Windows Media Center Update Notification

[johnw248]

This is something that is driving me crazy. I can get Media Center’s notification icon to pop up the status about 80 percent of the time I boot my HP machine, not at all on a Compaq Laptop, almost always on a old Compaq desktop that can’t even record HD due to processor and memory problems and about 20 percent of the time on my Dell 9100 Studio machine. I can’t find any setting anywhere that makes this work. No difference between warm boot, cold restart, etc etc. Obviously something needs to load to make this work and when it works it’s a live reading. If you’re update is running you’ll get “testing internet” and various downloads with percentages and finally a finished and then next update time.

Any clues where to look to make it work?

 

John

[mikinho]

Have you setup a remote control on those systems?  

[johnw248]

No remote control. Dell is 64 bit, HP is 64 bit old Compaq desktop is 32 bit and Compaq laptop is 64 bit. Once in a while I can get it to work on the Dell but have never seen it work on the Compaq laptop.

There are two registry entries for ehTray.exe (assuming this is part of th ehTray.exe operation) and those entries are the same on both the Dell and the HP.

I noticed that the hover doesn’t necessarily work on other people’s computers that I’ve set-up for cableCARD.

[mikinho]

It is part of ehtray and that is the reason I asked if you had a remote connected.  The way ehtray works is that it runs at start up but will close itself if it isn’t needed for remote usage (and a few other functions).  There is a registry setting to keep it alive, I’ll find it and update the thread.

[johnw248]

In the FWIW department. The Dell is a factory load of Win7 from last August (they replaced my XPS420 when it died), the HP was shipped with Vista HP with free update to Win7 which I did, the Compaq was a purchase (family pack) of Win7 updates and I used the installed XP Home as the base for it’s install. The Compaq Laptop is a recent purchase with factory install of Win7.

From what I’ve found, the HP update version still had a HKCurrent User key for Run ehTray.exe. The Dell didn’t have the key, the laptop didn’t have the key and I haven’t checked the Compaq update from XP Home.

The only other registry entries are the same for ehTray.exe.

John

Edit: I just completed running Win7 Update Tuesday on all the Win7 boxes and after restart and running MC and Get Lateset Guide Listings, I have exactly the same results. No pop up on the Dell or the Compaq laptop, it works on the HP Desktop and Compaq desktop. All four machines now have the addition of Run string ehTray.exe with C:WindowsehomeehTray.exe

I must be missing something (a switch some other entry beside H Key Current User ….. Run

John

 

[johnw248]

Anyone come up with any registry keys, ideas, …..?

 

John

[mikinho]

Sorry John I didn’t follow up.  Can you do a quick test, from the command line run the below

C:Windowsehome>ehtray.exe && mcupdate.exe -uf

Does it show then?

Note: For any other users trying this…make sure under Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsNotification Area Icons that “Windows Media Center” is set to “Show icon and notifications”

[johnw248]

Just tried the command on both the Compaq laptop and the Dell. On both machines mcupdate started but no pop up with status.

Just the little glow under the MC icon in the notification area when hovering, right click gets the usual menu Open Media Center, Start Update, Cancel Update, Enable Automatic Updates (checked).

Checking the logs on both the Compaq laptop and the Dell, the command runs the schedule update and then runs Client Mantainence.

John

[johnw248]

The saga continues. Now I normally get the pop up on the Dell, but the HP which was fairly consistent has not booted with the pop up for the last couple of months. Have no idea what might have changed to cause this.

Update: As of February 22, 2012 the pop up has stopped working on all my machines. I don’t know if it will magically restart but now none of them display the pop up.

 

[matt6999]

Hi.  I had the EXACT same problem and it was driving me nuts too.  But this morning…I FIXED IT!!  I was so excited that I had to share it with you.  I hope it works for you as quickly as it did me.  Here is what I did. 

Open up task manager.  Scroll down to ehtray.exe.  Right click > open file location (this is just to make it easier to get to).  Leave that window open and go back to the task manager Processes screen.  right click ehtray.exe again and end process.  Now go to the file location window, right click ehtray.exe and click run as administrator….mine starting working immediately.  Good Luck!!

 

[johnw248]

Wow! and interesting discovery and it worked on my Compaq lap top but it didn’t work on the HP lap top. Both the Desktop Dell & HP are working right now so the next time it fails on a reboot I’ll run through this routine.

Now the HP lap top has never displayed information, the Compaq would display and disappear so it will be interesting to see if it holds.

Did you try a reboot and see if it still worked? There doesn’t seem to be a way to assign ehtray.exe to run by default under administrator–or it isn’t an option under compatibility on my machines.

But thanks, its a great tip!!

[matt6999]

Well, you are correct.  Upon reboot it went back to it’s old ways.  So, since your last post…I have been trying to find a way to automate ehtray.exe to run automatically as administrator at start up, but to no avail.  I have tried just about everything I could think of.  But I don’t quit easy, so when I have some more time I will dive into it.  If I figure anything out, I will be sure to let you know.  This is quite perplexing to say the least.  But at least for now, upon reboot I just end process and restart as administrator and all is good.  It’s a quick fix but not a solution.  Hopefully we will figure this out!!  Thanks for the feedback.

 

[matt6999]

Well, you are correct.  Upon reboot it went back to it’s old ways.  So, since your last post…I have been trying to find a way to automate ehtray.exe to run automatically as administrator at start up, but to no avail.  I have tried just about everything I could think of.  But I don’t quit easy, so when I have some more time I will dive into it.  If I figure anything out, I will be sure to let you know.  This is quite perplexing to say the least.  But at least for now, upon reboot I just end process and restart as administrator and all is good.  It’s a quick fix but not a solution.  Hopefully we will figure this out!!  Thanks for the feedback.

 

[matt6999]

I did try a reboot after reading your post, unfortunately…it reverted back to it’s old ways.  So for now, it’s the quick fix (end process and restart as administrator) until I figure out a way to automate this file at startup as administrator.  I have tried everything I could think of, but I don’t quit easy.  So when I have a chance, I will dive into it some more.  Anything I find I will be sure to post.  Thanks for the feedback!

 

[johnw248]

I tried it on the Dell 9100 today after a reboot and had just the icon and no pop-up and it didn’t work. Sometimes on the Dell & HP a log out and log in will restore the pop-up. My theory is its something attached to the ehtray.exe service but I can’t find it.

[Author]

Posts