Windows Client TechCenter >
Windows Vista IT Pro Forums
>
Windows Vista Security
>
Windows Media Center - wont launch...due to Software Restriction Policy???
Windows Media Center - wont launch...due to Software Restriction Policy???
- Current system:
Windows Vista x64 Ultimate RETAIL installed onto clean system.
UAC disabled
Using full administrator account w/ no restrictionsProblem:
Anytime I attempt to launch Windows Media Center or Media Center Extender I receive the following popup error and the program does not attempt to to even start:Error:
[Windows Media Center
"Windows cannot open this program because it has been prevented by a software restriction policy. For more information contact your system administrator."Summary:
When I initialy installed the OS, this problem did not exist. I was able to launch WMC just fine. Only after a couple month of reinstalling necessary base applications do I now get this error. My family cannot even use it as an extender for the XBOX360 anymore.From what i can tell there are a lot of people with this issue and NO SOLUTION from MS as yet. I did see in one post that someone else had this error and was able to correct it by setting WMC as the default application in "Default Programs --> Set Program Access and Computer Defaults" This did not work for me at all. At this point I am at a complete loss. Any insight would be appreciated.-J
All Replies
Hi
Did you turn on Software Restriction in the Local Security Policy and set the default to Disallow?
If so you may need to add the start menu folder to as an allowed path, because by default shortcuts in the start menu are not allowed to execute.
Peter
- Hello Peter,Under Local secpol, If I select "Software Restriction Policies" it states that no policies are defined.I tried enabling the policies then making the following folders unrestricted:C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu&C:\windows\ehomeStill no dice...
Hi, JMVL!
Try changing your settings under ControlPanel/Programs/Program Acess & Comp Defaults and also under ControlPanel/Programs/Set your default programs.
I had the same issue and when I changed the settings here Media Centre started working again.
Good luck!
Deon
- Deon,This seems to be the common answer that I have see may have worked for others. For me, no matter what I change these settings to beit "Microsoft, Non-Micrisoft or Custom", still the same issue. I have tried disabling all of the non-MS and setting the defaults on WMC and making it the default app again etc..The other media players installed on this system are iTunes, Winamp and Realplayer (as well as Media Center and Media Player). I am starting to wonder if there is som incompatibility with one of these.On your system that you fixed, what is installed?Thanks
Hi there!
I only have iTunes as an extra media player. Maybe you should look deeper into Winamp and Realplayer?
Good luck!
Deon
- Hi,
I managed to get around this by going to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaCenter in the registry. There was a DWORD in it called "MediaCenter" with a value of "1". Deleting that DWORD allowed Media Center to launch properly. Take note that this was done with Vista Home Premium though, and as a disclaimer, be careful with editing your registry.
Hope that helps.
Cheers - Thank god for you Deon!! This was my issue. I had changed the Default Programs setting to custom and did not check the "Allow Access to Program" button for media center or player or IE. Hopefully now my 360 will connect to my PC again!
At least my icons are all back in Vista.
A nice big warning would have been nice Microsoft, hint hint. - I had the same problem and error message about a "Software restriction policy" preventing to start Windows Media Center under Vista Home Premium.
The following resolved the problem for me...
- Start > Default Programs > Set Program Access and Default Programs > Custom > OK
- Then under "Chose a default media player" put a tick behind "Windows Media Center" in front of "Enable access to this program"
- Hit OK
Hope this helps.
Posted Dec 30, 2007- Proposed As Answer byGyandev Wednesday, December 16, 2009 2:33 AM
- Don't know if you will read this but THANK YOU! Your solution worked for me and I have been without WMC for about 6 months now. Every now and again I would try and figure it out but gave up cause the solutions looked to complicated. Thanks again.
- This did not work for me.
I have re-installed W7 and tried the tricks above, no success.
My version is supposed to be the Windons Enterprise, it reads however WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE, build 7000.
Possibly related, I also get a constant and anoying message "This copy of Windows is not genuine".
Ive tried to change the product key to the one I was provided with by MS, and I get the following error code: 0xc004e003 Hi,
Hi,
I managed to get around this by going to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaCenter in the registry. There was a DWORD in it called "MediaCenter" with a value of "1". Deleting that DWORD allowed Media Center to launch properly. Take note that this was done with Vista Home Premium though, and as a disclaimer, be careful with editing your registry.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
thanks a lot Requiem. It just worked for me as well. However, mine was under LocalMachine instead of CurrentUser. I have been searching for days now and just managed to sort it out with this fix. Hope it will not affect my system stability.
CheersI have seen many people with Windows 7 having this issue but the fix is actually simple.
Click on START,CONTROL PANEL,PROGRAMS,DEFAULT PROGRAMS,SET PROGRAM ACCESS & COMPUTER DEFAULTS then select MICROSOFT WINDOWS.
Reloading the driver message should appear in the right side bottom corner of your screen.
Problem should be resolved.
