Windows Media Center edition with NO internet explorer... OEM

[Eelskraps]

Hello guys

I was building another box and decided to go with Windows Media Center edition to give it a shot. MISTAKE apparently lol.

Here's what happened, the kit I ordered from Newegg was supposed to be SP2 and came with three disks... XP disk 1, XP disk 2, and a 2005 update for Media Center.

Now here is my problem.... I'm installing XP MCE and it pops up that windows needs some files from the XP service pack 2 disk. I thought it ok, maybe it means the third disk it came with. Nope no luck. So I decide to hit cancel because I didnt have a SP2 disk. Windows went ahead and finished installing, figured I could update SP2 from the net. No luck... when I went to start, the machine does not have Internet explorer installed at all. Tried running straight to windows update and no luck, says it cannot find my default browser. I went to another machine and downloaded I.E. 7.0 and could not install it because I cannot open a browser to verify my copy of windows. UGH.

I then re-installed XP and while it was setting up I went and downloaded the SP2 disk from MS, although the only one it would let me download was the SP2 for multiple computers. When it got to the point of needing SP2 files it was not happy with the disk I made. When I went ahead and finished installign xp again and tried to run the SP2 install, it could not complete because it said it was missing parts of files.

I'm kinda at my wits end because I really dont want to have to scrap this copy of XP MCE but because it is OEM MS will not give me tech support either.

Any ideas guys????

[Budfred]

If you just bought a copy of Windows from NewEgg, it should contain SP2... If it doesn't, send it back... It also contains IE since IE is integrated into the OS... I would probably just wipe the drive and start over, letting it install whatever it asks to install...

[jlreich]

One of the reviewers at Newegg had this to say...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp?item=N82E16832116049

Install disc 1, then disc 2, then when prompted for service pack 2 put disc 1 back in. If you do it in this order everything will be perfect.

Another one said this...

Installation lacks direction. If you haven't already read them, read all the guidance given below by others on installation. I didn't and I had to reformat my drive and reinstall. What a pain. Basically it is Disk 1-->Disk 2-->Disk 1-->Online updates-->Disk 3 updates. You gotta get online before the 3rd disk can even be used. The online updates took 3 reboots to complete approximately 80 MB of updates. After each reboot, revisit Windows Update and you'll have more to install. Then go back to the 3rd disk included in the installation packet.

Looks like a total PITA to me.

[Erik]

I think the problem is that MCE was intended by MS to be only used by system builders and be bundeled with a system, not installed by the end user. It is sort of cobbled together of XP Home and extra features, and then updates for all of those features plus the base OS. Thus the three discs.

I would follow the instructions, SP2 should be on the first install CD. CD2 should be MCE specific additions, and CD 3 updates to the MCE components. I did this from CDs I got direct from MS and it worked fine for me.

[Eelskraps]

Thanks guys. That fixed it.

sorry it took me so long to give ya feedback, family issues poped up.