Configuring WIN-XP: disabling Media player and more

[sailor]

I just bought a Dell Inspiron 2200 with WinXP Home. This is the first time I have to deal with XP in any depth and I find it *extremely* aggravating that it tries to keep you from configuring things the way you want them and tries to force you to like it the way they want you to like it.

It comes with a program called Dell Jukebox player which I *hate*. Well, after spending quite some time configuring my audio file associations, I must have clicked on some file or something which launched the stupid Jukebox and it hijacked all the associations back to itself. There must be a special place in hell for guys who write software that does this type of thing. I intend to write Dell and complain but, anyway, that problem has been solved by just deleting the program. Nevertheless I still have a number of issues which are frustrating me.


Windows Media Player 10. I hate this program with passion and it also tries to hijack everything in sight. But hey, try to delete it or change the file name and windows just creates another copy out of thin air. You *cannot* get rid of it because MS say you *must* like it and you *will* like it. Some files or events will trigger it and then you have to close it down before it hijacks your computer to hell. Can someone help me disabling this? How can I get around the "feature" which replaces it if it is deleted?


Optical drive auto insert startup. This is another thing I *hate*. In WIN9X you just checked a box to disable the auto run "feature" and it would leave you alone but not in XP. No sir. You really don't want to run that disk? No. But what if it has pictures of your children? NO. And what if it has music by the Crappy Redmond Syphilitic Brass band? NOOOOOOO! Arghhhh! Twenty times I say NO. No means NO! and yet I can't get it to not start when I have a DVD in the drive which means that I have to keep the drive empty or it will autostart when I startup the computer. Is there any way to disable the autostartup "feature" for once and for all? (I mean short of jamming a screwdriver into the bay, which I am quite tempted to do.)


MSN Messenger. If you get married you can get a divorce but once you use MSN Messenger it will take over your computer and you will never get rid of it again. It will start up automatically when you start up the computer. . . or when you start Outlook Express. . . or when you sneeze a little too loud. I absofuckinglutely hate this program. Unfortunately I am forced to use it ocassionally because I need to contact some people who do not have ICQ as I do so I have no choice. How can I get it to just go away and stay away when I close it down after I use it?


One more thing: In past threads I have had posters telling me I should just learn to like things the way they are and suggesting there is something inherently wrong with me if I think I know better than Bill Gates. If you are thinking of posting along those lines I would ask you to not do it. If you do, it's not going to be pretty. Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

[sailor]

I found the solution to the CD autorun. There are a couple of registry keys which can be used. NoDriveAutoRun and NoDriveTypeAutoRun. More information can be found in MS'website. The following did the trick for me:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:000000b1

I am still fighting the Windows Media Player 10 though.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8943I281.htm?campaign_id=apn_tech_down

A year ago, EU regulators ordered Microsoft to produce for European consumers a version of Windows without media player software for viewing video and listening to audio. Regulators had ruled that Microsoft abusively wielded its monopoly to lock out competitors, such as RealNetworks Inc. and its Real Player software. Microsoft also was fined a record $665 million and ordered to share some software blueprints.

Good to see the EU is taking MS by the horns but in my case it seems the only way to get rid of Media Player may be to buy the WinXP version without it... yeah, like I'm going to pay again. I hereby assess my own fine which consists on allowing me to pirate from them whatever I want whenever I want until they correct their perfidious ways.


In the case of MSN Messenger I have found that it puts a key in the registry so I can run a REG file which overwrites it and corrupts it so it does not work. I have no doubt there is a special section in hell for Microsoft.

 

[DougLite]

I will chime in on Windows Messenger. To make it go away and free up the RAM, etc that it would normally use, Go to Tools\Options\Preferences tab, and uncheck the first two boxes under general. Windows Messenger is never a problem for me after unchecking those two boxes.

 

[Phaedrus]

You can easily remove media players at add/remove software, although I have Media player10 and it works flawlessly. Yeah you gotta love those whiny europeans... they gave me a media player for free...those bastards!!! Evil Evil microsoft! lol... You know, I dont remember having to pay for Winamp either...lets sue them too!

 

[hulksterjoe]

Just to to START>set program access and default..

click add and remove windows components and get rid of media center, Then set the access rights of the other programs

or click on the NON-microsoft programs and remove access for media player

 

[Lowbatt]

Or in WMP10 just go to tool > options and click on the filetype tab. Uncheck everything.Then load up yer prefered program and tell it to open those types of files or edit the file extensions. Everything you have complained about is very easy to fix and really isnt the Evil of Microsoft. I mean the Dell jukebox thingy is by dell. Now if you want to preach on the evils of Dell I'm all over that

The messenger thingy was already answered above Also a non registry way to fix the autoplay is to go to My Computer and Rt click your drive and go to properties. Then click on the autoplay tab and configure everything you want there.

It seems you are making everything alot harder than it has to be.

 

[sailor]

I will chime in on Windows Messenger. To make it go away and free up the RAM, etc that it would normally use, Go to Tools\Options\Preferences tab, and uncheck the first two boxes under general. Windows Messenger is never a problem for me after unchecking those two boxes.

Thanks, I had missed those boxes. I'll try that and hope it does not start when I start Windows. I still have to check if Outlook Express will still launch it and I still dislike how it links to a hotmail account but, thanks anyway.

 

[DougLite]

It's actually pretty nice to you if you want to use OE but not have Messenger running in the background. I have not done it for some time (I use webmail now) If you uncheck the general preferences boxes, then ok and close Messenger, you can start OE, Messenger will load, then close itself after you close OE. That is my best recollection, but I haven't done it in over 6 months.

Can't help you on your beef with it linking to a Hotmail account though.

 

[djnes]

You can only please some of the people...some of the time...and.....etc etc etc.

Besides sitting and calling them all minor complaints, why didn't you call Dell and ask to replace your XP license with a Win2k license? If you dislike the Dell JukeBox, why not just uninstall it?

 

[sailor]

You can easily remove media players at add/remove software,

Can someone else confirm this? I can't find it there.

although I have Media player10 and it works flawlessly.

I'm glad it works for you. I don't like it and I'd like to get rid of it. I have several reasons for not liking it, one of them that I do not want any player which is trying to connect to the internet without good reason. In my book I call it spyware and I don't want it.

Yeah you gotta love those whiny europeans... they gave me a media player for free...those bastards!!! Evil Evil microsoft! lol... You know, I dont remember having to pay for Winamp either...lets sue them too!

You do realize that Microsoft has been sued by the US Federal Government, many states and corporations in the USA on pretty much the same grounds and has had to submit to cease certain practices? I guess Americans are just as whiners as Europeans when corporations break the law. But I also guess the rapist thinks he is just "giving something away for free".

 

[sailor]

Just to to START>set program access and default..

click add and remove windows components and get rid of media center, Then set the access rights of the other programs

or click on the NON-microsoft programs and remove access for media player

This sounds like exactly what I want but, unfortunately, I am totally lost. I cannot find "set program access". Can you expand?

 

[sailor]

You can only please some of the people...some of the time...and.....etc etc etc.

Very true. It helps if you are actually trying to please rather than screw. I am not asking that MS do not provide certain things. I am only asking that they allow the customer the option of using them or not, enabling them or disabling them.

Besides sitting and calling them all minor complaints, why didn't you call Dell and ask to replace your XP license with a Win2k license?

I have never used Win2K so I do not know what that would achieve and, beyond that, what I have heard about Win2k does not put it in a good light.

If you dislike the Dell JukeBox, why not just uninstall it?

I did but before I did it hijacked all the file associations a couple of times and I consider that unacceptable. I do not like vendors shoving things down my throat.

 

[djnes]

You do realize that Microsoft has been sued by the US Federal Government, many states and corporations in the USA on pretty much the same grounds and has had to submit to cease certain practices? I guess Americans are just as whiners as Europeans when corporations break the law. But I also guess the rapist thinks he is just "giving something away for free".

Do you realize MS is in a no win situation here? Include components, and you get sued (Java). Take out components, and listen to your customers bitch that you've given them reduced functionality in their products. Any move MS makes, some with a voice will bitch and complain. Nothing irks me more than people who have to complain, before they take any time to stop and think..."Gee, maybe MS had to do it this way in everyone's best interest...not just mine". No matter what MS does, someone's going to be pissed.

 

[djnes]

I have never used Win2K so I do not know what that would achieve and, beyond that, what I have heard about Win2k does not put it in a good light.

So what your saying is, you've had no experience with 2000 and only newly acquired experience with XP. And this qualifies you to blast MS repeatedly? What have you been using for the past 5 years when everyone else was using 2K and XP?

Also, whoever told you negative things about 2000, had very little knowledge as well. There's nothing wrong with 2000 if it fits your needs.

 

[sailor]

Do you realize MS is in a no win situation here? Include components, and you get sued (Java). Take out components, and listen to your customers bitch that you've given them reduced functionality in their products. Any move MS makes, some with a voice will bitch and complain. Nothing irks me more than people who have to complain, before they take any time to stop and think..."Gee, maybe MS had to do it this way in everyone's best interest...not just mine". No matter what MS does, someone's going to be pissed.

That is BS and you know it. It is not a world-wide conspiracy against MS. Rather, it is that MS is breaking the law. Respect the law and you win. Other corporations seem to manage to respect the laws and not be fined. I think MS could do it too if they just tried.

Personally, just as a consumer, I am only asking that they do not shove things down my throat and that is my right as a consumer: to bitch about what I don't like.
I don't understand why some of you feel the need to defend MS here. What's wrong with me wanting to remove Media Player 10? It seems I am not alone and it seems in fact that what MS is doing is illegal in Europe and probably in the USA. If you don't like the law you can write your congressman.

 

[djnes]

That is BS and you know it. It is not a world-wide conspiracy against MS. Rather, it is that MS is breaking the law. Respect the law and you win. Other corporations seem to manage to respect the laws and not be fined. I think MS could do it too if they just tried.

Personally, just as a consumer, I am only asking that they do not shove things down my throat and that is my right as a consumer: to bitch about what I don't like.
I don't understand why some of you feel the need to defend MS here. What's wrong with me wanting to remove Media Player 10? It seems I am not alone and it seems in fact that what MS is doing is illegal in Europe and probably in the USA. If you don't like the law you can write your congressman.

It's not against the law....and you'd see that if you read up on the actual disputes. We (HP) have tracked the lawsuits very carefully. If someone sues you, it doesn't mean your breaking the law. Many companies have sued MS threaten a stifling of competition. For example, by including WMP, RealPlayer and MusicMatch feel they're business is threatened. This puts MS in a difficult position. Half the people want WMP included because when they bring they're PC home from Best Buy, it's ready to play they're music. The other half doesn't want anything pre-loaded at all. Either way, half the people get pissed at MS. That's why some of us how actually work in the industry and follow the happenings of the industry, feel compelled to defend MS when it's called for. No matter what they do, someone's going to bitch. They have to choose what they feel is best for the consumer.....the rest of us have to deal with it. I make changes to my system as well....but it doesn't mean I'm going to start a wild thread bashing MS without understanding the issues at hand.

 

[djnes]

I'm not trying to start a war here...just asking for some consideration. An example would be, imagine buying a car, only to find out you needed to buy wheels, seats, and a steering wheel elsewhere, because the car-makers was sued for including them. Now you have to go spend extra money, time, and effort searching for these parts, and then dealing with possible compatibility issues, since they weren't made by the car-maker. That would royally suck. Now you see the situation MS is in. Do they include everything, or leave everything out? What's best for the typical consumer, etc.

As a paying customer, you do have the right complain. Just be forewarned, your complaints might not always be justified.

 

[sailor]

So what your saying is, you've had no experience with 2000 and only newly acquired experience with XP. And this qualifies you to blast MS repeatedly?

Yes. I do not need to know anything at all about anything else to know I do not like XP not allowing me to remove their media player which I consider spyware.

What have you been using for the past 5 years when everyone else was using 2K and XP?

Why the fuck is that any of your business? And how the fuck is that related to my question about wanting to remove Windows Media Player 10?

Also, whoever told you negative things about 2000, had very little knowledge as well. There's nothing wrong with 2000 if it fits your needs.

Fine. But the computer I got came with XP and that's what I have to work with. I would rather live with the stupid media player than start changing operating systems now.

I really do not understand why *anyone* would defend MS in denying me the option of removing the player. What exactly is the rationale for that? I get really tired of people telling me I should like what MS gives me. There are things I do not like. Deal with it. I do not like software which forces me to do things their way and gives me no choice. I do not like spyware. I do not care what you think or what MS thinks. I still do not like it and I will try to remove the crapware if I can. And if I can't I still reserve the right to bitch and to gloat when MS is punished by the authorities. Jeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz

 

[sailor]

It's not against the law....and you'd see that if you read up on the actual disputes. We (HP) have tracked the lawsuits very carefully. If someone sues you, it doesn't mean your breaking the law.

Look, let's cut the BS. If the authorities fine you some million dollars it means you were breaking the law. If the courts order you to stop doing something you were doing it means you were breaking the law. MS has been found to be breajking the law repeatedly.

In any case, I am entitled to my likes and dislikes and I dislike MS trying to force me to use their player which I dislike. I am entitled to my dislike no matter what. Why does MS deny me the options I want? If there is some good reason for MS to deny me the options I want then I'd like to hear them. But the courts in the EU have determined that MS does that only with the purpose of stifling competition and that it is illegal and an abuse of their dominant position in the market. The EU has ruled MS is screwing the consumers and they fined MS for it. I am the consumer being screwed and I do not like being screwed.

 

[Phaedrus]

i must say this thread finally got interesting

 

[Ranma_Sao]

So I'm a little confused here. Maybe you can help me out. WMP 10 you don't want, so just don't use it. But if you want a machine built your way might I suggest Windows XP Embedded. You can remove any component you want that way. The reason MS includes Media Player, is so that content will work. Goto a website that plays an mp3 in the background. Somewhere an mp3 codec has to decode that stream, bingo, it's media player. So aka, all your sound stuff will STOP working if you really want to remove it entirely.

If you just don't want it starting: (And your running SP1 or SP2)
Control panel
Add/Remove Progams
Select Program Access and Defaults
Party to your hearts content

Note, the files and codecs are still there, so third party programs can use them. Media player just won't start, and the icons will be gone.

Edit:
And btw, it's not spyware. It goes to the internet to get you all that nifty metadata about the songs you are playing. You can anonymously share you settings with it, but in the setup wizard it asks if you want to do that, the first time WMP 10 is ran.

 

[SJConsultant]

sailor,

While it is possible to remove Windows Media player, I think you have some unjustified gripes with it.

First off, I'd like to know how exactly Media Player hijacks your computer. I have configured many file associations in the past to work with specific non MS applications without ever having WMP reset them.

I'd also like to know what exactly media player does that you consider it "spyware" since you can turn off those options that communicate with the internet.

Now I am *not* telling you to what to do with your computer, I tend to believe that your frustrated with XP because you just don't know how to configure it correctly to get what you want.

Granted this document provided is for a Windows 2003 system, but Microsoft provides a document with in depth look at the communications that happens and why.

 

[sailor]

So I'm a little confused here. Maybe you can help me out. WMP 10 you don't want, so just don't use it.

I am a little confused myself. Maybe you can help me out. Why exactly is it that taking away a choice from a customer is a good thing? I like having the freedom to choose. I am not disputing whether *you* should or should not use anything. I am just asking that *I* have the freedom to choose. Please explain why taking away that freedom from me and letting MS make the choice for me is a "good thing". Please explain that in simple terms to me.

But if you want a machine built your way might I suggest Windows XP Embedded. You can remove any component you want that way.

The machine came with XP and that's what I'll be using. I'd like to configure a few things and MS makes it difficult or impossible but it is not important enough nor worth my effort to change over to some other OS.

The reason MS includes Media Player, is so that content will work. Goto a website that plays an mp3 in the background. Somewhere an mp3 codec has to decode that stream, bingo, it's media player. So aka, all your sound stuff will STOP working if you really want to remove it entirely.

That is total BS and you know it. The codecs are independent of Windows Media Player 10. Computers running Win98se can play all those formats without having WMP10 installed. MS is shipping in Europe a version of WinXP without WMP10 and yet it plays everything fine AFAIK. I am not complaining about MS including the player. I am complaining about them making it difficult or impossible to remove.

If you just don't want it starting: (And your running SP1 or SP2)
Control panel
Add/Remove Progams
Select Program Access and Defaults
Party to your hearts content

Note, the files and codecs are still there, so third party programs can use them. Media player just won't start, and the icons will be gone.

Thanks. I'll look into that when I get back to the machine in question.

And btw, it's not spyware. It goes to the internet to get you all that nifty metadata about the songs you are playing. You can anonymously share you settings with it, but in the setup wizard it asks if you want to do that, the first time WMP 10 is ran.

I don't need no stinking metadata. I unchecked ALL the boxes and it STILL tries to connect to the Net.

The fact is that MS do not want me removing their programs and they make it difficult or impossible. As a consumer I am entitled to bitch when they make me work double time to get rid of their crap.

 

[sailor]

sailor,

While it is possible to remove Windows Media player, I think you have some unjustified gripes with it.

Can you tell me how I can easily remove Windows Media Player 10? Because that has been my question all along. That is *exactly* what I am trying to find out. I cannot see it in "add/remove programs". Maybe I am not looking hard enough and that's why I am asking for help.

First off, I'd like to know how exactly Media Player hijacks your computer. I have configured many file associations in the past to work with specific non MS applications without ever having WMP reset them.

No, it was the Dell Jukebox which reset all my associations a couple of times until I killed it. I consider that unacceptable too and Dell should be ashamed to include such crap in their systems.

I'd also like to know what exactly media player does that you consider it "spyware" since you can turn off those options that communicate with the internet.

I turned them all off and it *still* tries to connect to the net. I refuse to use any program under those conditions. Long time ago I gave up RealCrap for the same reason. I find too many programs these days trying to connect to the Internet without telling me why and without good reason. I dump them as soon as I can.

Now I am *not* telling you to what to do with your computer, I tend to believe that your frustrated with XP because you just don't know how to configure it correctly to get what you want.

Exactly! That is why I am asking for help here. And the fact that MS makes it difficult for me to configure things the way I want them means I get to bitch and rant about MS who could make it easy for me but who choose to make it difficult. And MS has been fined millions of dollars in the US and EU for this type of thing so it's not like I'm asking for anything unreasonable.

Granted this document provided is for a Windows 2003 system, but Microsoft provides a document with in depth look at the communications that happens and why.

Thanks but I am not about to get a computer degree so i can disable the WMP10. I would prefer it if MS just put a little box I could check to uninstall the darned thing. You know, like they do with every other program from other vendors.

 

[icthus13]

I think I know the problem. You're trying to remove WMP10 from Add/remove programs . You need to do it from add/remove Windows components . To get there, go back to the add/remove programs screen in control panel, then look all the way to the left. See that column of four buttons there? One of them is for adding and removing windows components. Also, the Program Access and defaults screen can be reached from here. Personally, I totally understand your complaints. I like my OS the way I like it, so I'll do what I can to help. Oh, if WMP connecting to the internet bothers you, you can always install a software firewall like ZoneAlarm or Kerio and completely deny access to WMP. Or the program access and defaults change is another option. Just set it to the media player of your choice.

 

[icthus13]

I would prefer it if MS just put a little box I could check to uninstall the darned thing. You know, like they do with every other program from other vendors.

This is found in the "Set Program Access and Defaults" screen that I was talking about. You just have to have another media player of some type installed to have the option.

 

[Sp4nk]

Damn. Someone needs a nap.

 

[hulksterjoe]

Ok.. To sum this up.. I gave you the answer in the 5th post

Just to to START>set program access and default..

click add and remove windows components and get rid of media center, Then set the access rights of the other programs

or click on the NON-microsoft programs and remove access for media player

Ranma_Sao also gave you the answer

Control panel
Add/Remove Progams
Select Program Access and Defaults
Party to your hearts content

and icthus13 gave you the answer

I think I know the problem. You're trying to remove WMP10 from Add/remove programs . You need to do it from add/remove Windows components . To get there, go back to the add/remove programs screen in control panel, then look all the way to the left. See that column of four buttons there? One of them is for adding and removing windows components. Also, the Program Access and defaults screen can be reached from here.

All of these ways get you to the exact same place.. NOW go and git 'r' done

if you can't figure it out. The the easiest way to stop WMP10 from connecting is to reach behind the computer and unplug the power cord

 

[Drucifer]

As one who fought the WMP10 demon and won, there are some interesting points that need to be made here:

1- You do not need to have another media player installed to be able to remove WMP10. There is a base player that has been built in to Windows since the dawn of time, and in its base functionality, it works. It actually is the software component that plays the sounds at logon. WMP10 is the full featured, competitor to RealPlayer, WinAmp, and the rest.

2- WMP10 truly is the devil. It decided one day, that all of the mp3's on my machine belonged to it. So it took/owned/hijacked the associations, including the m4p and aac format files on my machine. (Yes, I use iTunes.) When discovered, it refused to let the files revert to another association, and then, upon being uninstalled, I discovered that the secure files on my machine (those purchased legally from iTunes) were missing. Yes, missing. WMP deleted the files, becuase, according to one of the Microsoft guys I work with, WMP likes to bind protected audio/movie files to the player, as a means of ensuring DRM and copyrights. Unfortunately, those files weren't WMP's to fucking begin with...

3- Yes, WMP connects to the internet to gather metadata for CDs being played. However, WMP also checks the validity of your licenses (DRM), updates, security certificates, and sends data home to Microsoft about usage, system configuration, etc. Automatically. Blocking WMP10 through a software firewall from connecting out results in your system becoming slower than sin, as WMP begins to take over a large chunk of the system resources.

4- I do not have WMP installed on my machine. I use iTunes, Winamp, Quicktime, and Realplayer (which ain't much better than WMP10... damn *ra/*ram files ), and never found media I cannot play.

5- Codecs enable a player to display information in an appropriate fashion.. they do not themselves equate to a player. Think of it this way:

Source --> transport via compression. Rules used for compression = CODECS
Receipient --> software app (player) decompressions/decrypts stream, tranlates back into comprehensible material, using Codecs to provide framework and rules for structure.

6- To remove WMP10, from an XP Pro machine, go to Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs

Enjoy.

 

[djnes]

Look, let's cut the BS. If the authorities fine you some million dollars it means you were breaking the law. If the courts order you to stop doing something you were doing it means you were breaking the law. MS has been found to be breajking the law repeatedly.

Just to clarify, it wasn't a fine, it was a settlement. Huge difference in terms of guilt.

 

[SJConsultant]

Can you tell me how I can easily remove Windows Media Player 10? Because that has been my question all along. That is *exactly* what I am trying to find out. I cannot see it in "add/remove programs". Maybe I am not looking hard enough and that's why I am asking for help.

Nope, since I have never had to remove it. There is one surefire way, read on for more details.

I turned them all off and it *still* tries to connect to the net. I refuse to use any program under those conditions. Long time ago I gave up RealCrap for the same reason. I find too many programs these days trying to connect to the Internet without telling me why and without good reason. I dump them as soon as I can.

How are you verifying that it's still connecting to the net? Some software firewall? I can tell you that most times when software attempts to connect via a "loopback" firewall software will report that it is trying to connect out to the net when in fact it is not.

Exactly! That is why I am asking for help here. And the fact that MS makes it difficult for me to configure things the way I want them means I get to bitch and rant about MS who could make it easy for me but who choose to make it difficult. And MS has been fined millions of dollars in the US and EU for this type of thing so it's not like I'm asking for anything unreasonable..

It's unreasonable to expect Microsoft to provide each and every person with the ability to customize XP to their specific liking. There are things I don't like, but instead of ranting and raving about it, I send a request to [email protected] for them for consideration.

Thanks but I am not about to get a computer degree so i can disable the WMP10. I would prefer it if MS just put a little box I could check to uninstall the darned thing. You know, like they do with every other program from other vendors..

Other vendors software is in the add/remove programs because the 3rd party vendors programmed their uninstall routines to place an entry in there for easy access, it's not Microsoft's OS putting them there. Each software vendor is responsible for their "uninstallation".

I doubt you made any attempt at looking at the document I linked. Your willing to spend all this time researching how to disable/uninstall WMP10, but you refuse to learn how and why certain things occur on your system?

Fear not, though this tirade is not without useful information for you, checkout the following link on Microsoft's website that clearly indicates how to roll back to a previous version or how to set the access defaults for another kind of media player just like several other people have already tried to tell you.

However since you bought the system new from Dell, WMP10 is presinstalled with no way to rollback to a previous version. Basically the only way to remove WMP 10 is to not install it in the first place. You'll need to find a tool such a XPlite and create a custom install disc that will not install the components you don't want.

 

[Ranma_Sao]

The version shipping in Europe has no codecs either. Cause they are part of a media playing application, aka media player. You can slice the line however you want, but codecs by themselves are useless. And therefore they need an application to play them. Anyway, you have your answer, feel free to use it.


Why does MS make it hard to customize your windows experiance unless your running embedded? It's because of testing. I have to run through a regression pass on every sku/flavor of windows for my component. Why? Because if a component is missing that my application depends on, like media player, my application might crash. It's the console arguement applied to operating systems, I have a good baseline, I can assume this stuff is here and works. Embedded? All bets are off, I assume things are missing and I have to test better.

 

[djnes]

I am surprised that a certain answer hasn't been posted yet. If he's this miserable with MS, why hasn't he loaded Linux on the laptop yet?

 

[hulksterjoe]

I am surprised that a certain answer hasn't been posted yet. If he's this miserable with MS, why hasn't he loaded Linux on the laptop yet?

Ding Ding Ding

We have a Winner Here

 

[scottatwittenberg]

you should download tweak ui from windows powertoys
that should clear up the auto load cd on insert crap..

wmp and msn messenger can be uninstalled via "add/remove windows components" in "add/remove programs" it has been said before. .but i will say it again.. you also should get rid of the msn explorer while you are at it..

you can get rid of ie too.. but not really.. cause you just go to exlorer and type a url in the address bar...

 

[sailor]

I think I know the problem. You're trying to remove WMP10 from Add/remove programs . You need to do it from add/remove Windows components . To get there, go back to the add/remove programs screen in control panel, then look all the way to the left. See that column of four buttons there? One of them is for adding and removing windows components. Also, the Program Access and defaults screen can be reached from here.

Thanks so much. That is the kind of information I was looking for. I will try it when I get back to the new computer.

Personally, I totally understand your complaints. I like my OS the way I like it, so I'll do what I can to help.

I do appreciate it. Changing over to a new computer and OS is a huge effort. Files need to be transferred, new things learnt and a lot of troubleshooting. I have quite a few things which used to work in the old system and which are not working correctly in the new system and I am sepending many hours trying to troubleshoot these things. I still cannot rely entirely on the new system as some things are not working right. So I can use all the help I can get but for every helpful answer I get, I get ten stupid lectures about how wrong I am to try to change anything.

Oh, if WMP connecting to the internet bothers you, you can always install a software firewall like ZoneAlarm or Kerio and completely deny access to WMP. Or the program access and defaults change is another option. Just set it to the media player of your choice.

Yes, I have ZoneAlarm installed and that is why I know of the attempts to connect outside. Yes, I just deny it and that's the end of it but it just rubs me the wrong way. I want the program to play the clip and no more. I do not want sneaky things going on behind my back. And yes, I use an older verion of Windows media player and I have set all the file associations to it.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[sailor]

Ok.. To sum this up.. I gave you the answer in the 5th post
Ranma_Sao also gave you the answer
and icthus13 gave you the answer
All of these ways get you to the exact same place.. NOW go and git 'r' done

That's the information I was looking for but while some people are telling me how I can get rid of WMP10, I have others cluttering up the thread by explaining *why* it cannot and should not be removed and asking how dare I even think of such a stupid thing.

 

[JL_Audio_User]

[djnes]So what your saying is, you've had no experience with 2000 and only newly acquired experience with XP. And this qualifies you to blast MS repeatedly? What have you been using for the past 5 years when everyone else was using 2K and XP?

Is this guy on trial or something? He doesnt like jumping through the hoops XP makes him jump through to get shit done. Is that O.K. with you?

Did you read the first post? Can you help him with something? No? Then beat it.


also.. at what point do you become "Qualified" to blast MS? Huh? I bought my copy (bet he did to) In America thats enough qualification to say what you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. People have been complaining about messenger and Media player for years! Where have you been? In another country that does'nt promote free speech apparently

 

[sailor]

As one who fought the WMP10 demon and won, there are some interesting points that need to be made here:

1- You do not need to have another media player installed to be able to remove WMP10. There is a base player that has been built in to Windows since the dawn of time, and in its base functionality, it works. It actually is the software component that plays the sounds at logon. WMP10 is the full featured, competitor to RealPlayer, WinAmp, and the rest.

I agree, I am just using an older version of Windows Media Player and it works. And I have the codecs or I get them when I need them. Including those that MS dislikes and makes it difficult to find and install.

2- WMP10 truly is the devil. It decided one day, that all of the mp3's on my machine belonged to it. So it took/owned/hijacked the associations, including the m4p and aac format files on my machine. (Yes, I use iTunes.) When discovered, it refused to let the files revert to another association, and then, upon being uninstalled, I discovered that the secure files on my machine (those purchased legally from iTunes) were missing. Yes, missing. WMP deleted the files, becuase, according to one of the Microsoft guys I work with, WMP likes to bind protected audio/movie files to the player, as a means of ensuring DRM and copyrights. Unfortunately, those files weren't WMP's to fucking begin with...

DRM is one thing I will fight tooth and nail while I can and that is a prime reason I will not use or install any player which supports DRM.

3- Yes, WMP connects to the internet to gather metadata for CDs being played. However, WMP also checks the validity of your licenses (DRM), updates, security certificates, and sends data home to Microsoft about usage, system configuration, etc. Automatically. Blocking WMP10 through a software firewall from connecting out results in your system becoming slower than sin, as WMP begins to take over a large chunk of the system resources.

I suspected as much.

4- I do not have WMP installed on my machine. I use iTunes, Winamp, Quicktime, and Realplayer (which ain't much better than WMP10... damn *ra/*ram files ), and never found media I cannot play.

I also refuse tu install RealShit for trhe same reasons.

5- Codecs enable a player to display information in an appropriate fashion.. they do not themselves equate to a player. Think of it this way:

Source --> transport via compression. Rules used for compression = CODECS
Receipient --> software app (player) decompressions/decrypts stream, tranlates back into comprehensible material, using Codecs to provide framework and rules for structure.

I know this well. I have many, many codecs installed including DivX and Xvid which I have used to encode movies myself.

6- To remove WMP10, from an XP Pro machine, go to Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs

Enjoy.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

 

[JL_Audio_User]

By the way. Get Winamp. 1000's of skins and plugins + shoutcast for steaming radio.
I use the Audigy 2 zs Creative player for cd`s and DVD's and Winamp for radio streams.

(my opinion)


Edit: Oh yeah...Realplayer is worse. It installed Gator spyware way back in 2000 on my machine and I learned all about the registry because of it. (guess thats a good thing) but life is better without wmp or realplayer in it.

(my opinion)