Will XBMC install on Win2003
#1
Will the newest version of XBMC install on Windows 2003 (Windows Home Server)? I have tried installing it in both portable and normal. It install's ok but the moment I try to run it starts up and shuts down.

I'm not sure if it matters but I am also trying to access it via remote desktop. I don't have a monitor hooked up to computer at the moment but will after a few weeks.
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#2
Have a look in C:\program files\xbmc for the file xbmc.log. This should tell you why XBMC is shutting down. I haven't used the release build of v9.11 on W2k3, but beta builds ran OK, and the release build runs on Server 2008 so I'd be very surprised if XBMC won't run. You may need to manually install the DirectX redistributable (from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads).

JR
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#3
I seem to get some error messages when first logging into the system . A Windows Error Report

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#4
I've never been able to launch XBMC while using remote desktop, but having launched it before signing on remotely actually seemed to work...

Never had the urge to actually use XBMC through remote desktop, so it's not an issue I've looked in to, just saying... Smile
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#5
I went and got a HDMI cablle and hooked it up from my computer to my big screen. The same problem is still occuring when directly connected. I have tried a few other things.

I have tried to install an old version 9.04. I could really only find beta 1 however the same issue arrises. I couldn't even run it in windowed view. I uninstalled and it reinstalled it.

There is no log file created with an error. When I tried to install directx it claims I already have the most up to date drivers which is good. Could this be an issue because I am using Windows Home Server (Not exactly Windows Server 2003)?
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#6
The XBMC Log

Code:
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992605696  NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: Starting XBMC, Platform: Windows  Service Pack 2 build 3790.  Built on Dec 23 2009 (SVN:26017, compiler 1500)
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4800+
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: Desktop Resolution: 1024x600 24Bit at 42Hz
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: Running with administrator rights
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: special://xbmc/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files\XBMC
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: special://masterprofile/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files\XBMC\userdata
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992589312  NOTICE: special://home/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files\XBMC
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992585216  NOTICE: special://temp/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files\XBMC\cache
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992585216  NOTICE: The executable running is: C:\Program Files\XBMC\XBMC.exe
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992585216  NOTICE: Log File is located: C:\Program Files\XBMC\xbmc.log
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992585216  NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992560640  NOTICE: Setup SDL
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992298496  NOTICE: load settings...
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992273920  NOTICE: special://profile/ is mapped to: special://masterprofile/
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992273920  NOTICE: loading special://masterprofile/guisettings.xml
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992065024  NOTICE: Getting hardware information now...
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992048640  NOTICE: Checking resolution 12
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992036352  NOTICE: Loading player core factory settings from special://xbmc/system/playercorefactory.xml.
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1992011776  NOTICE: Loaded playercorefactory configuration
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: Loading player core factory settings from special://masterprofile/playercorefactory.xml.
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: special://masterprofile/playercorefactory.xml does not exist. Skipping.
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: No advancedsettings.xml to load (special://masterprofile/advancedsettings.xml)
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: Default DVD Player: dvdplayer
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: Default Video Player: dvdplayer
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: Default Audio Player: paplayer
08:15:57 T:6668 M:1991999488  NOTICE: special://masterprofile/sources.xml

It also gave me a file xbmc_crashlog-20091229-081557.dmp in the appplicaton data folder. Although I am not sure how to read it.
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#7
When I went to the event manager I noticed it had the error

Faulting application XBMC.exe, version 9.11.0.0, faulting module XBMC.exe, version 9.11.0.0, fault address 0x0032fbf3.
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#8
Thumbs Up 
I'm using WHS which is built on Windows 2003 SBS and was running into the same problems after installing XBMC. Through trial and error I found the fix...

Right click Desktop -> choose Properties -> Settings tab -> Advanced button -> Troubleshoot tab -> move slider on Hardware Acceleration to Full -> OK.

That's it! Enjoy!

Make sure as well that you have Audio Playback Hardware Acceleration to Full as well...
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#9
I too am experiencing this issue - will look into the hardware acceleration option tonight but presume this would be at 'full' already.

Interested to hear of any other workarounds......
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#10
Windows Server 2003 isn't supposed to be run as a workstation with full video and audio hardware acceleration since a "server" version has no need for it... So, by default, video and audio hardware acceleration is turned way down.

Why ask for any other workarounds without trying the full hardware acceleration fix first? Worked like a charm for me.
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#11
.....obviously because you are way cleverer than I, as it worked like a charm. Thanks codetwo!
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#12
Worked beautifully for me too. Thanks for the help. I dang near gave up on getting XBMC on WHS.
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#13
ive used my WHS as my HTPC, seemed logical to me, as this is where all my media is!! Makes sens, rather than having another system on, just to play media through...

My only gripe is that you cant get the MCE remote to work, there is no support for such devices with server based OS's.. which isnt suprising really, although rather annoying!!!

Uisng any system to play media, without a remote, is rather painful!!!
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#14
DrMedia Wrote:My only gripe is that you cant get the MCE remote to work

The XP drivers can be installed on Server 2003, and therefore probably on Home Server. I have a copy of them floating around somewhere if you want them.

JR
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#15
Smile 
I'm glad my fix worked for you all. I, also, almost gave up using XBMC on WHS with that freakin' error we were all getting.

Anyway, my WHS is basically my backup server as well as my HTPC. It took a bunch of searching through all these forums to get it to finally work property. In case anybody is interested, here is my basic setup:

- using an nMedia 5000B case with a Gigabyte ga-ma785gmt-ud2h mobo, AMD Athlon II X2 CPU, 2GB of cheap Corsair DDR3 ram (the case is nice and quiet, the all-in-one board is pretty nice with the ATI HD 4200 chipset, and relatively cheap solution)
- HTPC attached via HDMI to my LCD TV
- using AutoLogon utility from Microsoft to boot right into my XBMC user account if I gotta boot my WHS (no admin privilages as my kids are using XBMC and they are prone to messing up my PC)
- using a usb dongle bought off eBay + the gold 'ol fashion Xbox DVD remote with EventGhost and the remote driver from redcl0ud (it works great! and I am absolutely sure an MCE will work as well with EventGhost)
- using SilentLaunch method to open XBMC as the shell application upon boot up/wake up, which is very handy since I put my WHS into standby when not using it as an HTPC

Obviously, there's a bit more to this but google searches with the errors run into seemed to find a solution to every issue - except for that freakin' hardware acceleration fix. Banged my head for hours with that one...Confused

Through trial and error I finally got it setup quite nicely. Unfortunately, I totally pooched WHS at one point and had to do a reinstallation - thank goodness it keeps all my duplicated shares intact!

I figure, why buy another PC to run XBMC on for a HTPC when WHS works pretty dang well. I know WHS is supposed to be a 24/7 server but I simply use Drive Balancer to rebalance my drives instead of letting WHS run all night for it to rebalance or LightsOut to backup PCs at a certain time.

As mentioned by jhsrennie, you need to use dedicated Server 2003 drivers or XP drivers.

Any other setup trips or tricks for XBMC running on WHS??
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