chipsets (as found on many mobos with integrated VGA) are NOT MCE compatible. Some Intel integrated VGA chipsets will work now, you should refer to Intel's website for updated drivers. I also understand that Via have introduced MCE compatible drivers for their Epia SP13000 ITX board, again refer to Via's website for correct drivers. However, it is recommended to use an add-in VGA card for best results, unless you have a new board which has integrated Geforce 6100 or ATI Xpress chipsets
What TV hardware works with MCE?
In order to display TV output, MCE requires an MPEG2 stream to display. It cannot encode this itself, so requires a hardware based TV tuner / capture card, such as the Hauppage PVR MCE series, or the MSI Theater 550PRO (above left). The card receives analog video through the aerial connection, or svideo / composite inputs, encodes it into MPEG2 format, which MCE can display.
This type of analog card is required to connect a cable or satellite box (eg Telewest, NTL or Sky in UK). Using the Microsoft remote receiver, two supplied IR blasters affix to the set-top box, so MCE can automatically change channels when needed.
For best picture quality on digital TV though, you can use a software-based DVB-T card, such as the Hauppauge Nova-T or the Black Gold DVB-T (above right). Using a regular aerial, these receive high quality digital terrestrial (OTA) signals (eg the Freeview service in UK), which are broadcast in MPEG2 format, and therefore no encoding is required. In the USA, ATSC is the digital terrestrial standard used, as DVB is not available there.
Unfortunately UK users of DVB-T cards will currently not be able to make use of DVB subtitles, interactive text-based services such as Teletext and BBCi, or listen to the Digital Radio services available on Freeview. UK DVB Digital Audio services are now available with MCE Rollup 2.
Unlike with VGA cards, MCE requires that your TV hardware has special BDA (Broadcast Driver Architecture) drivers which are MCE compatible. Check your hardware manufacturers website for compatible drivers.
Unfortunately, analogue TV hardware that is software-driven (such as MSI TV@nywhere and Vox) won't work in MCE.
Windows Vista Media Center will introduce support for cable (DVB-C) and satellite (DVB-S)tuner cards
Do I need any other software to make MCE work?
As MCE is essentially based around Windows Media Player 10, you will be aware that WMP cannot play DVDs until you install a suitable DVD codec. This is also the case with MCE, as until you install this MPEG2 codec, MCE won't play ANY video (including TV). So you will also need to purchase additional MCE compatible DVD player software, such as Cyberlink PowerDVD 6, Intervideo WinDVD 6, or Nvidia's DVD Decoder MPEG codec. Results can be varied using different codecs, so it is best to try a trial version of such software to see which gives you the best results before purchasing. You may find that suitable DVD software may already be supplied with some VGA or TV tuner cards.
Anything else I need?
You will also require an internet connection (not imperative, but certainly very useful) in order for MCE to access the internet in order to find and download TV guide listings, and album and artist information when playing CDs, MP3s and WMAs.
Without guide information, you will have to manually schedule TV recordings, and no programme information will be available.
If you are planning on having your Media Center in your living room, the Microsoft Remote Controller will allow you to control all aspects of the MCE interface without the need for a keyboard or mouse connected.
If you are connecting your Media Center to your TV, then your video display device will need TV-out capabilities (S-Video or Composite). S-Video offers better picture quality over composite video, but you will need to ensure your TV supports S-Video input, otherwise you will just see black and white video.
If your TV supports RGB inputs, then you may be able to obtain a VGA > RGB adaptor, which offers even better picture quality (search with Google, there are lots of sites about this). Many modern LCD and plasma TVs also support direct VGA / DVI inputs. VGA > RGB/SCART is only compatible with ATI Radeon VGA cards.
Can I watch one channel while recording another?
Yes, but you will need two identical TV devices, eg 2x DVB-T cards. You cannot have one analogue card, and one digital, as MCE presumes both hardware devices receive same channels, and can pick and choose between them. (However in the USA, you may have two analogue tuners, and one HDTV tuner)
This is straightforward when using two identical DVB-T cards. MCE has a channel list and guide data, so for example you are watching BBC1 on one tuner, MCE uses the other tuner to record the other programme on ITV2. Both cards are receiving the same input.
It gets a little more complicated if you want to do the same with a paid subscription service, such as NTL Cable or Sky Satellite in UK. As well as having two matching tuners (although I understand that some companies, including Hauppage, are releasing "dual-tuner" cards) you will also require two set-top boxes, with a subscription for each, as MCE needs to be able to change the channel on each set-top box seperately.
Good links....
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 homepage
The Green Button - very good MCE community forum
MCESoft - for all sorts of plug-ins and extras for MCE
XPMCE.com - Windows Media Center forums
ukShazam.com - Media Center help & more
Note: MSI is not responsible for the content of external links[/b]
Look out for me in the XPMCE forums if you need further help!
That's about it for now, hope you find it useful. As I think of (meaning "remember" ) other stuff I'll add it above. If you know something that I've missed out, please post below with as much info as you can, and I'll add it to the guide, with a credit to you!
If you need help to solve a problem or want to ask a question, then START your own thread, with as much info as you can, please do NOT post in this thread, this thread is only for tricks,tips and useful reference info.

For some reason when using the "certified" MCE version of the Forceware drivers, after a short while all the buttons in the menus become "corrupted"
The simple solution: use regular XP/2000 version of Forceware drivers. They still work perfectly in MCE2005, and the graphical corruption doesn't appear.
nVidia Drivers
EDIT: this problem appears to have been corrected in the recent Rollup 2 Update

Media Center on Standard Def TV with 2009 Mini

Hi all,
I'm recently married and since my wife the chef got every pot and pan she could ever hope for as wedding gifts, I get to treat myself to a Mac Mini media center. I'm hoping someone out there can give me their opinion on resolution quality.
Here's my current setup. I have a five year old 27 inch Sony Trinitron Wega 27FS120 which is limited to 480i. I have a first generation Macbook Pro and currently use a DVI to cable adapter to connect by composite when we want to stream Netflix, Hulu or use Boxee. The quality of streaming Netflix is acceptable for us, and while Hulu is a bit washed out it's still acceptable. The text on Boxee can be difficult to read at times, but we can live with it. iTunes standard definition downloads are great, and the HD obviously doesn't come across on the TV but we're very pleased with iTunes video.
From everything I've read, in order to make this work, I would need to use the mini-dvi or mini-displayport on the Mini to connect to a VGA converter to connect to composite video to make the transition to Mac Mini. My #1 concern is that video quality will deterioriate as a result of the conversion/additional adapter and I'm not going to be satisfied with the quality. We're drive-it-into-the-ground people and shudder at the thought of replacing a perfectly good TV if we can get the same quality out of the VGA-hooked media center as we're used to for a couple of more years. However, if there's going to be a noticable dropoff, with Black Friday coming, we'll bite the bullet.
Can anyone comment on what I might expect the dropoff in video quality to be considering what I'm currently using?
Thank you!
Ryan

My opinion is you won't be seeing much difference between what you have now with the MacBook Pro and the new mini. Whether the video signal translation takes place in the root device or in an external device, the final on-screen quality difference should be negligible between the two because the primary limitations come from other points in your configuration, not the point of translation.
Is S-Video use an option with your TV? You might realize at least a slight improvement over what you see now with composite video.

Need advice on on a Mac Pro 1,1 Media Center

I currently have a 2009 Mac Mini running as my home media center, but I recently came by a FREE Mac Pro 1,1 and have decided to repurpose it as my media center so I can migrate my Mac Mini to my bedroom TV where it will live an easy life doing nothing but run Plex Home Theater, Netflix, and EyeTV. This machine falling into my lap was also quite timely because my 4-bay Drobo is running low on available expansion and another Drobo isn't in the budget at the moment.
This vintage mac pro is running Lion 10.7.5, has 1 old and crusty 500GB hardrive, dual x5160 processors, 4GB RAM (one stick i'm pretty sure is toast judging by the red light and the kernel panics), and the standard NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB graphics card. It will be used primarily for the following: network storage for iphoto and itunes libraries, streaming video, Plex Media Server & Plex Home Theater, and Handbrake encoding. I also have a goal of safety of data for my movies, photos and music as this machine will supplement my current Drobo storage.
My plans are for a 128GB SSD boot drive installed in one of the PCIe slots and then to load up all 4 of the 3.5" drive bays with WD Green hard drives. I have also ordered 4GB of replacement RAM, so upon removal of the faulty unit I will have 7GB.
Here is where I need advice because I am not very familiar with RAID and the differences between hardware or software raid. Am I better off getting four drives of the same size and setting them up as RAID 5 (I think) using Apple's RAID utility or should I throw in three 1TB drives and then install a fourth 3TB or 4TB drive as a Time Machine backup for the other three?
Should I upgrade the OSX to the technically unsupported latest version? Or is it not worth the trouble for this application?
Also, is there any benefit to upgrading the graphics card to the ATI Radeon 5770? Would this yield an improved image quality? I am outputting to a Denon AV Reciever and subsequently to a 100" projection screen, if that makes a difference. I also noticed the 5770 has an HDMI port, wich would be nice, but not necessary since I can use a DVI converter and woud still need to use the optical audio out anyway.
Much obliged for any input

My plans are for a 128GB SSD boot drive installed in one of the PCIe slots and then to load up all 4 of the 3.5" drive bays with WD Green hard drives. I have also ordered 4GB of replacement RAM, so upon removal of the faulty unit I will have 7GB.
PCIe cards that use or support SSD are not bootable until you get to 2008 (and that is limited too).
Green are not suited for any form of array unless say NAS and WD RED. Better option would be 3 x 2TB WD Blacks in a mirror, and too many people only use two drives, well 3 is much easier safer and works better. Might want to invest in www.SoftRAID.com product even.
Best price and quality, got my 1,1 with 8 x 2GB (ideal is 4 or 8 DIMMs)
2x2GB FBDIMM DDR2 667MHz @ $25
http://www.amazon.com/BUFFERED-PC2-5300-FB-DIMM-APPLE-Memory/dp/B002ORUUAC/
With price of 250GB SSD $155 I'd go with that or stick with $89 for 128GB .

Media Center PC m7250n hangs on Windows 7 final install phase.

When I try to install Windows 7 (32bit) on my m7250n, the process comes to the final “Completing Installation” phase and hangs.
The hang apparently occurs immediately after the boot-up into Win7 that commences this final phase. The progress bar just stops and holds still even after about 7 hours.
Before doing this install, I ran the Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser. The resulting report claimed the computer could handle Windows 7. The report did, however, point out that my C: drive had insufficient room left for Windows 7. No big deal for me. I planned on putting Windows 7 on a different 82GB hard drive.
So this just meant that I had to pick the Custom Install option in the install process.
However, the 82GB hard drive in question is connected to the computer through a PCI adapter card. Therefore, the installer requests that I give it a path to a driver for that PCI card. So I do this. It is a Vista driver. The installer accepts this and allows me to continue the install process.
Everything works fine until the hang at the final phase.
OK, here's the info on the computer:
HP Media Center m7250n; Asus P5LP-LE/HP Lithium-UL8E; Phoenix AwardBIOS v3.17
Intel Pentium D 2.8Ghz MPU
3GB RAM
First Channel Device 0 = None [SATA connection I can't use]
First Channel Device 1 = None [SATA connection I can't use]
Second Channel Device 0 = None [SATA connection I can't use]
Second Channel Device 1 = None [SATA connection I can't use]
Third Channel Device 0 = IDE; Quantum Fireball lct15 30; 30GB; NTFS; Windows XP SP3; Drive C:/sda
Third Channel Device 1 = IDE; WDC WD800BB-75DKA0; 80GB; Linux Ubuntu 14.04.1;sdb
PCI IDE Adapter Card = Promise Technology Ultra133 TX2; BIOS 2.20.0.15; installed at PCI2 slot
PCI IDE Adapter Card Device 0 = IDE; Maxtor 6 Y080P0; 82GB; NTFS; Drive I:/sdc (where I tried to put Windows 7)
PCI IDE Adapter Card Device 1 = None
PCI IDE Adapter Card Device 2 = IDE; Hewlett-Packard DVDRW 1035r; Drive D:/sr0
PCI IDE Adapter Card Device 3 = None
Since the optical drive is also attached through this PCI IDE adapter card, I cannot boot from optical drives. This means I am running the Windows 7 installation disc from within a Windows XP session, with the AutoRun option.
The cards:
PCIEX16 = Video Card, ATI Radeon x300se, enabled & connected to 2 monitors
PCI1 = TV Tuner & Video Capture Card, Hauppauge WinTV PVR 26xxx, proposed future use
PCI2 = PCI IDE Adapter Card, Promise Technology Ultra133 TX2
PCI3 = 56K Modem, Lucent Win Modem, enabled & connected to phone line
On board NIC enabled and connected to LAN & internet
On board sound circuit enabled and connected to audio equipment
So anyway, does anyone have any clues what the problem is and how to fix it?

Thanks for the suggestions, erico.
I made and installed from a USB thing as you suggested. While it was not the solution to my problem, it did help things go faster, I suspect.
The real solution was to install a hard drive to a native motherboard connector, and install Windows 7 to that hard drive. Apparently, Windows 7 cannot install to a hard drive connected through a PCI adapter card, in spite of accepting a link to a driver for that adapter card and being able to copy files to it and execute most of the install process to such a hard drive.
So yes, I did manage to install Windows 7 successfully.
But there was a bit of a glitch. The installer did not enter Windows 7 into the windows MBR on the hard drive containing Windows XP. This meant for for several of the final Windows 7 re-boots in the install process, I had to direct my computer to the correct disc to boot from, from the booting BIOS. And when installation was complete, I still had to use the boot BIOS to boot into Windows 7.
How to fix this I know not. It must take some special expertise about MBR's and stuff.
Fortunately for me, I didn't need to mess with it because I just so happen to have Ubuntu installed on the computer already, which uses the GRUB2 boot menu thing. All I needed to do was boot into Ubuntu and use the GRUB Customizer utility to add the WIndows 7 to the GRUB2 boot menu. All is well.

Replacing a motherboard on an HP Media Center m7490n

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