Windows Media Center 2005 Solution!

[smartin53]

OK so I wanted Media Center 2005 installed on my iMac so I started trying to figure out a few things. With the help of several people I managed to edit the slipstream so that it will support MCE2005 (before it would break the install and only install XP SP2 Pro leaving out the MCE parts).

Now it works BUT there is one catch. Of course you need to own MCE but you have to burn it onto a DVD. The problem is that at a certain point in the install MCE normally asks for CD2 of MCE (assuming you aren't using a DVD version) but it doesn't eject CD1....and the intel imac doesn't have a manual eject button or pinhole so you are SOL. Only fix to this is to put all the files onto 1 DVD. The rest of the process is the same though and I have tweaked the install guide accordingly.

Please note that this is only for MCE2005 and not XP Pro (I hope to figure out other versions later if I get the time).

Anyway enjoy and thanks again to Narf and blanka for the good work.

[Boozy]

Thanks I will try it later.

[Maaij]

Cool.

Thanx for the info.

Can you send me the file to maaij28ATgmail.com? I cant DL it?

[martianrobot]

I have XPMCE 2005 install disks and an Intel iMac 20" (that still sounds so wrong but works so right!) and want to have a bash at this. I've read though that there are problems with the 'standard' install procedure for 20" iMacs and you have to use a custom EFI file.

What system did you create your custom for - i.e. will they work for the 20"?

Also, I was wondering - if I didn't use your custom XPMCE files, but used the XPMCE disks with the custom 20" ones, what happens? Does it actually sucessfully install a working Windows XP, but without the MCE gubbins? I'm not too bothered at this stage with having the MCE addons, just a 'working' Windows XP install.

Cheers.

[Steve1496]

What sort of TV tuner would you use for this, considering it has to be external (unless you really mod your Mac)? Is there such a thing as a USB tuner on Windows?

[tdar]

What sort of TV tuner would you use for this, considering it has to be external (unless you really mod your Mac)? Is there such a thing as a USB tuner on Windows?

sure both NTSC and ATSC....with Vista they will add Cable Card and DirecTV

[chiefsalami]

What system did you create your custom for - i.e. will they work for the 20"?

I'll ask as well. Does this work for the 20" iMac? The OSX86Project site is not really responding now, so I don't know if we have a solution for the 20" yet. Please let me know. Thanks!

[alep85]

Anyone tested this yet? I have a HP Media Center back at my home, and it would be awesome to have this running on the Mac, esp when true audio support and video drivers come out. Plus, even though Front Row is graphically better to me and is much more stable (it IS OS X after all), it still can't have the capability to record and watch TV, a true advantage of Windows MCE. Anyways, let me know!

[allmightylittleone]

Hi,
I have a gateway media center computer, and about external tuners, yes they work. I would get a hauppauge Wintv PVR USB2 MCE edition. I have one and it works fine for me.
This is the greatest multimedia setup
:D :eek: :cool: :rolleyes:

[adam84a]

Everytime I try to install using this method, the windows setup (blue screen) tells me to enter the disc labeled Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2. Does anyone know why I am getting this? I am using the MCEDVD.nrb image, setting it to point to the boot.img... any suggestions?

[Tom69]

Another solution that seems to work for me (Mac Mini Core Duo, OSX 10.4.8, Parallels Desktop Build 3120) is to just click escape when the XP Media Center installation process asks for disk 2. The process then continues with what I expect is an installation without the Media Center. Anyhow, when the installation is ready and you're inside XP you just start the installation all over again, from inside XP (simplest way is to eject and reenter disk 1 into the drive, starting it automatically). When it asks for disk 2 you just eject disk 1 with your mac keyboard, enter disk 2 and the installation continues installing XP with the Media Center. Be aware that the process will ask you to reenter disk 1 when it's done with disk 2. Same procedure!

Hope this is helpfull.