Good day everyone.

This is an alternate solution for all of you who are still experiencing the "Strong name validation" error after reregistering the MCE services and reinstalling .NET Framework 1.1sp1

Requirements :
You have upgraded your Windows XP MCE 2005 to SP3
You have an error everytime you try running ehshell.exe
You have tried the other solutions in this forum (unregister and register services + reinstall .NET Framework 1.1)
You will do this at your own risk :P

Necessary software :
You will need the following update packages from Microsoft
NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe (Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1)
WindowsXPMediaCenter2005-KB900325-usa.exe   (MCE 2005 Rollup 2 Standalone)
WindowsXPMediaCenter2005-KB925766-ENU.exe (MCE Oct 2006 Rollup)

Process:
Start by reinstalling Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 SP1

Open regedit and go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\
Change the value of Ident to 3.0

Extract the contents of WindowsXPMediaCenter2005-KB900325-usa.exe using winrar
In the bin directory, run KB900325.exe
Once this update is installed, do not restart your computer.

Run WindowsXPMediaCenter2005-KB925766-ENU.exe

Restart your computer

Addiotional Step (Thank you uskiwi for pointing this out)

If you are experiencing error messages in Media Center talking about component registration errors, you may follow the steps indicated by uskiwi below or use the MCERepair tool available at :
http://blogs.msdn.com/peterrosser/archive/2005/10/21/483723.aspx


Final notes :

This should force Windows to reapply and reinstall Rollup2 and the Oct2006 update leaving you with a functionnal Media Center.
I also noticed that SP3 breaks the drivers for my WinTV PVR150. If you have such a card, there might be some mokeying around to do with the drivers for it to work again. I do not have a tutorial ready for that yet though.

Let me know if this helps.

Coolhp

>>This is an alternate solution for all of you who are still experiencing the "Strong name validation" error after reregistering the MCE services and reinstalling .NET Framework 1.1sp1<<

Thanks Coolhp,

This worked for me with the one exception that MCE reports a "Component Registration Failure - Some of the files needed to play radio or video are missing or corrupt. Media Center component registration may have failed." every time I load MCE. No sure how to correct this one. I did make a backup of the system volume before I installed SP3 on this box and I'm still debating whether it would be simplier to restore the image and forego installing SP3 until this issue is resolved by MS (if it will be).

Regards

USKiwi

As a further followup, performing the following steps appears to correct the issue with components not being properly registered:

1 Close Media Center
2 Click on the Start menu, choose run and type cmd
3 Execute the command regsvr32.exe atl.dll
4 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehSched /unregServer
5 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehSched /service
6 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRecvr /unregServer
7 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRecvr /service
8 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRec.exe /unregServer
9 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRec.exe /regserver
10 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehmsas.exe /unregServer
11 Execute the command C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehmsas.exe /regserver
12 Restart Media Center)

sjulty:

Not for anything but...having to jump through all of these sorts of  "hoops"

including the re installation of a few major MCE updates and doing some

registry editing after installing SP3 is in my opinion, total bull!

 

How is it that Microsoft can release a major update that literally breaks

what was once a fully functional system?

 

IMHO, The bottom line here for me is to JUST SAY NO TO SP 3 as

XP/MCE 2005 works fine without it. I only wish there was a way for me to

permanently "hide" it when Microsoft update scans for available updates, the

same way that I have opted to hide IE 7 & WMP 11 as I have no use for

either one of those crappy application updates either.

 

As always, Just my own .02!  YMMV 

 

-Steve

I agree. This should never been released without better warning from MS that it should not be installed on XP/MCE 2005. The only warning appears to relate to MCE 2002. I had the good luck  to  make  an image of the sys volume  before installing  the SP. I'm still debating whether  to simply restore the box back to that point,  but like you, I'm concerned that  MS updates is going to insist on installing the SP. However, I now have Media Center working properly and the system appears stable so I'm inclined to give it a couple of weeks and decide after that.

USKiwi

Thanks Coolhp!!  I followed your steps exactly and my MCE 2005 is back in working order with SP3.

I had previously reinstalled .Net 1.1 (and uninstalled .Net 2.0/3.0 for good measure), re-registered MCE, and also reinstalled my Hauppauge PVR-150 drivers.  But it was not until I followed your steps that I ceased getting that intolerable:

ehshell.exe has generated an exception that could not be handled...
A critical MCE process has unexpectedly failed... Code: 3
Component Registration Failure: Some of the files needed to play video are missing or corrupt.
The tuner hardware is either malfunctioning or not installed.

Thanks again!!

Strange. I did a clean install of XP Pro SP3 (using a slipstreamed disc made with nLite), then added in MCE 2005 on it's own onto a Gateway FMC-901. No problems whatsoever with the OS, other than the same issues everyone else has (no front display, etc)

SP3 installed and works fine for me the day it came out. No problems what so ever. WMP11 owns WMP10. Highly recommended upgrade. IE7 is a tossup and personal preference. I use it and it works fine.

Thank you!

I followed these instructions and I can now run Media Center again. However I'm still having one issue (which I'm not sure is related, it might be because of something I did with downloading other media players) When I go to the my music in Media Center I get the following message, then media center crashes. Everything else runs fine though.

 "AUDIO ERROR:
    To play music in Media Center, install Windows Media 10 technologies or later or repair your current installation."

And then if I click the ok button the program crashes and I get

 "ehshell.exe - Common Language Runtime Debugging Services:
      Application has generated an exception the could not be handled.
      Process id=0xbcc (3020), Thread id=0x89c (2204)"

and then Media Center carsh reporting runs and hangs.

Any ideas?

I think this might be a separate issue, so I'm going to post all this in its own thread too, but anything you could offer would be helpful.

thanks.

This issue is present for everybody who re-installs Update Rollup 2 in order to resolve the Strong Name Validation failed message:

 

What you have to do is replace the ehiwmp.dll file it is usually located on CD2 under \cmpnents\mediactr\I386\mediactr.cab.  For most computers it is also located in C:\I386 or C:\Cmpnents.  The key is to look for mediactr.cab, when you open the cab file you want to copy ehiwmp.dll then go to C:\Windows\ehome and paste that file in there overwriting the newer one in there.  You may get a Windows File Protection, press cancel and yes to keep the file.  After this My Music should work, if not go to Start-->Run.. and run the following command:

%windir%\ehome\medctrro.exe /o /p RunOnce

Wait 30 Seconds and try media center my music it should work.

 

ethereal_fire:

Thank you!

I followed these instructions and I can now run Media Center again. However I'm still having one issue (which I'm not sure is related, it might be because of something I did with downloading other media players) When I go to the my music in Media Center I get the following message, then media center crashes. Everything else runs fine though.

 "AUDIO ERROR:
    To play music in Media Center, install Windows Media 10 technologies or later or repair your current installation."

And then if I click the ok button the program crashes and I get

 "ehshell.exe - Common Language Runtime Debugging Services:
      Application has generated an exception the could not be handled.
      Process id=0xbcc (3020), Thread id=0x89c (2204)"

and then Media Center carsh reporting runs and hangs.

Any ideas?

I think this might be a separate issue, so I'm going to post all this in its own thread too, but anything you could offer would be helpful.

thanks.

I was trying to follow those steps posted by (i think) coolhp. I reinstalled dotNet 1.1 sp1 and changed the Ident value to 3 but then re the next step "Extract the contents of WindowsXPMediaCenter2005-KB900325-usa.exe using winrar. In the bin directory, run KB900325.exe" -- I found the extraction was automated and that the install when into the blue window for a regular install. That failed, and the system was auto-restored to how it was before (thank goodness). how does on get to "the bin directory" so as to run only one select file?

I 've been searching the net for solution, this is at least the fourth help-type forum I've foudn with  extensive problems vis a vis SP3 and Media Center. My case: I have Gateway GT4016 with Media Center 2005. AMD Athlon 64 processor 3700+  and nvidia geforce 61000, plus the 2005 MCE Rollup _ all pre-installed by Gateway. I also have dotNet framework through 3.5 installed with all the appropriate updates, and XP's SP3 installed. (btw, WMP11 and IE7 both installed OK post-SP3). I had been trying to install a Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 about five weeks ago and couldn't and after about 3 weeks' work with Logitech support, I then discovered the Media Center wouldn't open at all and the 3-part "strong name" error series. Been searching and trying porposed solutions since then, to no avail so far. Unlike many of you, i'm no techie and _ because I'm on dial-up still, I never actualy had made use of the Media Center aspect of this computer, which is why it took me to long to discover that the problem wasn't the Logitech program but rather PS3 and Media Center conflict.

the reg/unreg series of steps doesn't help. Microsoft called for uninstalled SP3, reinstalling certain things and then reinstalling SP3 --- didn't help. i've found lots of  proposed fixes but none that has helped so far, hence was trying the above _ and went awry there apparently because I don't know enough about how-to (which, LOL, is so often the case, but I keep learning from all the problems).

I replace the ehome folder file per one suggestion above. i've done the medctrro bit too. prolly several other things i've tried.

someone elsewhere posted how to disable strong name validation (and re-enable it if desired). tried to do that but apparently I don't know how to enter the commands and so can't say whether that would help.

tried to install the oct 2006 media center update, but install failed.

Thankyou so much. For some reason it didnt notify me that my post had been responded to like I'd thought I'd set it up to, so I didn't find your reply til now, but I just did what you said and its fixed the my music. It's been frustrating me for months now. I'm still having some issues with sound not playing on a few video files though. Some I think are just because of something with how the file was encoded, but others I'm sure used to work.

What type of video files are you talking about?

they are avi files. I've been able to open them in Virtual Dub and re-encode the audio, but I know I'd been able to play it with sound when I first downloaded the video.

quote "I also noticed that SP3 breaks the drivers for my WinTV PVR150. If you have such a card, there might be some mokeying around to do with the drivers for it to work again. I do not have a tutorial ready for that yet though."

u got the tutorial for that yet? i have a fresh install of mce 2005 sp3 and i get this dreaded 'no tuner found error'. ive tried everything i know (havent tried urs though - the one posted above) from updating, uninstalling, reinstalling drivers, decoders, codecs etc etc but to no avail my newly installed non-oem mce 2005 sp3 wont recognize my tv tuner. wintv plays fine though. and this same computer used to run vista ultimate and the wmc on that one ran fine. i was gonna resort back to xp pro but then i took a liking to vista media center so why not install mce 2005 instead. i never had an mce 2005 running on this computer before but vista ultimate ran my hardwares fine so im guessing mce 2005 sp3 should too.

here are some screens...
sysinfo:
http://i34.tinypic.com/2ry3wk2.jpg
device manager:
http://i36.tinypic.com/jtnoki.jpg
deccheck:
http://i34.tinypic.com/2hhkh06.jpg

help pls! thanks in advance! im gonna try ur tutorial though. i think that's the only one i haven't seen and tried.

Will this work with MCE 2002?  I mistakenly allowed Windows to install SP3 and now I get this 'Strong name validation' error.  I've looked and looked for a solution for this but all the topics about this on this site are for 2005.  Can somebody help me out, please?  Thanks

p.s. and if this will work on MCE 2002, where can I find how to unregister and re-register the MCE services?