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

 
 

Install At Lease 1GB Computer RAM

With Hoster 4.xx, the XP upgrades (SP3) and larger Songs Databases (holding 10,000+ songs), your computer needs at least 1GB RAM to run safely and reliably. Upgrade your RAM and prevent headaches for you, your MTU.Community friends and MTU Staff. It is better to have 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB computer RAM.

 
 

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.
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 11, 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, this 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 Properties
3. Left click 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

 
 

RECOMMENDED CHANGES

Change #7: Set WMP Speed and Turn Off Video Acceleration

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

1. Left click the Windows Start button at the bottom left > click All Programs > click Windows Media Player
2. Once WMP is running, click the mouse RIGHT button on the Menu bar to the left of Now Playing
3. Click Tools > click Options... > click Performance tab > click Choose connection speed: > click LAN (10 Mbps or more)
4. On this Tab, click the checkbox to un-check "Turn on DirectX Video Acceleration for WMV Files" selection > Close Windows Media Player

 
 

Change #8: Allow Windows Media Player to Play Local Files

Video files will not play if this is not set as below:

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click Tools Menu
3. Click Internet Options
4. Click Advanced tab
5. Scroll down to the Security section
6. Click Allow active content to run in files on My Computer
7. Also click Allow active content from CDs to run on My Computer
8. Restart XP

CHANGES FOR YOUR BENEFIT

Change #9: Disable Automatic Restart

Any time Windows XP detects a system failure it will restart on its own if this box is checked.

1. Click Window's Start button at the bottom left
2. Click Settings in the menu
3. Click Control Panel
4. Double-click the mouse left button on System near the bottom of the list
5. In the dialog that appears, click Advanced Tab
6. In the Startup and Recovery group, click the Settings button
7. In the System Failure group, if the Automatically restart checkbox is checked , then click it so it is NOT checked
8. Click all the OK buttons to close out of this dialog, and accept your changes.

 
 

Change #10: Disable Automatic Updates

If you have Automatic Updates enabled and you connect your computer to the Internet, your Windows will automatically start updating, which is NOT best for you. It is best to disable "Automatic" and select to be told when updates are available for you to manually control updating.

1. Click Window's Start button at the bottom left
2. Click Settings in the menu
3. Click Control Panel
4. Double-click on Automatic Updates near the top of the list
5. In the dialog that appears, click the Notify me but don't automatically download or install them checkbox so it is checked
6. Click OK to close this dialog and accept your selection.