Media center does not work on my windows xp - Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 for PC

Which operating system ? Which version of Media player ?
Though designed with Windows 7 in mind, Windows Media Player 11 (WMP 11) is fully compatible with Windows XP.

The trick is knowing which version of WMP 11 to download.
Different versions of the software exist not only for Windows 7, Vista, and XP, but also for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP.

Additionally, WMP 11 is only compatible with XP if it is using Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3. Before downloading the appropriate installation file, you will need to verify which version your system requires.

Open the "Start" menu.
Open "My Computer."

Click "Help", then select "About Windows."
This will display a window with system information.

Find the listing that specifies your Service Pack. If you are operating without Service Pack 2 or 3, you will need to install one (see Resources).


Open the "Start" menu and click "Run." Within the text field, type "winmsd.exe."

Click "OK." Select "System Summary."
Find the heading labeled "Item."

Under this heading should be the word "Processor."
The value associated with "Processor" will determine which version of Windows XP you are running.

If the value begins with "x86," you are running a 32-bit version.
If it begins with "ia64" or "AMD64," then you are running a 64-bit version.

Download the Windows Media Player installation file that matches your version of Windows (see Below).
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player

Open the file once it has finished downloading.
This will launch the installation wizard.

Follow the onscreen instructions to install WMP 11.
The program should now run normally.
How to Fix Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is the home entertainment hub on a Windows computer.
With Media Center, you can play live television, songs, DVDs and slideshows.

It is preinstalled on Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium/Ultimate Edition and Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions.

From time to time, users run into issues trying to play audio or video files, or with an extender connected to Media Center.

Extenders are devices that allow you to "extend" the Media Center onto a TV screen or larger display.

The Xbox 360 gaming console is an example of an extender.
Launch Windows Media Center from your computer's Start menu.

Scroll down to "Music" on the Media Center home screen.
Select "Music library."

If you find an empty folder under "Music Library," navigate to the folder on your hard drive that stores your music file and add it to Media Center's library.

If the problem isn't an empty folder, look at the file extension on the music file that won't play. Media Center can't play files with unknown or incompatible extensions.

If you find a questionable extension, skip that file. Click once on another file with a different extension, one you know is compatible with Media Center, and then click "Open" to test if you can play that one.

Media Center will play MP3, CDA, WAV and other music file formats.
Open Windows Media Player from the Start menu if you receive a codec error while trying to play either audio or video files.

If you open the file in Media Player, the codec will download automatically.
You should then be able to play the file in Media Center.

Troubleshoot your firewall settings if a Media Center extender doesn't work.
You'll have a problem using an extender if Windows Firewall blocks it.

Go to "Control Panel" from the Start menu and double-click on "Windows Firewall."
Click on "Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall."

Click to check "Media Center Extenders."
Click on "Apply."

Check external speaker cables to make sure they're connected if you can't hear any sound. Check the computer's volume settings by clicking on the "VOL+" icon at the bottom right corner of the main Media Center screen to make sure the volume is not turned off or down too low.

You may need to reconfigure your speakers if you're having volume or sound issues.
Scroll down to "Tasks" in the Media Center home screen and select "Settings."

Click on "General" and select "Windows Media Center Setup."
Click on "Set Up Your Speakers."

Follow the on-screen prompts to reconfigure your speakers.

Hi There,

Windows Media Center Edition is exactly that; an "Edition" of XP Pro. If you go to My Computer and then click on System Properties, you will likely be comforted to see that you indeed have Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

Regards

to your amasement one answer is 8 versions

Windows XP Starter Edition
This edition is aimed for first-time desktop PC users in developing countries. This edition can only run three applications at once.

Windows XP Home Edition
A version of Windows XP for home users. This edition replaced Windows 9x/ME

Windows XP Home Edition N
This is a special edition of Windows XP Home Edition for the european market
without media player

Windows XP Professional
A version of Windows XP for both businesses and home users. This edition replaced Windows 2000 Professional

Windows XP Professional N
This is a special edition of Windows XP Professional for the european market without media player

Windows XP Media Center Edition
A Windows XP version for Media Center PCs with an easy to use interface and remote control support

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
This is a Windows XP version for Tablet PCs with pen and speech capabilities

Windows XP Professional x86 Edition
This edition is for AMD64/EMT64 64-bit processors

guess you didn't knew that.
nice question and thanks for using fixya.

Please vote if satisfied.

might be some error with your graphics

Click Start>All Programs>Accessories>Media Center>Media Center. That should get you going again.

Do you not have a Media Center remote for your computer?

Thanks for using Fixya.

Try reinstall windows. If this doesn't work you might have a conflict with your tv-tuner

Try going into Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, click on the Media Center software, if listed, and see if it gives a choice to Change and/or Repair. You'll probably need your Windows CD if/when it prompts for it.

When that happens you usually need to backup your data, and reinstall the system to fix Windows corrupted files.

Try first doing a system restore to the most recent date before you started having the problem. If system files are damaged this will not help.

The media center is part of the WMC operative system. You can also reinstall media center alone using add remove programs, then Add remove windows components. Often that does not work, and you need to use a Windows MCE setup disk to fix the problem.

Yes, it is currently supported all the way up to Vista x64. For future reference any Windows XP supported program will work fine with Media Center. Enjoy!

To connect the Xbox 360 console to this computer, you must be running Windows XP Service Pack 2, Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, or Windows Vista.
To obtain your setup package or instructions for connecting your Xbox 360, select the version of Windows installed on this computer from the following list.

• Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
• Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 – Update Rollup 2
• Windows Vista Basic
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Windows Vista Ultimate

To determine the version of Windows XP Media Center Edition that you are running, follow these steps:

1. Start Media Center.
2. On the Settings menu, click General.
3. Scroll down, and then click About Media Center.
4. Click Software Version
   
   The version number of Media Center you are running is displayed.

To determine the version of Windows XP that you are running, follow these steps:

1. On the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. On the General tab, under System, look for the version of Windows that you are running.