DellCommunity Forum   Software: win xp media center, page 3, Beware xp media center ed. 2005 a little review,   by jeeper1,   dated 03-04-2006.

There is another dell forum entry which stated problems with software compatiblity which caught my attention today but I have yet to find it. I'm going to give mce a whirl but I see alot of comlaints.

refurbished xsp600 on the way, somewhat concerned.

looking for opinions and advice about media center 2005 operating system.

Thanks 

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@doureadsutterkane wrote:

DellCommunity Forum   Software: win xp media center, page 3, Beware xp media center ed. 2005 a little review,   by jeeper1,   dated 03-04-2006.

There is another dell forum entry which stated problems with software compatiblity which caught my attention today but I have yet to find it. I'm going to give mce a whirl but I see alot of comlaints.

refurbished xsp600 on the way, somewhat concerned.

looking for opinions and advice about media center 2005 operating system.

Thanks 

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Everything that ran on my Dimension 4550 with XP Pro runs just the same on my XPS600 with MCE 2005.  Well, except faster. :smileyhappy:

Mine is also a refurb from Dell Outlet.

Dave

I am beginning to get the picture. I ordered the xps600 Thursday, then started to browse forum and the internet studying in detail everything that came with this system. The first  google entry was for mce which brought me to the dell forum and the above entry. His statements raised a red flag. Further search of the forum and the internet alarmed me with everyone problems of mce.

But I am getting the picture of operator error, equipments setup error, inadequate computer systems, mce update conflicts ( which can be resolved as stated on the Microsoft web site). A lot of the conflicts I have read do not state which version of mce  is on their computer. It could be the 2002 version with bugs in it( or bugs in hardware), or the 2005 version.

MCE has been out since 2002 with numerous updates. Microsoft has had their ups in downs with the courts world wide and I really don't think MS would release operating systems like the ones in the 90's with their fixes and patches as a cost to the consumer. Although, one web site stated ( see above) that mce being replaced by vista is a good thing.

I am a novice, but I find all this stuff as a very interesting hobby and when I find a problem I don't let it go until I have exhausted all my avenues.

Never the less, alarms and flags went off, but I believe through research and help from friendly people such as yourself, my opinion of "The Dreaded MCE 2005" is beginning to change.

My new system will be arriving shortly and the proof will be fort coming. This will be my 4th dell system and  I've ordered 2 systems for my folks, refurbished and new. All previous systems are running strong and Dell has always been very good to me. Thats why I keep coming back. I have had no trouble with support, but come to think of it, I've had little need of support from Dell.

I already take high blood pressure medicine so I dont need new headaches (thats what daughters are for).I've entered questions throughout the Dell forum requarding MCE 2005, and once I give the system a good run through, I will report back to all my entries and recap my opinion. Hopefully by the end of the month I will turn off all the alarms and lower the flags reguarding MCE.

Thanks for your efforts...... I'm still trying to find the forum question reguarding mce software compatibility problems that set this entry off. I considered replacing the hard drive with a new one with xp home on it, but my view of mce is changing from the view I preceived after reading other complaints.

Message Edited by doureadsutterkane on 03-06-2006 11:52 AM

Hi:

Like datapod, I have had very few problems with MCE, and none that I could not fix. Most of these problems were related to MCE- not to the basic XP apps.

As far as incompatable software goes, I've seen reports that McAfee AV is not supported (I don't use McAfee), and that any Palm PDA's are not supported. (I have an old Palm, and it synchs just fine. Palm confirms that MCE is not supported, so I'm not sure what to make that.)

Be sure to get all critical updates from the MS Update site. I downloaded as well all optional updates related to MCE, and have had no issues related to them.

Thanks for your reply. This will be my first bout with MCE. I don't recall seeing MCE on the box of store bought software under the system requirements, just 95/98/xp etc. I am contacting different software companies, just for drill, to see their take on MCE.

Regards

I belive my system is being shipped with 15 months mcafee antivirus software.

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@doureadsutterkane wrote:

Thanks for your reply. This will be my first bout with MCE. I don't recall seeing MCE on the box of store bought software under the system requirements, just 95/98/xp etc. I am contacting different software companies, just for drill, to see their take on MCE.

Regards

I belive my system is being shipped with 15 months mcafee antivirus software.

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For  Your Information: Found a wonderful article on Microsoft's upcoming operating system called VISTA ( formally code name Longhorn). Interesting reading and talks a little of Media Center 2005 (about one third down the page). This article coincides with the opinion of the author of the previous link above. Vista sounds wonderful on paper, LOL. Note the links included with the article, one relating to MCE and Xbox. Also refers to BSOD, Blue Screen Of Death.

www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,186655,00.html

oops wrong link, above link refers to xbox and mce

www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,186454,00.html

Message Edited by doureadsutterkane on 03-07-2006 12:49 PM