OS System changed!

Question

I ordered & received my new computer last week.  It had XP Media Center 2005 on it in the original specs when I submitted my order & when I first booted it up.  The Window XP tag on my computer says it also.  I have the Media Center Icons on the desktop.  Sometime over the weekend I received a message saying the screen saver I was using (aquarium) was only available on Media Center.  Duh, that's what I have, right?  But upon further investigation - ran the program from Dell that tells me what my configuration is - said I had Windows XP 2005 & when I checked 'My Computer' tonight it said I had Windows XP Professional.  What gives here?  How could it have changed?  I am very confused.  Shouldn't the tag match what is loaded in my system?  Has anyone else heard of this happening - OS changing versions?   Could really use some imput.  I chose this computer off the Dell Outlet site based on RAM, hard drive size & OS - I wanted Media Center.   Thanks

Denny Denham · Answer

bkeller2, Windows XP MCE is based on Windows XP. See if this post is helpful.

bkeller2 · Answer

I saw that but didn't think it applied to me.  I have the MCE icons on my desktop, it shows up in my Start Menu, & in Programs.  I figured they wouldn't be there if I didn't have MCE especially since the Windows tag on my computer says Media Center Edition 2005.  But when I click on them I get an error message saying 'This only works on Media Center Edition'.  Could I have downloaded the wrong updates?  I had a lot to install when I first booted it up.   Thanks, Bethany

bkeller2 · Answer

Thank you, Joe53   I tried the search you suggested.  4 files were found.  I clicked the file you described & an error message came up.  It had 'Media Center' at the top in a blue bar and the message read - 'Media Center only works on Windows XP Media Center Edition'.  The other 3 files listed are:   eshell                       in folder C:\i386 eshell.exe.config     in folder C:\WINDOWS\ehome eshell                        in folder C:\i386\CMPNENTS\MEDIACTR\I386\MEDIACTR.CAB   eshell                       in folder C:\WINDOWS\ehome        (the one you suggested)   Thanks for your help.   Bethany

joe53 · Answer

bkeller2:   It is normal to have the MCE icons in the places you have listed. And any updates you installed, providing you got them from the Windows Update or Microsoft Update website, would be correct for your system.   If I understand you correctly, the MCE links on your desktop and Programs list are not opening the MCE program. To see if MCE is still on your PC, and functioning, click on Start>Search for Files and folders, and search for ehshell.exe. It should be in your C:\WINDOWS\EHOME folder. Navigate to that folder and doubleclick on ehshell.exe - this should open MCE.   If that does not work, then could you post the complete and exact text of any error message you receive when you click on the desktop MCE icon?

joe53 · Answer

Bethany:

I did a Google search on that error message, and all I found were old posts relating to upgrading XP Pro to older versions of MCE- not to 2005. Clearly they would not apply to someone with a new MCE 2005 which came as the original operating system.

When I did a search for ehshell.exe on my system, I found 12 files, including the 4 you found. You are missing a lot of files, and I have no idea why.

I'm out of my depth here- hopefully someone else will step in. Did you order the backup installation disks for MCE2005 and other software when you purchased your system? You might be needing them.

bkeller2 · Answer

Since I worked during the day and was in class Wed. night, I just got your posting yesterday.  Last night when I went to respond, I couldn't get in so I decided to wait until today.   Anyway, I eventually went to Windows Explorer in the same folder the search said they would be and found a bunch more folders & files for MCE 2005 but only the same 4 files with ehshell.exe in ithe name.  But if you came up with 12 files doing the same search I would say yes, I am missing quite a few files.    I purchased my system off the Dell outlet site and do not remember seeing an option for the CDs as other people have posted.  I also did not know Dell stopped shipping new units w/out OS cds until I took mine out of the box, set it up, and started having this problem.  When I researched it, I found out.    If no one has suggestions on this site then perhaps a call to support is in order.    Thanks for your help everyone.  I appreciate anymore ideas to solve this mystery.   Bethany

Windows General

OS System changed!

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