Trouble setting up the guide in Window Media Center Edition?
PVR/HTPC/DVR December 1st, 2005
If you are receiving the following message when trying to setup a new machine as a PVR with Windows Media Center Edition, the solution is simple albeit not obvious:
Guide listings could not be retrieved. Internet connection failure
Details: Unknown discovery service error. Code: 14
Would you like Media Center to try again?
The error message is so deceiving. The actual problem is that you haven’t set the clock on the machine. In my case it was set to January 1, 2004. I set the clock and continued downloading my local listings. I really thought Microsoft was getting wise and starting to produce meaningful error messages but apparently not.
December 17th, 2005 at 11:33 am
Thank you for this, I have wasted about 2 weeks trying to sort this problem. I was convinced it was a proxy issue as I have just sat my MCE box behind ISA2004. This page was the first to mention the date issue and after rebuilding my box twice today I finally got the guide working again after changing the date from april to december. Just wish I knew why the date had got changed in the first place
December 17th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
Hi there,
Was searching Google to find a solution to this issue. I checked my time/date settings and you mentioned, and the date, time, and time zone are all correct. Still getting this same error (Codes 33 and 14) and wondered if you knew of any other solutions. Thanks!
January 13th, 2006 at 1:53 am
I still can’t get past this Code 14.
I have tried to connect pre-Rollup 2 and post-Rollup 2.
I have tried with Security on and off.
I have tried with Zip Code 99999, 11111, and 60614.
I test my internet connection and it confirms it is working (within MCE setup).
Everytime, Unknown Service Dicovery error. Code: 14.
I have never seen the guide work.
My clock is up to date an synced.
Automatic updates is on.
IS there a windows SERVICES I should turn on?
Is there one that might be disable that shouldn’t be?
Please help, if you have time.
I have done google searches and windows support searches, but have only seen this board have the same question and problem.
Thanks!
January 15th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I am having the same issues, nothing i do is helping the problem. It started after i did a BIOS update, now no joy.
anyone figure out more?
thanks!
January 19th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
Thanks - your tip provided the fix
January 24th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Thanks for the tip. Worked for me. I had cleared cmos and forgot about date.
February 2nd, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Hey - Thanks - Solved my problem too - just got a new Elonex Artisan with MCE and couldnt get the TV guide working. Had changed the time but the date was correct except for the year and i just didnt notice until I got this error. Googled the error and found your page straight away - magic.
Thanks
April 5th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
Dude.. absolutley worked fine for me. I also advise to switch off the auto sync clock function in the time-menu.. that thing already screwed up a couple of recordings in the past for me!!
Thanks again!
Jeroen
April 8th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Just wanted to say thanks for the resolution. All other sites give an incorrect reason for this error.
Thanks again!
May 8th, 2006 at 10:09 am
worked out for me darn laptop was dated 3 years behind lol.
thanks …
May 10th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
yeah thx alot it it worked for me …omg i thoguht i hada problem with my internt isp provider…thxd alot….JUST PUT THE CORRECT TIME Dont always use update time.then the guid will download…for the other problems that still wont work …i dunno what to do with that….also u need a tv plug connected to ur pc to download the guide …whats the guid for neways …so remember u need tv output so u can connecta tv cable to ur pc and u need to change ur time date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 12th, 2006 at 9:11 am
change the clock time and the date. Make sure it is correct, this worked for me also..
thanks for the post
May 18th, 2006 at 5:21 am
Hi,
I also have the same error code 14 when trying to get the guide. Just to calrify are we talking about setting the correct date under windows ( Date and Time properties ) or in the bios as someone mentioned. Seems odd that no-one would notice the date incorrect in windows because so many things rely on it. Please clarify. Thanks
May 21st, 2006 at 11:10 pm
I’ve had this problem for awhile. I haven’t been able to fix it because I cannot synchronize with the windows time server.
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Thanks dude,
Thought I was stuffed, good old google and the wonderful world of internet help strikes again.
May 28th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
yoda man. worked like a charm. had to wipe my cmos for the MB problem,
May 31st, 2006 at 2:36 pm
THHHAAAAAANKKSSS man.. I’ve been soo frustrated because of this problem. thanks again
June 4th, 2006 at 8:39 am
hi to everybody.
whenever i try to donload the media guide i get this error message “Guide listings could not be retrieved. Internet connection failure” on my HP Media Center laptop.
Steps done :I went to microsoft website and tried this article no:905945 .Still no joy.
Any other steps that could be done.
June 18th, 2006 at 6:34 am
Hi everyone
I cant thank you all enough from getting me out of my panick. I am in no way computer minded and my partner has just installed the new beta version of vista MCE.
He has gone away for the weekend and the damn thing lost all guide listing. when I tried to update it, the error message listed here came up. A quick type into google and I found you guys and the solution. It worked perfectly.
Thanks for all you help.
June 29th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Guys some of you maybe having firewall/network access issues. MCE needs to be able to do thhe following to download the guide.
data.tvdownload.microsoft.com:443
epg.tvdownload.microsoft.com:80
go.microsoft.com:443
That and the time seem to cause this kind of error. Good Luck!
June 29th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
I set my computer /pc clock to the correct time. However,… My media center tv clock is wrong. The shows appear fine…. just the wrong time is entered. Also, did my correct zip, etc.
July 5th, 2006 at 12:34 am
Thanks for that. For those of you still trying, all I can say is look really hard at the time setting. Is it the right year, is it am or pm?
July 11th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
I turned ON windows firewall - turned OFF my norton firewall - downloaded listings - worked! -
still getting error message for internet time synchronisation - is this relevant?
July 25th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
I have a different problem. The downloaded guide data is offset by two hours from the correct information. This started when I downloaded guide information at a time during which the clock was on a different time zone two hours ahead. However, nothing I seem to be able to do will correct the problem. I reset the clock, rebooted the system, reloaded the guide data — nothing helps. It’s still two hours ahead of what it should be. Suggestions would be very much appreciated.
For those of you who can’t download guide information, Norton antivirus and other versions of Norton get in the way! Turn it off. Better yet, dump it and get Grisoft Antivirus (AVG).
September 8th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Ok I was cursing your name as I tried the time deal over and over only to realize that my time was set properly…
I next checked the windows update to see if there was something new… sure enough under custom there was a new rollup for MCE. I installed it and code 14 was gone.
October 23rd, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Just wanted to drop a line and say thanks. I was going crazy trying to figure out why It wouldn’t download the listing. Fixed the time and boom it worked! You would think the sync time would work automatically and I agree with you that microsoft should be a bit more clear.
November 16th, 2006 at 6:36 am
can anyone tell me how to change the time in the media center
January 12th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
You are a GURU. Unreal. My date was wrong. I thought it was a firewall security certificate problem.
Have a great weekend.
January 22nd, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Is there a specific postal code for those of us who live in the tropical island of Puerto Rico? ’cause i keep typing 00907 and the answer is “TV PROGRAM GUIDE LISTINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR YOUR COUNTRY OR REGION”.
February 8th, 2007 at 1:50 am
Fernan,
GUIDE is not available for puerto rico.
March 11th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Thanks a lot for this tip - works like a charm.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:44 am
thanks alot…this worked great…
March 17th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Changed time, enabled auto daylight savings, enable time sync, set for CST(I live in MN) but the media center time is off like it never adjusted for daylight savings time yet. My recordings will match up because the guide is also an hour off. I would just like to have everything synced. Help if you can, Please!
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:35 pm
I checked my date/time in CMOS and in Windows but still i have to set it 1 hour behind in CMOS to get it to show the correct time slot on the TV Guide PLEASE HELP ME!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 am
I have the same problems as mentioned above- My time is off an hour- as if day light savings time never took place- BUT the guide is off on my Media center- so I can’t record anything- I set a show at 4 and records the one at 3. If I set the show at 5 to trick it into recording the one at 4, it records the one at 5. MS is no help whatsoever. All my clocks are set right- Its the downloaded guide that seems to be off. How do I fix that????
April 1st, 2007 at 2:19 pm
For those off by an hour, disable auto daylight savings time if you have it on and set it manually. DST came early and your PC may/may not have updated properly.
April 1st, 2007 at 9:19 pm
new computer… guide is 3 hours behind… media center clock shows right time but if I want to record a show I have to tell it to record the show that was on 3 hours ago… so I can’t get it to record a series or whatever… and if it’s a movie I have to tell it to record a whole bunch of shows… AAARRGG!!! Anyone have a suggestion?
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:59 am
I´m running Vista MCE and my guide listings are also of by an hour… Where do I didsable auto DST - I only have a check box for: “Remind me one week before DST changes”. Should I disable this one?
April 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am
My clock already was not DST enabled, yet Media Center is still stuck on pne hour behind. As if I were in Central (Atlantic) time, yet my local programs are in Eastern. I did notice that the Internet Time was not synchronizing.
April 10th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
I am having the hr behind problem regardless of the fact I have the update installed or that I manually configure windows time. To record tv I have to set my clock incorectly an hr behind.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Please help! This issue is driving me crazy! My Media Center guide is off by one hour. My computer time is correct, auto daylight savings time is shut off, my internet time synchronization will not synch to time.windows.com so it is currently disabled. My Media Center screen shows the right time and day, but the guide time is wrong with the 6 pm news on at 5 pm and every other show in the guide showing an hour earlier than scheduled.
I have MCE 2004 and went to check for a Windows update but it would not load because it said “Update cannot be installed as a newer or same timezone update has already been installed.”
Where do I go to change the time so that my guide gives the right data? Comcast says it is a HP issue but I cannot find anything to fix it.
Can anyone help me?
April 14th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Man… I had AM instead of PM… wow… insane.
April 17th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
For those who’s guide seems to be several hrs ahead make sure that your time zone is set correctly. I had mine set to gmt us and canada when it shoud have been est. Now my guide is showing right info. Hope this helps
April 22nd, 2007 at 1:08 pm
I had the exact same problem of media center being an hour off. Turn on the daylight savings time feature (double click the time, go to time zones, and check the box), the computer clock will go ahead an hour. Set it to the right time and Media Center will be corrected. Hope this helps someone.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:25 pm
This is how I corrected my issue with the MCE 2004 guide being 1 hour off compared to the actual time (I am in EST and the guide was displaying -1 hour for everything.)
1. Make sure you have the daylight savings patch from microsoft.com (since it came early this year). Install and reboot if you don’t.
2. In the time settings, enable ‘Automatically adjust for daylight savings’
3. Enable the sync with the windows time server
4. In MCE - go to the guide settings and reset the settings for your zip code and choose the correct guide listing.
This worked for me - good luck.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Thanks a lot did fix for me.
May 19th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Well, I was hopeful when I found this…but still broken.
The error is “The Guide could not be downloaded for the following reason: Internet Connection Failure (Code: 13)”. I am running Vista Ultimate (x32), it was working about 2 weeks ago just fine, comcast is no help (They recommended that I get a cable box), Vista doesn’t have the DST issue, my time is accurate, and MS site has nothing helpful.
Anyone running vista have this problem and a fix?
July 19th, 2007 at 7:54 am
Thanks! Worked perfectly after trying to fix things myself for more than an hour.
Although I had unplugged the PC during a severe lightning storm and before a four-hour power outage, the date indeed had been changed to eight years and one month into the future, 2015.
I had received error codes 14 and 33, and your page popped up right away.
Now I’ll search to see if there’s a new way to override the restricted content problem on my MC Extender from sadly updating to Rollup 2.
August 26th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I’m having a nightmare trying to download the MCE2005 TV Guide in both Guide Setup and Guide Refresh I get an Internet Connection Failure message with (Code 4). This used to work fine until 2 weeks ago, I havn’t changed anything on my PC, I’ve tried disabling Firewalls, Spybot and AVG Anti Virus - still comes up with same error. I’m using Netgear Wireless Router and have no other connectivity problems with any other software. The time and date are synched correctly. Any Help would be really really appreciated as I’ve been two weeks without my guide and thinking about scrapping all together and getting a PVR instead !
August 29th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
I am also receiving Error Codes 14 and 33. My guide had downloaded successfully for over a year and just 3 - 4 weeks ago stopped working. I have verified that my date/time is correct, disabled Anti-Virus software, disabled Zone Alarm, renamed the eHome dir and re-created by running Media Center Setup all with no luck.
Any Ideas?
August 30th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I had to select different country than I live in (I didn’t have example postal code listed) and don’t forget to enter postal code in XXX XX format with space!!!
September 3rd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
HERE IS THE RESOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905945
September 5th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
That’s the solution for Error Code 14 but has anyone got any ideas for Error Code 4 that I’m getting
I’ve already checked time-sync and that doesn’t resolve
Thanks
October 12th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I had the issue of being off by an hour, and found this blog. However, none of the suggests seemed to work for me though. For my case, when I turn off DST and the time sync, my time would revert back when I restarted the computer. Then I thought, “Could Media center be looking at some other clock, like the BIOS, instead of the time display on the task bar?” So, testing it out, I rebooted and went into the BIOS, and sure enough, the time there was wrong. I changed that, and my media center works now w/ the right time. I even have DST turned on.
Here are my steps, in case anyone is interested.
1. turn off the time sync (you can leave DST if you want)
2. reboot the computer and go into the BIOS (could be F2, F5, F8 or whatever it is. Mine’s was F2)
3. modify BIOS date, save and exit
4. restart Windows and verify by turning on Media Center
Hope that helps!
October 12th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Hi everyone, finally found a great website, I have Guide Isuue in MCE and guide is off, I have one question that even i am living in baltimore GMT -5 Eastern Time, My Computer Clock Shows the Time 9:14 instead of 6:14, Please help me with the issue.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:05 am
Hi - ref my problem below
I’m wondering if Media Center has lost the URL of where it’s supposed to be downloading EPG from does anyone know where this info is held (Registry Loc or File Loc) and the URL it should be trying. I’ve tried putting the EPG URL in the Browser and it gives the correct response.
I’m having a nightmare trying to download the MCE2005 TV Guide in both Guide Setup and Guide Refresh I get an Internet Connection Failure message with (Code 4). This used to work fine until 2 weeks ago, I havn’t changed anything on my PC, I’ve tried disabling Firewalls, Spybot and AVG Anti Virus - still comes up with same error. I’m using Netgear Wireless Router and have no other connectivity problems with any other software. The time and date are synched correctly. Any Help would be really really appreciated as I’ve been two weeks without my guide and thinking about scrapping all together and getting a PVR instead !
October 29th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
System or BIOS clock are not the culprits?
“HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\EPG\discSVC” is showing the correct address?
Check the default shares. Eg. In IE address, \\pc_name\c$ or \\pc_name\admin$
Replace pc_name with the name of your pc. (Not sure what’s the name of your pc? Use run “hostname” in a DOS window)
If you cannot access the shares, check with “net share”. C$, ADMIN$, IPC$ are all listed?
Then this might be the solution:
Check Systems log in Event Viewer. See if you get event 2011.
“The server’s configuration parameter “irpstacksize” is too small for the server to use a local device. Please increase the value of this parameter.”
I search MS KBase articles for “IRPStackSize” and created a key with value 15 (hex) in my MCE2005.
My MCE TV Guide is working now.
October 31st, 2007 at 8:44 pm
k here is a manual fix that i came up with. no need to d/l anything.
in ur windows “date and time settings” - “time zones” you will change ur timezone to match ur mce guide time.
for example, my guide was displaying shows 1 hour too early. i changed my time zone from GMT-08:00 to GMT-07:00 to match. now uncheck “automatically adjust clock for daylight savings” and uncheck “automatcically synchronize with an internet time server” in the “internet time” tab.
the key is to now manual change the time back to the correct one, even tho ur timezone may be off. click ok.
now open up media center and look at ur guide, all the shows and times are correct again.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Thank you very much! This solved my problems.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I’m having a different problem. The guide will download and all is good, as long as I’m hard wired into my network. As soon as I go wireless, I can’t get the guide anymore. All of my other software works over the wireless, Web, IM, Windows Updates… I’m running a Linksys WUSB54AG with the latest drivers from the vendor. Any help would be appreciated.
January 2nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Thanks a ton! This solved my problem.
January 19th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I have Windows Vista Media Center and I am getting the code 14 error as well. Clocks are fine, time zone is correct. Worked fine for 10 months then stopped. Any connections to Linksys Wireless routers? I have one and will take it out of the mix to see if it has any effect, otherwise no changes in past year.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Ok, I’m Central Time zone (US) Windows Media Center showed correct time same as Desktop Clock. Guide was incorrect (2 hours ahead) Crazy, I know. I changed the time zone on the desktop to Pacific thinking it would be a long shot. Behold, the Guide displayed correctly with what was playing on each channel; However, the time on the Desktop and Windows Media Center was now 2 hours early. For you people who didn’t follow… My correct time lets say is 5:00pm the the time on the Desktop and Windows Media Center now shows 3:00pm. I then went back and changed the time zone on the Desktop back to Central (done). Now the Desktop shows the correct time (5:00pm) but, Windows Media Center shows 3:00pm. Shut down Windows Media Center and re-open. Worked. Windows Media Center showed the correct time (5:00pm) same as the Desktop (5:00pm).
Try it it, it might just work for you…
Adam
February 25th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
*** BIG HUG TO YOU *** Just wasted an hour online with a technician who recommended I reset everything Windows Media Center related (original error message was Code:34). During the reset process, got Code 14, googled it and came up with your response. Don’t know how, but when changing the time Sunday afternoon, I’d reset the month, too! Reset the date and ta-da - my Guide has returned. ***BIG HUGE HUGS***
March 6th, 2008 at 4:32 am
Hi this is in response to what raj said to fernan on 2007.
well puerto rico does have support on the guide.
fernan the zip code to use is 00901 there you will be given a list of providers for the area of san juan which i believe is the only area supported. they support dish and the local cable providers which are onelink and whtv
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Thank You thank you…..helped me so much. That time sync is a dosey. They don’t have anything like this on MS website.
April 13th, 2008 at 2:11 am
thanks so much for this post. i never would have figured this out.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Thanks thats all i have to say.
April 28th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I just turned off the autosync for the time/date and it started working…. weird…
June 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
WOW! A very simple fix for a problem that I thought was more complicated! VERY HELPFUL– thanks!!!
July 17th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Brised,
I entered your listed sites into Internet explorer security as Trusted Sites and now the Guide downloads properly (mine was a Vista 64 problem) - I needed the sites to be able to get around that one.
Thanks,
LJ.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I was having the same problem, guide off by two hours. I swear to God I set the time zone when I first got the computer, but THAT was the problem.
Go to your bottom-right-hand corner, on Vista, click, click on change time and settings, click on change time zone, then change your time zone, apply changes…then open your media center, and re-run your guide setup to import the new guide.
Enjoy the recording of the correct shows.
August 18th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Found the time issue to be the core problem reset the time manually but the internet time settings are returning an error.. Guess i better search for this related issue elsewhere.