My Computer's General Tab says this, verbatim: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 2. This is a Dell Dimension XPS Gen 4, purchased in April 2005. Dell Support personnel have assured me that I have Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition Version 2004, despite what it says on the My Computer General tab of the computer they sold me. I have [bold]intermittent[/bold]trouble with burning DVDs of recorded TV shows (sometimes the "burn" operation just never starts). Obviously, I wish to download whatever updates might help. I have attempted to download and install updates for MCE 2004 and found that the update software says the download is irrelevant to my OS. Fair enough, but I can find no updates for MCE 2002. [bold]I have found updates for this OS before[/bold], and they've helped, but need to do this again, after having to re-image my system following some software disasters. Don't know where to look now. Sometimes Dell Support people are good, sometimes they are terrible. It's a shame, but I cannot trust their opinion on something even this basic, and I need the update downloads. Someone please help.
request a new windows disk, say your old ones bust or something... they should send you the latest media center on a recovery CD
Finally found the updates, after being almost-abusive to Dell Support. Thank you, Sypher-Tek. How would you feel about fielding another couple of questions, if you know a lot about Windows XP MCE? There don't seem to be a lot of people (none I know) who know anything about it, and you gotta admit, it's got some stuff that is unique to XP Media Center. (I'm starting to think I should have just gotten a powerful machine with regular XP Pro, and then put in some third party's TV package.) Thanks again for your reply!
Media center is in my view the best operating system microsoft has released... basically because its Just XP-Pro with a few little addons, i like the fact that you can encode direct to mp3 with MCE and also that they made the XP theme look a bit smarter.
Hello again, SypherTek: Well, you didn't say "no", that I can't ask you more questions, so I'm going to take the liberty. (Gee, I hope that's okay, because who wants to alienate someone who seems to be in another country?) At times, I've set the quality too high when recording off-air TV with Windows Media Center; this results in a file that won't fit on a DVD. When I try to burn it to DVD, Media Center [bold]does[/bold] offer to shrink it so it will fit on DVD. On the face of it, of course this is absolutely great! [bold]However[/bold], when I try to have it do this, it just hangs. It does warn that the process may take several hours. However, I've walked away and left it going overnight (and for 10 hours another time), and it just doesn't work. Do you have any ideas on this little knot? Again, in terms of relying on the kindness of strangers, [bold]thank you[/bold]!
youd be better off asking that question in the Home theatre PC forum... i dont really use media center for all its functions and i dont own a TV tuner so i cant really help you on that one... somebody around here will be able to help though
This make no sense. at the system tag mine says : 2002 Media center, but when I open MC it says 2005. I bought mine Jan 8th 2006 of this year. Mine is Gateway cct5b21000035 serial number. SHould I get the windows disk free? Mine came with MC2005 disc HOWEVER, when I install it , its still 2002.
K, I emailed Gateway and they are going to send me a new one. Hehe. they said thats why some of the files like sound card and all that didnt come with the bakup.
