Media Center from Windows XP MCE 2005 won't load animations.

I'll be more help if you clarify some things. First of all, which version of VMware are you using? For the best compatibility with XP, use VMware 6.5 or earlier, as this is a known issue with newer versions.

Even the GMA950 chip had compatibility issues with XP MCE 2005, requiring a dedicated PCIe graphics card for proper functionality. Some people say that you can fix this by modifying the registry:

  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Display Settings
  • Add two DWORD keys: DisableDxCheck and DisableDx9CapsCheck, both set to 1. This bypasses DirectX checks that might interfere with animation rendering
Ensure you are using at least DirectX 9.x - some people downgrade for retro gaming, so check if you haven't done that by any chance.

For best compatibility, ensure you are emulating something similar:
  • Processor: Minimum Pentium III 733 MHz or equivalent.
  • Graphics: A dedicated graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce 4 MX or ATI Radeon 9500) for smooth animation rendering.
  • Storage: At least 1 GB of RAM and 10 GB of free disk space.
If you can't fix the MediaCenter error, try something else like Plex, Kodi or VLC.

Hope one of these things helps! If you want a more precise idea on how to fix your problem, please give me more details!
 
Martingonn said:
I'll be more help if you clarify some things. First of all, which version of VMware are you using? For the best compatibility with XP, use VMware 6.5 or earlier, as this is a known issue with newer versions.

Even the GMA950 chip had compatibility issues with XP MCE 2005, requiring a dedicated PCIe graphics card for proper functionality. Some people say that you can fix this by modifying the registry:

  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Display Settings
  • Add two DWORD keys: DisableDxCheck and DisableDx9CapsCheck, both set to 1. This bypasses DirectX checks that might interfere with animation rendering
Ensure you are using at least DirectX 9.x - some people downgrade for retro gaming, so check if you haven't done that by any chance.

For best compatibility, ensure you are emulating something similar:
  • Processor: Minimum Pentium III 733 MHz or equivalent.
  • Graphics: A dedicated graphics card (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce 4 MX or CalculatorRadeon 9500) for smooth animation rendering.
  • Storage: At least 1 GB of RAM and 10 GB of free disk space.
If you can't fix the MediaCenter error, try something else like Plex, Kodi or VLC.

Hope one of these things helps! If you want a more precise idea on how to fix your problem, please give me more details!
Click to expand...
how and where do i get thoose DWORD keys from?
(also i'm using vmware 6.5 compability)
 
YC69 said:
how and where do i get thoose DWORD keys from?
(also i'm using vmware 6.5 compability)
Click to expand...
Run "Run" (the native program), type in "regedit.exe", navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Display Settings
after that create new DWORD keys, called DisableDxCheck and DisableDx9CapsCheck. Make both of them simply have the value "1". That could be a really simple fix, betting that it works...
 
If you haven't used Regedit before, I can get into more detail. Don't worry, most people haven't, so it's not a shame to not know that. After all, this is the reason why this forum exists - to help people with the weirdest problems.
If you get any errors with these fixes, comment them below, so I'll know what went wrong and what to change.
 
Last edited:
YC69 said:
that almost fixed it, but the media center was blinking
Click to expand...
So the Regedit thing fixed your issue, but Media Center is blinking? That might be another issue with DirectX, specifically refreshing. Will write back once I have a way to fix.
 
The flashing is a known symptom when Media Center attempts to use DirectX 9 features (like animations and transparency) that aren't properly supported or accelerated by VMware's virtual graphics adapter in environments like MCE 2005. VMware's virtual GPU, especially in older versions or with legacy guest OSes like Windows MCE 2005, does not fully support DirectX 9 hardware acceleration. Even with VMware Tools installed, only basic DirectX features are emulated, and advanced effects (such as those used by Media Center's UI) may not render correctly, resulting in flashing or graphical glitches.

Fixes that I found:
  • Ensure 3D acceleration is enabled in the VM's settings.
  • Allocate more video memory to the VM.

Some users also recommend using VirtualBox instead of VMware on XP. Use VirtualBox 5.2.1 for best compatibility. If you have any problems with VirtualBox controls, just ask me and I will give you instructions, as I have been using VirtualBox for 5 years with much success.

Here is the download link: https://forum.virtualbox.org/wiki/Download_Old_Builds_5_2

Hope this helps! Once again, feel free to DM me or drop any questions below, I will try to reply as fast as I can! Good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top