Offline installation

[rbt123]

Hi, how do you install MediaPortal offline? I've already have the components (mssql,etc) installed. Old versions didnt require online installation.

The config file "http://install.team-mediaportal.com/DeployTool/ApplicationLocation.xml" is not available.

Please reply, thanks!

[rbt123]

Hello, anyone?

[chemelli]

If you run RC1_refresh installer, the first question is about "download only for off-line installation" or "install now"

Simone

[rbt123]

Thanks for the reply.

Both options still requires a connection to the internet. Just to download a small file "ApplicationLocation.xml" (and that file is not downloadable through web browser). Which is totally unneccessary if we already have the requirements installed.

Why is it a design choice to have Mediaportal "call home" just to download this little file, instead having it in a neat installation file with offline-installation option (and let users decide whether to download the requirement files on their own or automatically) ?

The older version Mediaportal 0.2.3 could be installed offline.

[rekenaar]

If you "download for offline install" it is pretty much the same as the older MP 0.2.3. My install was done on a PC without internet connection.

[rbt123]

I'm sorry but you're misleading:

1. Mediaportal 0.2.3 can be installed OFFLINE.
That means i can download mediaportal, turnoff the internet. Switch to my admin account, and install mediaportal
successfully.

2. Mediaportal rc1 can only be installed ONLINE.
That means i must download mediaportal, leave the internet on, switch to my admin account, and install
mediaportal
Even if select the "download for offline install", i still need the internet connection to download first! Then only
can i turn off the internet for offline install!

Here's the screenshot of mediaportal, and i've underlined the line that states "Mediaportal needs be installed ONLINE".


Regardless of what option i select to install, in the end, if i dont have an internet connection, this is the error message i get:


Its just one tiny XML file! Why cant it be included in the install file for download? Mediaportal 0.2.3 can be installed completely offline!

[chemelli]

Originally Posted by rbt123

I'm sorry but you're misleading:
2. Mediaportal rc1 can only be installed ONLINE.
That means i must download mediaportal, leave the internet on, switch to my admin account, and install
mediaportal
Even if select the "download for offline install", i still need the internet connection to download first! Then only
can i turn off the internet for offline install!

Here's the screenshot of mediaportal, and i've underlined the line that states "Mediaportal needs be installed ONLINE".


Regardless of what option i select to install, in the end, if i dont have an internet connection, this is the error message i get:


Its just one tiny XML file! Why cant it be included in the install file for download? Mediaportal 0.2.3 can be installed completely offline!

This is wrong!

Once you have performed the Download only ONLINE, you have all software in %TEMP% ( default unpack directory ) and so you can copy everything from there ( and yes there is also the XML file ) on another computer and install OFFLINE.

Next version of the installer will unpack on "%TEMP%\MediaPortal Install" as default and will open this directory once download_only actions are completed.

In the hope to have all users happy

Simone

[rbt123]

I dun think not wrong, you just repeated what i said.

Compared to previous version, the new version is uncomfortable. Because it requires using a xp administrator account to logon to the internet (since you need to use admin to install mediaportal), only then, you can copy the files, if you like, to another computer to perform OFFLINE installation.

Besides the security reasons (using admin account to access internet), this is a pain for users in many situations, for one example:

Users have access to a computer with internet access thats not their own (cybercafe, college computer, etc), so they can use guest/user account to surf internet and download files. But they cant use admin/power-user account to install programs.

Now they download mediaportal. They copy media portal to a usb drive, and then to a computer with no internet access. When they try to install it, mediaportal DICTATES that users must use mediaportal, under an admin account, to download a tiny file from the internet in order to continue installation. But the computer with internet access doesnt allow them to use the admin/power user account to run mediaportal installation! How annoying is that?!

Why does mediaportal have to call home during the installation process?
Its just a very simple question: why cant that xml file be included in the installation file?

Using mediaportal deploy/installation program to download file from the internet, in the first place, IS NOT OFFLINE INSTALLATION!

[infinityloop]

@rbt123 calm down!

The ApplicationLocation.xml file is downloaded from our servers on the first start to ensure that the user has the latest downloadlinks to the other REQUIRED components.
The reason why we can not bundle all components (vc++ redistributeable, directX9 redistributeable, MySQL/MS SQL) is that we are NOT ALLOWED to bundle all these files with our Setup. And the download file would become very big.

So, if you dont want to use the DeployTool for some reason, then simply choose the any "Destination Folder" you like in the first screen of the DeployTool.
After that open this folder with Windows Explorer, go to the "Deploy" folder, and there you find the Installers of "MediaPortal" and "TV-Server" which you can use.

BUT:

You will then loose the ability to do a easy "One Click Installation".
To do that OFFLINE you simply.

1. Choose any "Destination Folder" when starting MediaPortal_Setup_1.0_RC1_Refesh.exe (i.e. c:/MediaPortal_Installer)
2. then select "Only Download required Components" -> Next -> Download -> Done
   Info!
   The "MediaPortal_Setup_1.0_RC1_Refesh.exe" is not installing ANYTHING when you launch it to "Only Download required Components"
3. now copy the folder "c:/MediaPortal_Installer" to your USB Stick
4. take it to your PC
5. open the folder "MediaPortal_Installer" and start the "MediaPortal.DeployTool.exe"
6. Choose "install now"
7. and install

[DannyDroid]

Thank you for the post "infinityloop".
I was a bit confused with the whole offline install.
I did look in your faq but it wasn't in there,
Maybe it might be a good idea to add it in?

Thank you for the great software!
Danny.