Vista/XP

[JNS02]

Help, I want to 'UPGRADE' my laptop from Vista to XP. Can I just run XP setup or do I have to start over by wiping out my entire hard drive? I hate Vista And only run this laptop for Hoster. (I still have some lyric lag issues if I run anything over 4.03 release) I am now getting lyric issues after Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 and .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update (KB951847) x86.

[marklwood]

Unfortunately, no. You will have to un-install Hoster online and then wipe the hard drive. You might explore a dual boot solution. I haven't done this on a Hoster machine, so I don't know if it will run from the XP side or not.

[ddouglass]

XP and Vista are Operating Systems (OS). This means they control everything that goes on within the computer. Installing either wipes out anything on that computer's boot drive (C:\).
So no you can't just run the XP setup and save anything on that drive.
There are a lot of things you will need to do before installing XP:

1. Make sure you have a back-up copy of any datafiles you want to keep such as your KMA files, the Songs and Singers database files, playlists and anything else you have that you need.
2. Also be sure you uninstall Hoster 4.0x while on-line before you install XP. Make sure you have the Hoster setup files you need to reinstall after loading XP.
3. Go to the laptop manufacturer's website and download the XP drivers for your laptop model. These should include Video, audio, chipset, CD\DVD drive and any other device on the computer. XP and Vista drivers are not the same.

This really is not a job to be tackled by a novice. If I was in your position I would make sure I had some professional help (not your Brother-in-laws cousin who happens to tinker around with them) who knows how to do this with your brand of laptop. Many of the manufacturers will use a small (few KB size) section of the hard drive to store restoration information and this can cause problems when installing the new OS.

[JNS02]

Thanks Dale, I just updated to Hoster 4.06 and with the .NET framework updates I have a stable system for now. A couple of songs 'God Love Her' Toby Keith Chartbuster being on, still lags a little. I will use this set up until 4.10 is released. If I continue to have problems after that I will be getting rid of Vista.

[ddouglass]

If it is only a couple of songs it has to be their recording, not Vista or Hoster. Even the producers aren't perfect.

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

If it is only a couple of songs it has to be their recording, not Vista or Hoster. Even the producers aren't perfect.

The songs that I tested were ones that ran fine before the .NET Framework update. I tried to do System Restore but I got an error message "Unknown Error Occured'. That is when I decided to update to 4.06 (Which I could never get to work right) which now seems to be OK for most songs. The songs in play fine in 3.4 which I will use if need be. Because of that I feel that it is a Vista/Hoster Issue (More Vista then Hoster) I would also consider the "Dual Boot' but that also means wiping out everything (I have already saved files on an external drive).

[ddouglass]

Dual Boot shouldn't wipe everything. I don't have a detailed list of how to set it up but it can be done. Dual Boot if I remember right would actually require 3 partitions, one small one as the startup and the two O/S partitions. I think you would have to uninstall the Hoster from the Vista partition and re-install it on the XP as the program would not work with both from one location.

[JNS02]

Dale, I ran a show (one man) last night and it turns out to be quite a few songs (30%). I will as I said before wait until 4.10 is released before doing anything else. I will run 3.4 on songs that don't play right.

[ddouglass]

Any particular brand? Or something common to all?

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Any particular brand? Or something common to all?

Dale, It seems to happen most on Chartbuster and DK but I have had a few Sound Choice lag,

If I cound find a way to get rid of the .NET framework update and go back to 4.03 I would be a happy camper. I was very happy with it the way it ran then. Don't get me wrong, I'm still happy with MTU. I just hate Vista OS. But like I said, I'll wait for 4.10 and if still problems, Vista must go.

And if I haven't said it lately, Thank You Dale. You are a big help.

[ddouglass]

The next release will be more stable and should be much better on the sync. As far as getting rid of .net Framework Microsoft isn't going to allow that as that is their baby and they have made it a necessary part of the OS for both Vista and XP.
How far out of sync are you talking about and which way? Are the same files always out of sync or is it random (this time it is and the next time it isn't)?

[Musicman51]

(not your Brother-in-laws cousin who happens to tinker around with them)

My girlfriends' brother in laws second cousin once removed on her fathers side {the Jay Jasper Family} the one's with all the buck tooth young'uns, is a member of the Geek Squad... so he claims. Just funning with you Douglass

Once i removed the player that Napster installed on my laptop, and my anti virus software, along with all the junk it had on it. My laptop syncs now like it's suppose to with the latest version of Hoster. I never go online with my show laptop. Just a thought.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Musicman51

(not your Brother-in-laws cousin who happens to tinker around with them)

My girlfriends' brother in laws second cousin once removed on her fathers side {the Jay Jasper Family} the one's with all the buck tooth young'uns, is a member of the Geek Squad... so he claims. Just funning with you Douglass

That makes him twice as dangerous!!! I wouldn't trust the Geek Squad with my calculator much less my computer.

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

The next release will be more stable and should be much better on the sync. As far as getting rid of .net Framework Microsoft isn't going to allow that as that is their baby and they have made it a necessary part of the OS for both Vista and XP.
How far out of sync are you talking about and which way? Are the same files always out of sync or is it random (this time it is and the next time it isn't)?

The lyrics highlight a full line behind where they should, always behind. Chartbuster starts off behind on the first line put seems to catch-up before the end of the 'page', then starts off again on the next screen. DKK is behind the entire song and never catch up. Always the same songs everytime, never bad one time and OK another. Like I said. if 4.10 is still lagging, Vista goes.

Thanks Dale.

[ddouglass]

This may not work since it isn't all of your song files, but I would try it and see if it helps.
Open Hoster 3.4. Open Tools/Playback Offset. Set it to -0.5. Close Hoster 3.4 and open Hoster 4.06a. Try some of the songs that are lagging and then try some that aren't to see if it affects any of them. If it is affecting both then it won't work because you will throw the majority of them off. Go back and reset the offset to 0.
This offset control has been added back into the next release so you won't have to go between the programs to set it. For now setting it in 3.4 also sets it for 4.06a.

[JNS02]

I'll Give it a try

[JNS02]

Dale, I MAY HAVE FOUND MY PROBLEM! I went back and checked the Vista Changes that have to be made for HOSTER to run properly, My display settings were changed, I put the resolution back to 1260 x 800 and 16 bit for laptop screen and 1024 x 768 and 16 bit for monitor (TV) and everything worked fine. I did these changes before so I restarted the system and they reverted back 2 times. I went into NVidia Control and changed them and so far..... They stayed corrected. Maybe MTU should state this in the change listings. I checked some of the same songs that I mentioned before in this thread and most (all but one) are fine. So I checked the one DKKaraoke Beer Barrel Polka (yes, I have to sing that one in one of my shows by request) in my RSQ player off the CD and guess what, Its wrong there too. Problems solved for now.

[ddouglass]

Most likely changing it back to 16 bit is what fixed it, but I am glad that worked. I was beginning to wonder about how to fix this one and running out of ideas.

[JNS02]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Most likely changing it back to 16 bit is what fixed it, but I am glad that worked. I was beginning to wonder about how to fix this one and running out of ideas.

Still would like to know why it didn't stay changed when I changed it months ago.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by JNS02

Still would like to know why it didn't stay changed when I changed it months ago.

Ask Microsoft. Could have been an update that changed it back. It isn't a Hoster setting so it has no control over it.