System Restore

You should enable System Restore in Windows. Then, whenever you update Windows or install a new program, such as Hoster, all the changes are saved and can be reversed back as many change levels as are saved.

WARNING: System Restore points are saved for ONLY one month. After that, they are gone. If you wait a month after doing a Windows Upgrade, or installing a new MTU program, your System Restore will be gone! If you have a problem after any upgrade, do a System Restore immediately so you are running correctly again, then work on upgrading one item at a time until you find the one causing the problem you observe.

 
 

How To Enable System Restore

1. Click Window's Start button at the bottom left
2. Click All Programs > click Accessories > click System Tools > click System Restore > click Create a restore point and follow the on screen instructions.
3. You can add a name to each restore point to help you know why each was done.

 
 

How To Restore To A Prior Saved State

1. Click Window's Start button at the bottom left
2. Click All Programs > click Accessories > click System Tools > click System Restore
3. Click Restore my computer to an earlier time and follow the on screen instructions.

 
 

MANDATORY CHANGES

 
 

With the "standard" Vista setup, the video can get out of sync with the music and you may hear audio dropouts. These problems disappear when the changes below are made.

 

Install At Least 1.5GB Computer RAM

With Hoster 4.xx, the Vista upgrades and SP1, and a large Songs Database, to run safely and reliably your computer needs at least 1.5GB RAM for Vista 32-bit, and 2GB to 4GB for Vista 64-bit. With insufficient RAM, you may be importing disc 670 and weird bad things start happening... for no apparent reason... out of RAM!

Hoster 5.03 and higher use the Microsoft "WOW64" feature on Vista 64-bit to have double the normal RAM allocated to running Hoster. This makes Hoster run faster and more reliable on Vista 64-bit.

 
 

Processor Speed Should Be At Least 1.3GHz

Hoster 4.x requires at least 1.3GHz to safely run all the new features. If you have a tightly designed Laptop or Shuttle computer, you may not be able to buy and install a faster processor as the Power Supply may be insufficient for an upgrade. However... adding a faster processor MAY or MAY NOT require more power. If you don't know, you need to find technical help to do this for you. With parts and labor, it may be cheaper to replace the computer.

 
 

Hard Drive Free Space

Most users don't know that Windows REQUIRES free hard drive space to perform "housekeeping" tasks to run reliably. Some experts say you need 25% free hard drive space, but at least 10% would be a minimum. If you have a 100GB drive, you need at least 10-25GB free. With a 250GB drive, you need 25-60GB free. If you see your hard drive light flashing a lot after 5 seconds when a new song starts playing, your drive may be "thrashing" due to not having enough free space. If you see this, add another USB external 1 Terabyte hard drive and copy your karaoke, audio, and videos files to it so your C: drive has more free space.

 
 

Change #1: Virtual Memory Settings

This Windows setting determines how much hard drive space is fixed-allocated to swap RAM contents (i.e. running programs) when Windows needs to free up RAM for its own background tasks. If VM is set too low, you can see 5 to 20 second delays frequently in Hoster. Thus, you want to insure your VM is set correctly. The recommended amount is double your system RAM. More than this can actually slow WIndows performance.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Double-click Control Panel.
3. In the window that appears, double-click System.
4. Click the Advanced tab at the top.
5. Click the Performance Group - Settings button.
6. In the Performance Options dialog that appears, click the Advanced tab.
7. In the Virtual Memory group at the bottom, click the Change button.
8. In the Virtual Memory dialog that appears, click the Custom Size radio button.
9. Ignore the Minimum size: value. Enter the Recommended size: value.
10. Click into the Initial size: field and enter the value (3055 MB recommended if you have 2GB RAM).
11. Click into the Maximum size: field and enter 4096 or up to 2x your installed RAM (MB).
12. Click the Set button and then the OK button to close the Virtual Memory dialog.
13. Click the OK button to close the Performance Options dialog.
14. Click the OK button to close the System Properties dialog.
15. Restart your computer now or shortly.

 
 

Change #2: Update Windows

Before you start upgrading, create a System Restore Point so you can restore back to before the Updates you are about to download and install.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You MUST ONLY use Windows Internet Explorer to do Windows Updates. You CANNOT USE: Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Netscape or any other Browser. To run IE, click Start button > All Programs > Internet Explorer.

You MUST do the Windows Software Updates to run MTU Hoster 4.22 or higher. Many users who had weird problems say these disappeared after updating Windows.

1. DirectX Version 10: Check it by click Start button > click Run > type in dxdiag and view the version on the page that appears (System tab).
   
   
   • To download and Install Windows DirectX 10, click Microsoft DirectX Download Page. After clicking the "Download" button, you will see a page with "DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer If your download does not start after 30 seconds, click here: Start download". Click this link on the web page.
2. WMP (Windows Media Player) Version 11: Check it by running WMP, click Help > click Run > type in dxdiag and view the version on the page that appears (System tab).
   
   
   • To download and Install Windows Media Player 12, click Microsoft WMP Download Page.
3. Windows Updates: Click Start button at the bottom left > click All Programs > click Windows Updates
   
   
   • When the web page appears, click the Custom button. Your computer is scanned for what updates it needs. If the Custom button doesn't appear, follow the instructions on that page to download and install the latest Windows Update Software version.
   • Click one "major function" to install at a time, clicking off all others. Install them in the following order:
     
     
     1. Windows XP SR2 first if it appears
     2. Netframework 2 if it appears
     3. Netframework 3 if it appears
     4. Netframework 3.x if it appears
     5. Internet Explorer IE7 (or 8) if it appears
     6. Windows Media Player WMP11 if it appears
     7. Windows XP SP3 if it appears
   • Click Install to install the selected function.
   • Click no more than four (4) Updates at a time with titles that are related to the "major function" you just installed. (For example, first install Netframework 2, then install 4 Updates with "Netframework 2" in their name. Do all related Updates before installing another "major function".)
   • Restart Windows after installing each major function and its related Updates (If not done, later Updates can crash Windows or cause weird problems):
     
     
     • Left click the Start button at the bottom left > click Turn Off Computer > click the Restart button
   • Repeat this process until all "major functions" are installed and Critical Updates shows 0 items left to install.
   • Restart Windows

 
 

Change #3: Disable CDRom Auto Play Option

Disable this option to prevent programs from automatically reading a CDG or CDROM disc you load and running or playing it.

1. Click the Start button
2. Click the Run option
3. Type in regedit
4. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and click it
5. Locate System and click it
6. Locate CurrentControlSet and click it
7. Locate Services and click it
8. Locate Cdrom and click it
9. Right click Auto Run and select Modify
10. Set the Value Data to 0 and click the OK button
11. Restart your computer

Programs that can play or run files on a disc include:

• Windows Media Player
• Sound Drivers for an Audio card you installed in your computer
• Certain CDG Producers (Example: Sound Choice) add multiple sessions to some CDG discs that display advertisements each time you play a song from their discs.
• Some CD (or CDG) playing or copy software.

 

Change #4: Disable Display Options

1. Right click on a blank space of your desktop and click Properties to see the Display Properties window.
2. Click the Screen Saver Tab
3. Click the arrow to the right of screen saver drop down list and select (None).
4. Click the Power button on this tab to see Power Options Properties window.
5. In the Power Schemes group, click the drop down arrow and select either Full Power or Always On and click OK to close this window.
6. Return to the Display Properties window.
   For Windows XP - Click the Appearence Tab and click the Effects button...
7. If you have a laptop - Click the Hibernation Tab and un-check Enable Hibernation.
8. Click OK to close the Display Properties window.

 

Change #5: Disable Alarm Sounds

Hoster displays Exclamation and Question message boxes that normally sound audio "alerts" to get your attention. These sounds are disruptive to your show unless you disable them.

1. Click the Windows Start button.
2. Click Settings... and then Control Panel.
3. Click the Sounds and Multimedia option.
4. In the Sounds Tab that appears on top, scroll down until you find the Exclamation title and click it to select it.
5. In the Name: field below, click the drop down arrow and select [None] at the very top. This will disable any sound playing when an Exclamation message box appears.
6. Click the Apply button at the bottom right to finish this selection.
7. Do the same for the Question selection so it also will not play a sound.
8. Click the OK button to finish this selection and close this dialog box.
9. These message boxes will no longer play a sound when they appear for Hoster or ANY OTHER program.

 
 

Change #6: Set the Resolution of Your Displays

If not changed it can cause; 1) Lyrics to be out of sync with the audio, and 2) Graphics will draw with random errors (top half may not draw, top may draw very slow and be out of sync with the audio while bottom half draws fast, etc.).

Set For Computer Monitor:

1. Right click on the Desktop where there are no icons
2. Left click Personalize
3. Double left click Display Settings
4. Make sure that your Resolution is set correctly for Monitor
   
   
   • This setting depends on your computer, but Hoster is designed to run on 1024x768 or HIGHER
   • Insure your colors are set at 16 bit, NOT 32 bit
5. If you have a TV/Singer's Second Monitor
   
   
   • Left click Monitor 2 to select this monitor
   • Set the resolution slider to higher than 800x600 or your colors will not be correct
6. Left click Apply and OK to close the dialog and save your new settings

 
 

Change #7: Turn off User Access Control (UAC)

If you use an external USB hard drive for your imported KMA files, the Songs Database will NOT find your files unless UAC is disabled. This is a Microsoft Access Database tool limitation, not a Hoster bug. The majority of Hoster users run with UAC disabled and have not reported any problems.

Also, Vista housekeeping tasks can interrupt your show at any time unless you disable UAC.

1. Left click the Start Menu
2. Left click Control Panel
3. Double (left) click User Accounts
4. Left click the bottom item that states Turn User Account control on or off
5. When the dialog comes up stating Windows needs your permission to continue click Continue
6. Now un-check the check box beside Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer
7. Now click Ok
8. When asked to Restart, wait until you have done all the changes on this page, then restart.

 
 

Change #8: Turn Off the Windows Sidebar

If left on it can cause; 1) The audio sounds distorted, 2) There can be a delay for songs to start playing, and 3) Lyrics can be out of sync with the audio.

1. Left click the Start Menu
2. Left click All Programs
3. Left click Windows sidebar (find it on the right side of your Desktop
4. Right click on the Widows Sidebar
5. Left click Properties and un-check Start Sidebar when Windows starts
6. Restart Vista now or after installing Hoster 4

 
 

Change #9: Turn Off "Aero Theme"

If left on it can cause; 1) The audio can sound distorted, and 2) Lyrics can be out of sync with the audio.

NOTE: This only applies to:

• Vista Home Premium
• Vista Ultimate
• Vista Business

NOTE: If you have an NVidia GeForce 8200M graphics card (value line, shared memory card that is not capable of displaying Aero) you will not see the Aero Theme to disable. Don't worry, its already removed/disabled by this card's video drivers.

All other Vista versions do NOT have the Aero Theme to disable.

1. Right click on the Desktop where there are no icons
2. Left Click Personalize
3. Double left click Window Color and Appearance and un-check Enable transparency
4. Open the "Classic" appearance properties
5. Choose either “Windows Vista Basic”, “Windows Standard” or “Windows Classic”
6. Restart Vista now or after installing Hoster 4

 
 

Change #10: Turn Off Visual Effects

If left on it can cause; 1) The audio can sound distorted, 2) There can be a delay for songs to start playing, and 3) Lyrics can be out of sync with the audio.

1. Left click the Start Menu
2. Left click Control Panel
3. Left click Classic View on the left hand side
4. Left double click on System
5. Left click Advanced system settings on the left side
6. When the Dialog comes up stating that Windows needs your Permission to continue click Continue
7. Left click the Advanced Tab
8. Left click the Settings button under the “Performance” area
9. In the “Visual Effects” tab, left click Adjust for best performance
10. Scroll the very last item on the List, and click (checked) Use visual styles on windows and buttons
11. Click Apply and OK
12. Restart Vista now or after installing Hoster 4

 
 

POSSIBLE REQUIRED CHANGES

We say "possible" here because it depends on your computer and what types of files you want to play.

 

Change #11: Set WMP Speed and Turn Off Video Acceleration

If not set as below; 1) Microsoft's own WMV format video files may play Audio only with no Video, or 2) not play at all.

1. Left click the Start Menu
2. Left click on Windows Media Player
3. Right click the Menu Bar to the left of Now Playing
4. Left click Tools then Options…
5. Click the “Performance” Tab
6. Left click Choose connection speed: and set it to LAN (10 Mbps or more)
7. On this Tab, UN-Check the Turn on DirectX Video Acceleration for WMV Files
8. Close Windows Media Player

 
 

Change #12: Allow Windows Media Player to Play Local Files

It must be set as below or Video files will not play at all.

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Left click the Tools Menu at the far Right Side
3. Left click Internet Options
4. Left click the Advanced tab
5. Scroll down to the Security section
6. Left click Allow active content to run in files on My Computer and Allow active content from CDs to run on My Computer
7. Restart Vista now or after installing Hoster 4