Troubleshoot Windows Media Center

Configure your Xbox 360 console so that you can use a Windows Media Center remote control to control Windows Media Center functions on your console. Here’s how:

Note You can't use this remote to adjust the volume level of the console.

1. On your console, go to settings and select System.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Scroll down, and select Remote Control.
4. Select Both Remotes.
5. Press B on your controller to return to Xbox Home.

• If the console is turned off, press Start on the Windows Media Center remote control to turn it on and to start Windows Media Center.
• If the console is turned on, press Start to go straight to Windows Media Center.

Note The Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote is the best way to access all functions of Windows Media Center and the Xbox 360 console. It includes TV controls and Windows Media Center controls.

Set up your Xbox 360 Media Remote (New)

Set up your Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote (Original)

This can occur if you have previously set up Windows Media Center on your console. To fix this problem, remove the existing computer connection. Here's how:

1. On your console, go to the Settings, and then System.
2. Select Computers.
3. Select Windows Media Center.
4. Select Disconnect.
5. Go back to the Xbox Home and go to Apps, and then select My Apps. Select Windows Media Center. You should now see a setup key. If you have setup questions, see Using Windows Media Center with Xbox 360.

Windows Media Center on your console uses network ports to communicate with computers running Windows on your home network. If you're having trouble using Windows Media Center on your console, network ports might be blocked by a firewall running on your computer.

For information about how to configure a firewall on a computer using Windows, see Allow a program to communicate through Windows Firewall. (This website might not be available in all languages)

If you use a third-party firewall, you might have to manually configure the firewall to give specific programs access to the ports that they need. The firewall manufacturer may prompt you to configure the firewall by using one of the following methods:

• Configure the firewall to give only specific programs access to certain ports.
• Modify the specific ports that the program uses.

To configure a firewall, you must know:

• The name of the program.
• The ports that the program needs to use.
• The direction of the communication signal.

Use the following information to configure third-party firewalls:

The procedure for manually configuring a firewall is different for each firewall manufacturer and model. For more information about how to configure your firewall, see the documentation that came with your firewall.

For more information about how to configure a third-party firewall, see Allow a program to communicate through Windows Firewall. (This website might not be available in all languages.)

This problem might occur if the language and regions settings are:

• Changed on the Media Center computer after the Media Center is added
• Not set correctly when the Media Center Extender is added

To fix this, reconfigure the language and region settings. Here's how to do this on a computer that is running Windows 8:

1. On the Charms Bar, click Settings.
2. Under Settings, click Control Panel.
3. Click Clock, Language, and Region.
4. Click Language, and then click Advanced settings.
5. Click to select the Use the desktop language bar when it’s available checkbox.
6. Click Options.
7. Click to select Floating on Desktop.
8. Click Apply, click OK, and then click Save.
9. Click Control Panel Home.
10. Click Clock, Language, and Region.
11. Click Region.
12. On the Administrative tab, click Copy settings.
13. Click to select the New user accounts checkbox, and then click OK two times.

You will receive the following error message when you run the Windows Media Center Extender setup program if McAfee Privacy Service is installed on your computer. This service is not compatible with the extender software.

Xbox 360 Not Found. An Xbox 360 cannot be found on the network. Your network connection or a firewall may cause this problem. Check your connection or disable your firewall and then select Next. To end Setup and learn more about network troubleshooting, select the following check box and then select Cancel.

You receive this error message if McAfee Privacy Service was installed before you tried to install Windows Media Center Extender.

Note This article contains information that shows you how to help lower security settings or how to turn off security features on a computer. You can make these changes to work around a specific problem. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this workaround in your particular environment. If you implement this workaround, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system.

Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

1. Remove McAfee Privacy Service.
2. Run the Windows Media Center Extender Setup program again.

For more information about McAfee Privacy Service, contact McAfee technical support, or visit www.mcafeehelp.com.

Note Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products. This page might not be available in all languages.

If you install McAfee Privacy Service after you set up a Windows Media Center extender on a Windows Media Center-based computer, you can't establish a connection between the Windows Media Center extender and the Windows Media Center-based computer.

On the Xbox 360 console, you might receive the following error message:

Your console can’t contact your PC with Windows Media Center. Make sure your PC is on and connected to the network.

Note This article contains information that shows you how to help lower security settings or how to turn off security features on a computer. You can make these changes to work around a specific problem. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this workaround in your particular environment. If you implement this workaround, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system.

Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

1. Remove McAfee Privacy Service.
2. Run the Windows Media Center Extender Setup program again.

For more information about McAfee Privacy Service, contact McAfee technical support or visit www.mcafeehelp.com.

Note Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

This error occurs if Windows Firewall is turned off on the computer. During Windows Media Center Extender setup, Windows Firewall has to be updated to allow communication between the Windows Media Center-based computer and the Xbox 360 console. If the Windows Firewall service has been stopped, these updates can't occur. Therefore, the Windows Media Center Extender Setup program won't install.

Note This article contains information that shows you how to help lower security settings or how to turn off security features on a computer. You can make these changes to work around a specific problem. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this workaround in your particular environment. If you implement this workaround, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system.

To start Windows Firewall on a computer that is running Windows 8

1. On the Start screen, click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
2. Click Windows Firewall Properties.
3. In the Firewall state box, click On (recommended), and then click OK.
4. Run the Windows Media Center Extender Setup program again

To turn Windows Firewall off again

If you previously did not use Windows Firewall and want to return to that configuration on a computer that is running Windows 8, follow the steps below.

Note If you want to turn off Windows Firewall, make sure that you wait until after you install Windows Media Center Extender.

Warning Use this workaround at your own risk. This workaround might make a computer or a network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion.

1. On the Start screen, click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
2. Click Windows Firewall Properties.
3. In the Firewall state box, click Off, and then click OK.

For more information on using extenders with your Xbox 360 console, see the Windows Media Center website. This website might not be available in all languages.

When you try to connect your Xbox 360 console to a computer running Microsoft Windows Media Center, you can’t connect, and you get the following error message through your Xbox 360 console:

Xbox 360 Error Message: Session Terminated

Another user or application on the Windows Media Center-based PC has disconnected this device.

The following is one reason why your connection might be terminated:

• The computer's hard drive is using a dynamic disk. Media Center Extenders, such as the Xbox 360 console, do not work under a dynamic disk configuration. You must use basic disks.

Try the following solutions in order.

Solution 1: Disable notification services

Programs that are running on the system may be trying to send messages to your Xbox 360 console during a session with the Media Center. Unauthorized messages will cause the session between the Media Center and your Xbox 360 console to get disconnected.

To resolve this issue in Windows 8, follow these steps:

1. On the Start screen, click Event Viewer.
2. Click Application and Services logs, and then find any event for which “Error” appears under Type and “Media Remote Manager” appears under Source.
3. Double-click each item that satisfies these two conditions to view the description of the event. Look for a description that is similar to the following:
   Unauthorized window was detected while running the Media Center Experience, with file name 'C:\PROGRA~1\...

   This message will report the program that is trying to send the message to your Xbox 360 console.

4. Remove or disable the notification service for the application that is listed under Description. For help, see the manual for the application or contact the manufacturer of the application.

To resolve this issue in Windows 8, follow these steps:

1. On the Start screen, click Event Viewer.
2. Click the arrow to the left of Applications and Services Logs, and then click Media Center.
3. Find any event for which “Error” appears under Type and “Media Remote Manager” appears under Source.
4. Double-click each item that satisfies these two conditions to view the description of the event. Look for a description that is similar to the following:

   Unauthorized window was detected while running the Media Center Experience, with file name 'C:\PROGRA~1\...

5. Remove or disable the notification service for the application that is listed under Description. For help, see the manual for the application or contact the manufacturer of the application.

Try to connect your console to your computer again. If you can’t connect, try the next solution.

Solution 2: Disable Fast User Switching (Windows XP only)

The Xbox 360 console uses Fast-User Switching to connect to a computer that is running Windows Media Center. If Fast-User Switching has been turned off on the computer, the Xbox 360 console will not be able to connect. To make sure that Fast-User Switching is turned on, follow these steps:

1. On the computer, click Start, click Run, type nusrmgr.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click Change the way users log on or off.
3. Make sure that the Use Fast User Switching box is selected.
4. Click Apply Options.

Try to connect your console to your computer again. If you can’t connect, try Solution 3.

Solution 3: Disable other media programs

Sometimes, other media programs that are installed on the computer running Windows Media Center (such as Ahead Nero) can prevent your Xbox 360 console from playing the media. Temporarily remove or disable these other media programs to determine whether they are causing the conflict.

Try to connect your console to your computer again. If you can’t connect, try Solution 4.

Solution 4: Open firewall ports on the Windows Media Center computer

Certain required firewall ports might not be open on the computer running Windows Media Center. For information about which firewall ports should be open, see “Which firewall ports must be open to use Windows Media Center with my console” at Troubleshoot Windows Media Center.

If opening those ports doesn’t correct the problem, try Solution 5.

Solution 5: Disable interactive logon messages

When interactive logon messages are used, the interactive logon message appears during the Media Center Extender logon procedure and prevents the procedure from completing.

Use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) manager to disable interactive logon for computers running Windows XP Media Center edition. Interactive logon settings are defined in local or domain computer policies. To review and change these settings, follow these steps:

1. On your computer running Windows XP Media Center edition, click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
2. In Group Policy, expand Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, expand Windows Settings, expand Security Settings, expand Local Policies, and then select Security Options.
3. Double-click Interactive logon: Message text for users attempting to log on, clear any text for this entry, and then click OK.
4. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Group Policy.

Solution 6: Change FAT32 hard drives to NTFS

Your computer's hard drive might be formatted as FAT32. If your hard drive is formatted as FAT32, change the hard drive to an NTFS file system basic disk. To check the format of your hard drive on a computer that is running Windows 8, do the following:

1. On the Start screen, click Computer Management.
2. Click Disk Management.
3. Locate the hard drive, and then examine the column titled File system to see if it is labeled “FAT32.”

If it is labeled “FAT32,” you will have to convert the hard drive to the NTFS file system

• For information about how to convert your Windows Vista-based computer's hard drive from FAT32 to NTFS, follow the steps at Convert a hard disk or partition to NTFS format.
• For information about how to convert your Windows XP-based computer's hard drive from FAT32 to NTFS, follow the steps at How to create and use NTFS mounted drives in Windows XP and in Windows Server 2003.

You may get the following error message when you try to add a Windows Media Extender on a Windows Vista Media Center computer:

Configuration Error
An error was encounter while configuring your computer for use with this extender.

This problem can occur if one of the following is true:

• The Media Center certificate is corrupted.
• The Network List service is not running.

To resolve this issue, try the following solutions:

Solution 1: Remove the Media Center Extender certificate

To remove the Media Center Extender certificate, follow these steps:

Click Start, type mmc in the Start Search box, and then press Enter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

1. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
2. Click Certificates, and then click Add.
3. Select Computer account, and then click Next.
4. Select Local computer, and then click Finish.
5. Click OK.
6. In the Navigation Pane under Console Root, expand Certificates, expand Personal, and then click Certificates.
7. Right-click Microsoft Windows Media Center Extender Host, and then click Delete.

After you remove the certificate, uninstall the Extender, and then restart Extender Setup.

Solution 2: Restart the Network List Service

To restart the Network List Service, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type services.msc in the Start Search box, and then press Enter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
2. In the list of services, verify that “Started” appears under Status and that “Automatic” appears under Startup Type for Network List Service.
3. If you have to modify the settings for the service, double-click the service, make the adjustment, and then click OK.
4. Restart Extender Setup.