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Author Topic: Installing Media Center 33 not possible  (Read 338 times)

globetrotters1

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Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« on: October 23, 2024, 08:00:41 pm »

Well, we use several Windows 10 computers, all of them have the Microsoft Edge browser eliminated (because of spying. as all of us should know by now). Clean house, so to speak.
If we want to install Media Center 33, there is an error message before the install starts and we suppose it is because we use Firefox browsers.

Is there any possibility to install version 33 without that darn Microsoft browser ??

Please advise!
Thanks
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JimH

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2024, 01:09:45 am »

It's the engine, not the full browser, but you can switch here:

Tools > Optons > Tree & View > Web browser.

You don't need to install any browser.
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zybex

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2024, 02:02:06 am »

Posting the actual error message may help.
Windows cleanup tools often break unrelated components.

Also... you're running Windows which has over 100 million lines of proprietary Microsoft code, and you're worried about Edge, one of its many components that takes about 1% of that?  ::)
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globetrotters1

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2024, 07:27:13 am »

Posting the actual error message may help.
Windows cleanup tools often break unrelated components.

Also... you're running Windows which has over 100 million lines of proprietary Microsoft code, and you're worried about Edge, one of its many components that takes about 1% of that?  ::)

Just a few remarks, but thanks for your input:

1. The actual error message doesn't help, because it's a small window (like 1 inch wide and 3 inches high) and shows NOTHING, no message, just a small part of a button

2. Don't get me wrong, I know all that. But are you aware of the "ameliorated" project? It lets you install a clean Windows 10 or 11 OS and then cleans out most (if not all) of the spyware. Hundreds of DLLs and executables disappear and the leaner OS runs much faster. Look it up, it's pretty neat

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globetrotters1

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2024, 07:29:26 am »

It's the engine, not the full browser, but you can switch here:

Tools > Optons > Tree & View > Web browser.

You don't need to install any browser.

Jim, thanks for your input, but there is no way to install version 33, it just posts an unreadable error message and doesn't even install the program. How should I get to the Tools/options menu if the program is not even installed?
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zybex

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2024, 07:43:08 am »

Hundreds of DLLs and executables disappear

And here likely lies the problem. Any app that relies on one of those DLLs will fail in unexpected ways. There's no support possible for that.

Maybe try installing the C++ Runtimes:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2024, 07:51:16 am »

And here likely lies the problem. Any app that relies on one of those DLLs will fail in unexpected ways. There's no support possible for that.

Agreed. By forcefully removing components and parts of the OS that aren't meant to be removed, you're leaving your system in a broken state. It might still appear to run perfectly fine, but the OS isn't designed or meant to be ran in that way so there's always going to be unknown and unforeseen consequences from it and this is probably one of them.

Also... you're running Windows which has over 100 million lines of proprietary Microsoft code, and you're worried about Edge, one of its many components that takes about 1% of that?  ::)

This. If you're concerned about spying you really shouldn't be running Windows then, honestly. Plus Firefox is no different from Chrome or Edge really, it has features that could be considered spying too like Pocket. I mean, the Mozilla Foundation has to get their income from somewhere to keep operating the Mozilla Corporation, right? And shocker, the majority of the funding the Mozilla Foundation gets is from Google themselves for making Google the default search browser.

What I'm trying to say is everything basically spies on you these days and chances are all those companies already have your data in abundance.
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zybex

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2024, 08:14:44 am »

I took a quick look at what the AME Win10 playbook does. Among other things:
- removes Windows Defender, doesn't install anything as replacement
- disables Windows Updates and Windows Firewall (!)
- disables Windows Installer and WMI services, amongst many others (MC likely requires WMI)
- disables VBS and WSH scripting components
- uninstalls a bunch of services, Edge, WebView2, appX apps, App Store, many other components
- 50KB script for registry changes
- many many other changes, apparently listed nowhere on their website

The playbook file is just a 7zip with password ("malte") to prevent Antivirus scanning. It's full of scripts and EXEs, and Defender flagged one of them as dangerous when I unpacked which is likely why they require people to disable the AV before running the playbook. I'm not [yet] saying it's malware, but it's fishy.

This thing is dangerous, undocumented and frankly creepy. Don't expect your Windows to run well ever again.
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JimH

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Re: Installing Media Center 33 not possible
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2024, 09:31:35 am »

globetrotter1,
Please install Windows. You'll probably need to reformat your drive first.
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