Media Center Extender Disconnecting

Hello,

I have been going crazy trying to fix a problem with my media center extender, it keeps disconnecting. I do not get a error and/or dialog box on my media center pc. The media extender disconnects and asks me if I want to reconnect. So I went thru the event viewer on the media center computer and here is what I have found.


1. The media center extender is disconnecting at event 123, which is described as “The Media Center Extender session was terminated because an unauthorized window opened in the session.”
2. Prior to this I am getting warning events (event 109) which is described as
a. An unauthorized window was detected while running Windows Media Center with file name 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\Platform\McUICnt.exe', could not retrieve the window title.
b. An unauthorized window was detected while running Windows Media Center, 'McAfee Vulnerability Scanner', with file name 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\Platform\McUICnt.exe'.


So the logical conclusion based upon the info above is to assume that the cause is Mcafee. So I had numerous tech support chat sessions. Mcafee was removed and then reinstalled without the vulnerability scanner, so that issue went away. The media center is still disconnecting, events 109 and 123 are still there. Mcafee told me it is not a Mcafee problem, windows in incorrectly reporting Mcafee as the source of the problem.
I am running Windows 7 Ultimate (Service Pack 1) and my extender is a D-link DSM-750. So can someone help me with media center extender issue?

First, uninstall McAfee from the Control Panel -> Programs and Features applet.

Then, follow the instructions at the link below to un-install McAfee, but skip step #3 (because you DO NOT want to re-install McAfee):
How to uninstall or reinstall supported McAfee products using the Consumer Products Removal tool (MCPR)

After you follow those instructions (and reboot the computer) try to see if the extender gives you the same problem. Be aware that you should not browse the internet during this period, because you do not have any virus protection.

If the extender now works correctly, you will have proved that McAfee was, indeed, the problem.

At that point, go install Microsoft Security Essentials (instead of McAfee). McAfee is, in my opinion, the most bloated and problematic "security" software available. Many say that Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) doesn't protect as well, but I've had no problems with it. You can get Microsoft Security Essentials (free) at the link below:

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Hello,

Tried that, I did unistall Macafee and rebooted. The extender is still disconnecting

You said that you uninstalled McAfee, and then re-installed it. I didn't tell you to re-install it. I told you to un-install, reboot, and test the extender (without McAfee installed). Further, I told you to use the Consumer Products Removal tool, not just the regular uninstall process from the Windows Control Panel.

After McAfee is COMPLETELY removed (using the MCPR tool I linked in post #2), try your extender. If the problem remains, then McAfee was not the cause. If the problem is gone, then you have proven that McAfee was the cause.

If McAfee was not the cause, then you have to look at the other software installed on your computer. Any software that attempts to run a Windows application inside the extender session will cause the error you are seeing.

Hello,

I am making progress on the issue(s) I am having with my media center extender disconnecting. Here is what I am done so far

1. Used the Add/remove programs to remove all Mcafee products
2. Restarted the computer
3. Used the Mcafee Product removal utility to remove all files/etc for Mcafee products.
4. Restarted the computer.

After the steps above are performed I can watch recorded program on my media center extender without anything being disconnected. I have been able to watch recorded TV for several hours without the media center disconnecting. So this has convinced me that removing Mcafee allows me to use my media center extender.
So I have re-installed Mcafee so that my wife and I can navigate the internet. The media center extender works for a while, the exact duration has not been determined. I have gone thru the process above (remove and re-install) and the results are consistent.
So stay tuned for further details. I just want to share what I have done so far so that others may not have to go thru what I have done.
The saga continues…stay tuned for further details!

OK, so that confirms my suspicion. There may or may not be a way to change settings in McAfee so that it doesn't break your extender... you'll need to call McAfee about that.

Or... you could just follow my recommendation in post #2 and use Microsoft Security Essentials instead of McAfee.

Hello,

My Media center extender worked great for almost 48 hours until my media center extender started to disconnect. So went looking thru the event viewer and found the following information in one of the warnings prior to my extender starting to disconnect.
Does anyone know what this means?



The maximum file size for session "McAfee.{E4367DA7-2B80-47f3-86D2-7626A18FC6F4}" has been reached. As a result, events might be lost (not logged) to file "C:\ProgramData\McAfee\MCLOGS\ETW\mclogs.etl". The maximum files size is currently set to 16777216 bytes.

Hello,

I was days aware from dumping Mcafee and doing exactly what you said. So read on....

I am 98 percent certain that the issue I was having with my media center extender disconnecting has been solved. The solution is properly configure/setup Mcafee, which I found by participating in a Microsoft Community forum. This issue appeared in the past because the Xbox can also function as a media extender. Here is how to configure/setup Mcafee to support a media center extender…

Xbox disconnect "A program on your media center has caused your extender..."

If you are using McAfee, this may be your solution.

This is how I solved this problem......
First:
Open McAfee... Click on Navigation.... Under settings, click on General Settings and Alerts.... Click on Access Protection.... deselect Access Protection
Second:
Click on Navigation.... Under settings, click on Features.... click on Firewall.... click on Net Guard.... then deselect "Turn on Net Guard"
Third: If you are still having problems...
click on Navigation..... Under settings, click on Features.... Deselect McAfee Vulnerability....
Good Luck......


So I did the 3 things above and presto….my media extender has not disconnected once in the past 24 hours. Hopefully the trend will continue. I am also disappointed that the first and second level support people at Mcafee were unaware of how to configure/setup Mcafee to support a windows media center extender. I will send this info to Mcafee with the hope and/or expectation that the Mcafee support people will become educated on how to configure their own product to work with a media center extender.

So, you basically turned off all the protection of the antivirus and firewall software, leaving your computer unprotected. This is almost as bad as having no antivirus software at all.

What you have done puts your computer at risk. Please... Save yourself money and problems and just follow my advice.