Howto: Mediaportal with Vista

[eloo]

Hi all,

In my experience Vista, especially Ultimate, can be very bulky and damage overall system performance compared to XP in lowend systems. However Vistas standby and powermanagement is far superior and less buggy, and that has been the crucial part for me in my switch to Vista.

So here is my little guide to a good stable running vista+mp setup.

1) Create a vLite Vista DVD, http://www.vlite.net/
I managed to slim down Vista Ultimate from 3 GB to ~1GB. However notice that the included presets for vLite remove support for MCE IR devices. I think you should just untick the Mediacenter removal in vLite, or use and81 replacement driver.
Slipstream relevant drivers or install them after vista install.
Get SP1.


2) Install Vista codec pack, http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=66826
Seems like a good, slim codec pack.

3) Install MST, http://www.xs4all.nl/~hveijk/mst/index.htm
Configures standby functions.
Set away=disabled and enable S3 standby (you know what this is right, remember the bios too)

4) Go to Power management under control panel, change advanced settings for the high performance. Last option on the screen. Allow sleep.

5) Configure MP to your liking. MPV/A and MS default codecs are fine by me.

I think thats it.

If you guys have any other suggestions or input, please join in.

[zag2me]

Thanks for this, seems very useful, my next solid state based htpc will be running vista.

Is there a good way to wake an htpc from standby in vista? Maybe using the remote?

It's something I have never actually managed on any htpc I have built.

[eloo]

Vista has far less problems waking up then XP had, do the above, and remember to have 5V on the USB (see your MB manual) and enable S3 in bios setup.

[James]

Originally Posted by zag2me

Is there a good way to wake an htpc from standby in vista? Maybe using the remote?

It's something I have never actually managed on any htpc I have built.

I use this every day with XP. On both HTPCs I have built, it works very well with the MCE remote.

[mr_minning]

Originally Posted by James

I use this every day with XP. On both HTPCs I have built, it works very well with the MCE remote.

Me too (on the one I built). I got an iMon remote and the HTPC is locked away in a "kiddie-proof" cabinet :-)

[damaster]

This thread is very useful! Is there any way to create a vLite Vista ISO using XP and an existing Vista ISO?

Thanks

[eloo]

Try nLite

[damaster]

Originally Posted by eloo

Try nLite

No, I want to build a lite installation DVD of Vista, but I wanna be able to do it on a Windows XP machine. nLite is to do for XP what vLite does for Vista, isn't it?

[SpudR]

Just a quick word to the wise:
Beware the Vista S3 functions - I sit on a MS support panel and am aware of several issues with it.
In some circumstances it CAN lead to a machine rebuild from a format.

Not trying to start a flame war, just pointing out a know issue...

[Paranoid Delusion]

Beware the Vista S3 functions - I sit on a MS support panel and am aware of several issues with it

Interested in this comment, as just reinstalled Vista because of S3 issues, unable to go into this as much as i would like to, as just had both memory modules fail (1 five days after the first and as this is the 2nd lot of Ballistix memory in 13 months to fail, i am a bit pissed off) maybe the memory could be partially responsible as i do leave my pc in standby and only occassionally reboot, let alone shutdown (this is when memory gave up the ghost).

I know if you slect "High Performance" mode, have standby failure, under default no problem even with changes to bring it up to HP spec.

Regards