Windows 10: Windows Media Center Removal in Windows 10 Angers Windows 7/8.1 Users

Source

 

Add to that, if you clean install latter on, you lose the free DVD Player App you got for losing Media Center in the first place. *really

:)

 

Upgrade from Professional

As part of the free upgrade offer, you will get Windows 10 Pro 64 bit.

Which features will be removed when I upgrade from a previous version of Windows?

Feature deprecation section

• If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center and you install Windows 10, Windows Media Center will be removed.
• Watching DVDs requires separate playback software
• Windows 7 desktop gadgets will be removed as part of installing Windows 10.
• Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.
• Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts Games that come pre-installed on Windows 7 will be removed as part of installing the Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft has released our version of Solitaire and Minesweeper called the “Microsoft Solitaire Collection” and “Microsoft
  Minesweeper.”
• If you have a USB floppy drive, you will need to download the latest driver from Windows Update or from the manufacturer's website.
• If you have Windows Live Essentials installed on your system, the OneDrive application is removed and replaced with the inbox version of OneDrive.
  
• Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode

Source:

Windows 10 System Requirements & Specifications | Microsoft

Is Media Center supported in Windows 10?

No. Persons who need to use Media Center should consider carefully before upgrading from their previous version of Windows. The Windows 10 upgrade will automatically remove any installations of Media Center.

So what are the alternatives if I need Media Center?

Your best option is to continue running your existing version of Windows with Media Center.

• Windows 7 editions that include Media Center will continue to be supported until January 2020.
• Windows 8 Pro with Media Center will continue to be supported until January 2023.

Will Windows Media Center be available in Windows 10?

Windows Media Center is not part of Windows 10 and won’t be available after upgrading to Windows 10. If you use Windows Media Center, we will alert you during upgrade that Windows Media Center is not available on Windows 10. We know that some users use Windows
Media Center to play DVDs, and we are providing a free DVD playback app in Windows 10 for Windows Media Center users.

Source:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq

 

Unable to upgrade to Windows 10 error: "THIS TOOL CANT UPGRADE YOUR PC"

•If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center and you install Windows 10, Windows Media Center will be removed.

Upgrade to Windows 10



It does say you can upgrade.



Microsoft is supposed to allow you to download a free DVD player software soon, to replace that capability in Media Center.

Microsoft rolls out Windows DVD Player for Windows 10 users



More details here:

Windows 10 System Requirements Specifications | Microsoft



What language is your Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center?

 

Is that only if you didn't get it while it was free?
I would have thought once you get it from the store it is tied to your account for re installing

 

Nope. I upgraded from 8.1 Pro with MC to Windows 10 Pro. After running Windows update I get the DVD Player App. If I go to the Store its not listed in My Library. If I now clean install 10 Pro, it does not get installed again. To get it back I have to do the upgrade from 8.1 Pro + MC. It's all documented in another thread here. I'm not upgrading every time I need to reinstall just to get that App.

 

Thanks for the info
I wasn't aware of this

 

That was a really dumb decision by who ever thought that up.

 

That part is the bit I find most insulting. Since practically everyone will have to clean install at some time. MS must think their customers are fools when designing this method of product delivery for DVD functionality on Win10 for existing Media Center customers.

 

I get so upset when they say that, because it is simply not true. Media Center is the ONLY software that delivers encrypted channels, HBO, Showtime, etc.. We use WMC exclusively and ditched our settop-boxes years ago, not only do we get a better picture, but we don't have to pay the $10 monthly box rental. We won't switch to Windows 10, even if 10 had media center, I am still not certain we would switch, there are to many other areas, I find it lacking in. Oh well, we are fine where we are at.

 

Frankly I don't know what has got into the water at Redmond as it is one lunatic decision after another. I got the DVD player for one of my Windows 8.1 OS and not the other on another machine. I was not impressed with 10 (it was no where near as good as 8.1 or 7) and I wiped and did a nice clean install of Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. That is where I am staying for the time being as the free upgrade is a bad deal for me on my 4 main machines, 1 laptop, 1 netbook, 1 wife's laptop and her PC and the three media PC's that are used on TV for DVD , Blu Ray, Netflix and Amazon streaming.
It looked like with Windows 8 Microsoft threw desktop users under the bus and with 10 they have thrown us under the steam roller or traction engine chasing a market with phones and tablets they have already lost. Of course any criticism of Windows 10 seems to get the post deleted but I have tried since the first release with feedback to tell M$ what I thought was a good idea and what was not and they did not listen. Well in a years time when they have extended the free for 12 months offer to 18 months you can see I told you it was a waste of effort to downgrade from 7 to 10.
It is not worth the price of entry at free.

 

I guess I'm still in "Testing" mode, with Windows 10.
I downloaded an OEM version of Windows 10 Pro N, and installed it over a clone of my Windows 8.1 (legal & activated).

I've spent the last day and a half, plugging up security holes and setting my default apps. I was saddened to find out there is nothing like Windows Media Player, to play mp3, mp4, and other Audio/Video files.
So what's the alternative? VLC maybe?

Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are so user friendly, that I can't imagine myself ever wanting to run Windows 10 as my everyday OS.
It's about as friendly as a rabid badger.
Cheers Mates!
*Cool
PS: I DID install VLC Player tonight, then went through all the Audio setup and customization, just like I always had to do with WMP to get any kind of decent sound out of it. Now I have GREAT sound out of my Windows 10.

 

This is why my main machine (which I rarely use these days) still runs Windows 7 for legacy devices and WMC. It's also a sin to not have the DVD app when clean installing Windows 10 for those who upgraded from Windows 8.1 + Media Center Pro Pack.

I'm currently using my tablet with Windows 10 as my daily device. I like the Store apps, but most are still unstable and will crash when resuming from "Standby (S0 Low Power Idle) Network Connected" state, particularly the Mail app or iHeartRadio app.

 

The thread is about Media Center being removed, not Media Player. You have no Media Player because you installed the "N" version. Install the normal 10 Pro or 10 Home and you'll have Media Player. Why did you install the N version? I'm guessing you didn't know what the N meant?

 

Yup, wrong region.


@TechnoMage
Download the Media Feature Pack for N and KN versions of Windows 10