So I wanted to check out what Media Center is, so clicked the icon, and I either get a black screen (and can see mouse pointer)and can hear a logo appear (I'm guessing that's what the noise is) or I get a batch of errors. I tried to go to Event Viewer to look at the error and I'm not finding it.
Here's what the error screen says:

Warning: No valid focus target found. Input from a keyboard or remote will be ignored until focus is restored to a valid site.
File: <no filename info>
line: 0



Function
UiSession.Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.IInputHose.RepairInvalidKeyFocus
KeyFocusRepairItem.Dispatch
Dispatcher.DispatchNextItem
Dispatcher.MainLoopBody
Dispatcher.MainLoop
Dispatcher.MainLoop
Application.Run
PageBasedUCPService.Run
UserControlPoint.Launch
LaunchMediaCenter.LaunchMediaCenterHelper

Everything is current and updated. Any ideas?

Here are the "Problem Reports and Solutions" dump:

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: ehshell.exe
Application Version: 6.0.6001.18000
Application Timestamp: 47919b1f
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.0.6001.18000
Fault Module Timestamp: 4791a797
Exception Code: 80000003
Exception Offset: 00000000000da600
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 5130
Additional Information 2: af2cdea937a84a261979c21f30b6b6eb
Additional Information 3: 8cf2
Additional Information 4: e3ff6035b1c3d2ca8d0797a9ac81da1e

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 1213728

Frustrated, I get the Black screen, but not the error. Can you post your hardware, including BIOS and driver revisions please.

I've got:
E6850 3.0GHz
EVGA 790i Ultra MoBO
EVGA 8800GTS 512MB KO
OCZ 700W-SLI PSU
OCZ 2x2GB (4GB) 13333 RAM
150GB Raptor

Running version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001

Well, I've linked my problem to the graphics drivers. Without installing the Graphics Drivers, I can get Media Center to run, but without the graphical flourishes. Installing the driver, I get the black screen. I let it sit for a bit, and Media Center eventually shows up, and runs like expected, whether it takes 10 minutes or 10 hours to get there, I don't know. I get the same error as you Frustrated.

It's still unacceptable though, that the graphics drivers are still bad. I've got to say, I'm more disappointed than surprised.

Overall, I'm very disappointed with the stability and problems of Vista x64.

-I still am unable to check out DreamScenes because my windows update doesn't see the download.

-If I try and use the latest driver (175.16) for my gfx card I get a BSOD.

-When I'm doing a lot of multi-tasking I have to tiptoe, otherwise I'll get a BSOD.

HOWEVER, when I installed Vista x86 I didn't seem to get any BSODs.
Hopefully their next OS won't be so shoddy. I also wish they had done a better job of copying Apple's OS (we all know that's where they got their good ideas, anyway, right?)

Yeah, I hear you on some of the issues johngalt, but I was amazed at how seamless the installation went with x86 versus the x64. I'm sure some people (like yourself) are running x64 just fine.

If I weren't a Do-it-yourselfer/Gamer I probably would have moved to Apple by now.

As far as gaming goes, I haven't really had any problems with x64 (other than that I can't use the current graphics driver). I'd really be ticked if I couldn't at least game smoothly.