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Hi,

I run several video games on my laptop from an external HD (Guild Wars, most often). When I close out of the game, Windows Media Center nearly always auto-loads. It's a huge resource hog and takes forever to load, and I basically can't do anything until it's finished and I can X it out. When I'm just trying to shut down, it is a major irritant.

Does anyone know how I can disable or delete Media Center so it won't load?

I'm not smart enough to sort this one out. I've tried googling and the "services" controls in Windows without success. I'm running XP w/SP3.

Thanks,
Chuck

I found this answer on the web to disable...

QUOTE..
Users of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 [XP MCE] may need to disable XP MCE from controlling the TV Tuner. Failure to do so may result in no video signal being displayed. This step is not necessary on Windows XP Home, or Windows XP Professional or previous versions of Windows XP MCE 2002 & Windows XP MCE 2004.

There are two services that run at startup with XP MCE; they are MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE [ehRecvr.exe] and MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER [ehSched.exe] . The instructions below will stop these two services from starting automatically, allowing access to the tuner. While MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER is not necessary, it is more than likely that you would want to disable it as it will not be used after installing ReplayTV PC Edition.

If ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS are not available from your START MENU, then go to CONTROL PANEL and proceed from there.

DISABLING MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE

* Click START
* Select ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS
* Select SERVICES
* From the NAME column, double click MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE
* From the STARTUP TYPE drop down list, select DISABLED
* Click APPLY
* Click OK
* Close the SERVICES window
* Continue below if you would like to disable the MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER [recommended], otherwise restart your computer

DISABLING MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER

* From the NAME column, double click MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER
* Right Click on it and select PROPERTIES
* From the STARTUP TYPE drop down list, select DISABLED
* Click APPLY
* Click OK
* Restart your computer

END QUOTE

I also found this answer...

Quote...

I have determined the problem. I have a new ASUS laptop that has media buttons above the keyboard that are controlled by 'DMedia.exe'. Ending this process solves the problem, but those buttons are now useless. I suppose I will have to take this up with ASUS. Wish me luck!!

End Quote.

Good luck and let us know what worked for you!

- Shadow_Bshwackr

I found this answer on the web to disable...

QUOTE..
Users of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 [XP MCE] may need to disable XP MCE from controlling the TV Tuner. Failure to do so may result in no video signal being displayed. This step is not necessary on Windows XP Home, or Windows XP Professional or previous versions of Windows XP MCE 2002 & Windows XP MCE 2004.

There are two services that run at startup with XP MCE; they are MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE [ehRecvr.exe] and MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER [ehSched.exe] . The instructions below will stop these two services from starting automatically, allowing access to the tuner. While MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER is not necessary, it is more than likely that you would want to disable it as it will not be used after installing ReplayTV PC Edition.

If ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS are not available from your START MENU, then go to CONTROL PANEL and proceed from there.

DISABLING MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE

* Click START
* Select ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS
* Select SERVICES
* From the NAME column, double click MEDIA CENTER RECEIVER SERVICE
* From the STARTUP TYPE drop down list, select DISABLED
* Click APPLY
* Click OK
* Close the SERVICES window
* Continue below if you would like to disable the MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER [recommended], otherwise restart your computer

DISABLING MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER

* From the NAME column, double click MEDIA CENTER SCHEDULER
* Right Click on it and select PROPERTIES
* From the STARTUP TYPE drop down list, select DISABLED
* Click APPLY
* Click OK
* Restart your computer

END QUOTE

I also found this answer...

Quote...

I have determined the problem. I have a new ASUS laptop that has media buttons above the keyboard that are controlled by 'DMedia.exe'. Ending this process solves the problem, but those buttons are now useless. I suppose I will have to take this up with ASUS. Wish me luck!!

End Quote.

Good luck and let us know what worked for you!

Bush,

Yup, that first solution is what I tried. Only one of those services was present in the "services" list, and I disabled it. Unfortunatly, when I logged off the game last night (after an enjoyable 90 mins of adventuring with my sons half a world away!), Media Center popped up again.

I'll look for that DMedia process tonight, even though my laptop doesn't have the media buttons.

Thanks!
Chuck