Logging in to mediaportal (1 Viewer)

[Phathid]

This is the next thing on my list (sorted sky TV, movies, series, music, client/server, power) I basically will use all the clients exclusively as HTPC and the server just a couple of programs (e.g. DVDFab).

I have read the forums but the guides to booting into mediaportal seem a little dated, is the following still one of the best ways to boot direct into mediaportal?

Do you only use your computer as a HTPC ifreaky? If so I'd recomend that you try what I've been told to do in this thread, have a batch file launch instead of explorer.exe when you boot Windows. Then you can use the batchfile to launch newcs.exe and Mediaportal. Then you won't get the taskbar at all since it boots straight into Mediaportal. When I boot my computer the MP splashscreen covers anything else.

Wrote up a guide on my current setup:

Guide to booting Windows directly into Mediaportal


First we need to create 2 registry edits:

The first is to have a quick way to revert back to launching the Windows-shell instead.

Start -> Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\
Press File -> Export and save it as Windows.reg in c:\batch


Then we want to create the .reg-file that will launch Mediaportal

Start -> Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\
Press File -> Export and save it as Windows.reg
Doubliclick on "Shell" in the window on the right side and replace explorer.exe with c:\batch\mediaportal.bat
Press File -> Export and save it as Mediaportal.reg in c:\batch

The reason for pointing it to a .bat-file instead of c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\mediaportal.exe is that some people might need to launch other programs aswell, one such program might me imon.exe which will not launch if you point it directly to mediaportal.exe rendering your remote useless.


Now right-click your .reg files and choose "edit"

Now remove everything but the following lines.

For windows.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="explorer.exe"

For Mediaportal.reg:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
"Shell"="c:\batch\mediaportal.bat"

Now we are going to create the batch-files we need.

First the one to launch Windows this batchfile can be added to Mediaportal using the Multishortcut-plugin and when you press it it pops up a messafe saying "Rebooting into Windows shell" before it reboots into the Windows shell.

Open Notepad and enter the following:

regedit /s c:\batch\explorer.reg
shutdown -r -c "Rebooting into Windows shell"
exit

Save it as c:\batch\Windows.bat

Now to the batchfile that will change the registry so that we boot directly into Mediaportal.

Open Notepad and enter the following

regedit /s c:\batch\mediaportal.reg
shutdown -r -c "Rebooting into Mediaportal"
exit

Save it as c:\batch\MediaportalUI.bat


And last we need to create the bootscript, this is the script that launched Mediaportal and any other programs we might want to launch.

Open Notepad and enter the following:

start /d "C:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal" mediaportal.exe

Save it as c:\batch\mediaportal.bat

If you need to launch Imon aswell simply add this line to the script

start /d "C:\program files\soundgraph\imon" imon.exe

If you need to launch any other programs simply add them to the script aswell.

Now you can create some shortcuts to your Mediaportal-UI.bat and your Windows.bat files on your desktop this is not something you have to do, but it makes it quicker/easier to run the scripts.

If you run the mediaportalUI.bat you will boot reboot directly into Mediaportal after a few seconds.

To boot back into the normal Windows UI all you need to do is to press ctrl+alt+delete and select "Start Task Manager" then choose "New Task" and run windows.bat.

As mentioned earlier I have added it as a Multishortcut in my Mediaportal so that I can run it without opening task manager.

Thanks to mbuzina for the registry hack.

Or is there a plugin or a new way of doing this, basically I dont want to ever see windows unless im copying a Blu Ray on my server

Any ideas/help please guys

 

[Phathid]

oh im using win8 for one client but win7 on both server and other client, will prob revert to win7 across the board.

 

[mbuzina]

I would say it is a bit overdone. My htpc runs Windows as usual & has MP in AutoStart. But since my htpc is only ever suspended (except the daily regular reboot) I never see windows. Just let the PC log on automatically & run MP from auto start is enough for me.

 

[Phathid]

Yeah I am looking for the easiest way to be honest, quite like the shell and reboot idea but worried it will not load drivers or program's needed eg ffdshow lav etc