Every time I try to access the Music Library I get this error message:

A necessary component of Windows Media Center is currently not available. Please restart Windows Media Center. Anyone have a clue? Same thing happens when I use the MCE on XBOX 360.

Thanks,

Mike

What version of windows vista?, what soundcard, mobo etc. Some people might have your setup and be able to help immediately - regards..

Gordon,

Sorry about not providing the info. Here is my setup:

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Ultimate
Version 6.0.6000 Build 6000
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer HP Pavilion 061
System Model EG134AA-ABA a1230n
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3700+, 2200 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.07, 7/29/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6000.16386"
Total Physical Memory 1,981.94 MB
Available Physical Memory 879.11 MB
Total Virtual Memory 4.09 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.86 GB

Motherboard description	Motherboard manufacturer's name: ASUS A8AE-LE HP/Compaq name: AmberineM-GL6E
CPU/Processor	Socket: 939 Supports AMD Athlon64, AMD Sempron and Athlon 64 X2 processors
Front-side bus (FSB)	2000MT/s or 1600MT/s, depending on what the processor supports
Chipset	Northbridge: RS482 Southbridge: SB400
BIOS features	4Mb LPC EEPROM HP BIOS with enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, and PnP Features Plus
Form factor	ATX form factor, 9.6 in x 9.6 in
Memory	Dual-channel memory architecture 4 x 184-pin DDR DIMM sockets support unbuffered non-ECC 4 GB 400/300 MHZ DDR memory modules Maximum HP/Compaq approved memory is 4 GB*

 

Sound Card:

Name Realtek AC'97 Audio
Manufacturer Realtek
Status OK
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4370&SUBSYS_2A27103C&REV_02\3&18D45AA6&0&A5
Memory Address 0xFE02A000-0xFE02A0FF
IRQ Channel IRQ 17
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\alcxwdm.sys (5.10.0.5840, 2.21 MB (2,317,696 bytes), 1/31/2007 8:56 PM)

Video:

Name RADEON XPRESS 200 Series (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM)
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5954&SUBSYS_2A26103C&REV_00\4&2198893A&0&2808
Adapter Type Not Available, ATI Technologies Inc. compatible
Adapter Description RADEON XPRESS 200 Series (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM)
Adapter RAM 256 MB

Installed Drivers atiumdag.dll,atiumdva.dll,atitmmxx.dll
INF File oem15.inf (ati2mtag_RS480 section)
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1280 x 1024 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\atikmdag.sys (7.1.1.537, 1.99 MB (2,085,888 bytes), 12/5/2006 11:05 PM)

I just upgraded to Vista Ultimate from Windows XP MCE 2005. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

I'm just suggesting random thoughts here. Is there any exclamation marks against the soundcard driver in device manager. Could try reinstalling the driver and seeing if there's a better one available - although I doubt it. Can you play an audio file from windows explorer or in windows media player with the VMC ui exited?

The system looks pretty well spec'ed for vista.


Sorry if this is patronising.

That's OK!

Everything as seems to running fine except for MCE. I connected to my XBOX 360 and same thing happens. I tried the unregister register of the MCE components, didn't work.

Mike

did you disable any services trying to make your system more secure?  my guess is you hit something important that didn't sound media center related. 

are you logged in as a user you created also with limited permissions? 

did it ever work?

 

Prior to upgrading from Windows XP everything worked fine. I have not turned off any sevices. Is anyone else having this type of problem?

Mike

I had the same problem yesterday after trying to add some folders to the library but it went away after a reboot of the computer (not just reinitalizing MC).

I have rebooted, still as soon as I select Music Library I get the "necessary component is missing". I know is it very odd.

Mike

 

I'm thinking perhaps an issue with the library corruption?  were you on wmp10 or 11 in mce?.   maybe you had a store that you didn't install their software into vista after the upgrade?  

                               

I ran the the System File Checker (SFC /ScanNow ) and there were no corruptions. I will give moving the the music file a try.

BTW if I go to Library Setup in MCE i get the same message. On my XBOX extender the message pops up for Pictures, Videos, and Music.

Thanks,

Mike

I also received this error once, but just like others, a reboot seemed to quell the issue.  Though, I cannot change or schedule a televion series and I receive about the same error as you but that is for another time. 

I would guess that a background database which holds all your music information is corrupted, so maybe if you remove the folder from your Library, then open The Music and Pictures on MC, see if you get the message, and if not, add your folder again and watch for the results.  Wonder if their is a tool to 'rebuild' the database which MC or Vista builds in regards to the Library of files.

I took your advice and rebuilt my library by renaming all of the database file with an extension .wmdb to .bak . Then reopened WMP there was only one new database file was created. I opened Vista Media Center and attempted to due a Library Setup, the error message comes up immediately. The Music Library gets the same message. I checked all of the services, all are set correctly. I did find one new service that I thought should be running, but would not start. The service is called MHN service.

Thanks,
Mike

I had the exact same problem and I fixed it. Although, you may not have the same conditions. I had Zune installed on my machine. I kept getting that damn error - A necessary component of Windows Media Center is currently not available.

I uninstalled Zune, and it worked! I guess its because it also looks at the video and music folders. Looks like the Zune people are not talking with the MCE people. I put my Zune in storage until Microsoft can fix it for Vista.
What's funny is I had no problem with Itunes. Looks like Apple can make a better app for Vista than Microsoft.

So, maybe you don't have Zune installed, but have you installed anything that could be interfering with MCE and WMP11? Something that also looks at the video and music folders?