2019-09-14, 02:08
MANswers, if you've used the madVR .bin I've linked in this thread, use Ctrl + Z. You can change it back to Ctrl + J if you want. I changed it because it interfered with a previously assigned keymap.
I've recently setup a dual boot system so I could do a complete fresh install of my Windows workstation including everything home theatre related. It's been years and I've noticed things I experiment with that should work... don't. Here's what I did:
I made a system image of my old SSD C: and installed a spare 4TB HDD. I put the system image on the 4TB and formatted my SSD. The SSD will once again be my 'new' C: I reinstall on.
I can refer back to my old system on the 4TB to help reinstall everything new on the SSD. Dual booting each makes it a breeze. I can even see the 4TB drive when booted into the SSD which makes file retrieval quicker. For visual settings a .ini will not reveal, I simply boot to the old image on the 4TB and take screenshots I can refer to when I boot into the SSD. I've limited the amount of 'things' I can simply drop into the new install. I really want to set most everything fresh by hand. I can do this slowly as the 4TB still functions so I'm not left out in the cold. Now that the fresh install on the SSD is nearing completion, I find myself rarely booting the old image on the 4TB.
The problem with dual booting is that you can't have two C: drives. One or the other must be selected. In disc management I left one with no drive letter. It appears W10 has made dual booting a bit harder than previous versions because that wasn't anywhere near enough and editing advanced boot settings is no pleasure either. I simply could not get it to obey. I broke my rules and used EasyBCD to cheat. This software really is a lifesaver for dual booting W10 and it was quick and easy. Now I'm presented with 2 C: drives during the boot sequence to choose from.
I'm nearly done resetting up my newly formatted SSD. It won't be long before I remove the 4TB, format it, and use it as another additional data drive. I recently picked up a couple new External WD 8TB HDD's for a couple hundred bucks that were installed as even more data drives. I must say, I've always been 'taught' that WD is 'the way to go' especially reds. After shucking my drives they are both whites. TBH, I don't care for them at all. I think hype drives them to the top of the HDD market. They do not transfer files anywhere near the speed my other 8TB shucked Seagate green drives do and always have. I'm actually disappointed but for $100 each, I'll keep them in use. Also, W10 (a fresh install of pro) had a hell of a time formatting them properly in disk management. I've always used it for Seagates with no problems. After tisking and cursing them a few times I turned to my trusty MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro. This program has always performed miracles on pesky drives for me and didn't let me down this time either. Needless to say, after transferring files around and retiring smaller drives to backup, I've managed to fill one of them up and I'm happy. I understand the shucked WD drives have to use a molex power plug or you can also cover up or eliminate one of the contacts instead. What a joke. I'll stick with Seagate drives. I learned my real world lesson.
Fwiw, I now have 37 HDD's in use. 10 in my HTPC and 27 external for backup. HTPC and Backup are = sizes. There are more drives in Backup because they are smaller retired drives. 37 drives presents a problem when it comes to drive letters in Windows. The 27 in backup use a couple dynamic joins to save letters. I find symbolic links and/or raid array alternatives problematic tbh. I don't desire to spend needless money if I don't have to when it comes to parity. Most of the backup drives are in 3 Sans Digital port duplicator enclosures. The RocketRaid eSata controllers that came with them are a joke as are the ones on my MB. Somehow I manage to keep them going with W7 drivers. The rest of the drives for backup are external drives in their enclosures. They are USB 3.0. 9 of them. I use W10 storage spaces to control them and everything groups together in JBOD. I'm aware that if one drive fails in any of the arrays, I lose data for that array. All of it is 1:1 so I really don't care if it ever happened... knock on wood. Besides, the backup drives are never powered until needed. Some if these drives are nearly 20 years old including one IDE in a USB output enclosure.
I noticed something of interest during this fresh install and I think the question was raised here in this forum. I don't remember the outcome of the conversation and I know time has passed but I'll share:
The question was why does PowerDVD insist on being the default player for specific media even though the code is correct in the playercorefactory.xml for a different player to default. Well, this happened to me during this new setup. It's W10 autoplay options. It appears the install of PDVD associates itself with certain medias even though you didn't select anything to associate when installing and that you've checked nothing in it's settings after installing. Simply go to settings/Devices/Autoplay and turn off autoplay. For more control, go to the control panel and select autoplay. There you'll be presented all the options beyond simply on/off.
That's my latest journey. AFAICT, everything on the HTPC Workstation Homefront is working very well. The minor niggles I had before starting fresh have magically disappeared and 'things' that should work... do.
I've recently setup a dual boot system so I could do a complete fresh install of my Windows workstation including everything home theatre related. It's been years and I've noticed things I experiment with that should work... don't. Here's what I did:
I made a system image of my old SSD C: and installed a spare 4TB HDD. I put the system image on the 4TB and formatted my SSD. The SSD will once again be my 'new' C: I reinstall on.
I can refer back to my old system on the 4TB to help reinstall everything new on the SSD. Dual booting each makes it a breeze. I can even see the 4TB drive when booted into the SSD which makes file retrieval quicker. For visual settings a .ini will not reveal, I simply boot to the old image on the 4TB and take screenshots I can refer to when I boot into the SSD. I've limited the amount of 'things' I can simply drop into the new install. I really want to set most everything fresh by hand. I can do this slowly as the 4TB still functions so I'm not left out in the cold. Now that the fresh install on the SSD is nearing completion, I find myself rarely booting the old image on the 4TB.
The problem with dual booting is that you can't have two C: drives. One or the other must be selected. In disc management I left one with no drive letter. It appears W10 has made dual booting a bit harder than previous versions because that wasn't anywhere near enough and editing advanced boot settings is no pleasure either. I simply could not get it to obey. I broke my rules and used EasyBCD to cheat. This software really is a lifesaver for dual booting W10 and it was quick and easy. Now I'm presented with 2 C: drives during the boot sequence to choose from.
I'm nearly done resetting up my newly formatted SSD. It won't be long before I remove the 4TB, format it, and use it as another additional data drive. I recently picked up a couple new External WD 8TB HDD's for a couple hundred bucks that were installed as even more data drives. I must say, I've always been 'taught' that WD is 'the way to go' especially reds. After shucking my drives they are both whites. TBH, I don't care for them at all. I think hype drives them to the top of the HDD market. They do not transfer files anywhere near the speed my other 8TB shucked Seagate green drives do and always have. I'm actually disappointed but for $100 each, I'll keep them in use. Also, W10 (a fresh install of pro) had a hell of a time formatting them properly in disk management. I've always used it for Seagates with no problems. After tisking and cursing them a few times I turned to my trusty MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro. This program has always performed miracles on pesky drives for me and didn't let me down this time either. Needless to say, after transferring files around and retiring smaller drives to backup, I've managed to fill one of them up and I'm happy. I understand the shucked WD drives have to use a molex power plug or you can also cover up or eliminate one of the contacts instead. What a joke. I'll stick with Seagate drives. I learned my real world lesson.
Fwiw, I now have 37 HDD's in use. 10 in my HTPC and 27 external for backup. HTPC and Backup are = sizes. There are more drives in Backup because they are smaller retired drives. 37 drives presents a problem when it comes to drive letters in Windows. The 27 in backup use a couple dynamic joins to save letters. I find symbolic links and/or raid array alternatives problematic tbh. I don't desire to spend needless money if I don't have to when it comes to parity. Most of the backup drives are in 3 Sans Digital port duplicator enclosures. The RocketRaid eSata controllers that came with them are a joke as are the ones on my MB. Somehow I manage to keep them going with W7 drivers. The rest of the drives for backup are external drives in their enclosures. They are USB 3.0. 9 of them. I use W10 storage spaces to control them and everything groups together in JBOD. I'm aware that if one drive fails in any of the arrays, I lose data for that array. All of it is 1:1 so I really don't care if it ever happened... knock on wood. Besides, the backup drives are never powered until needed. Some if these drives are nearly 20 years old including one IDE in a USB output enclosure.
I noticed something of interest during this fresh install and I think the question was raised here in this forum. I don't remember the outcome of the conversation and I know time has passed but I'll share:
The question was why does PowerDVD insist on being the default player for specific media even though the code is correct in the playercorefactory.xml for a different player to default. Well, this happened to me during this new setup. It's W10 autoplay options. It appears the install of PDVD associates itself with certain medias even though you didn't select anything to associate when installing and that you've checked nothing in it's settings after installing. Simply go to settings/Devices/Autoplay and turn off autoplay. For more control, go to the control panel and select autoplay. There you'll be presented all the options beyond simply on/off.
That's my latest journey. AFAICT, everything on the HTPC Workstation Homefront is working very well. The minor niggles I had before starting fresh have magically disappeared and 'things' that should work... do.
