Disable WMP 11 Library

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Can anyone help please – I hate WMP 11 Library.

I have set-up the library options in WMP 11 to exclude any areas where I actually store mp3 files.

The only locations left have no music files.

I have several thousand tracks and they are all stored at e:Music. I already have MediaMonkey working happily to keep its library, so I do not need WMP working in the background keeping its own library. Whatever I do though it seems WMP is determined to keep its own version.

Can anyone tell me how to stop it. PERMANENTLY?

I cannot do this from the Options, I presume it needs a registry fix.

I did search here and found a reference to deleting the library files, but not to stop them re-forming.

Ta

Colin

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Take a look here for some information on WMP.

“You can uninstall the WMP11 through the Add/Remove Programs control panel.”

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Have you cleared the check box “Add media files to library when played” in the Player tab of Tools | Options…?

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Have you cleared the check box “Add media files to library when played” in the Player tab of Tools | Options…?

Yes I have cleared that tick box.

I’d prefer not to uninstall, as I do need to use it for some issues.

Colin

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From here…. (skip step 5 or go back to Tools>Options>Library tab and make sure the locations for WMP to check are all removed) HTH

“Delete/Repair the Windows Media Player Library
If you have moved your music around on your hard drives, Windows Media Player continues to add new entries into it’s library instead of modifying the existing ones. This means that you will now have multiple entries for the same song, half of which will not work now because you have moved the files to their new location. To delete the current library and build a new one, do the following:

1. Close Windows Media Player, wait about 3 seconds for the database to close.

2. Using “My Computer”, navigate to the following folder:
F (or whatever drive is appropriate for you):Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataMicrosoftMedia Index

3. Delete the “wmplibrary….db” file here. This is not your actual music, only the database which Windows Media Player uses as a listing.

4. Start Windows Media Player

5. Hit “F3” and enter the location where you have moved your music to. If it is on muliple drives, check “All Drives”. Let it finish.”

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The problem with delete/repair is that that is exactly what it does. I want to delete the library and then stop it ever running (or at least finding any files) again.

Colin

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The problem with delete/repair is that that is exactly what it does. I want to delete the library and then stop it ever running (or at least finding any files) again.

Colin

From my previous post…. “(skip step 5 or go back to Tools>Options>Library tab and make sure the locations for WMP to check are all removed)”

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If you go back to my original post, you’ll see that that is what the problem is. I already have those options set up that way.

Colin

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Have you tried setting all items on the list to “ignore”??

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I’m pretty sure that WIndows does not let you disable the last ones. That’s why I changed the location of for example my RIP folder so it is not the default.

I’ll check and see tho

I can’t believe that there isn’t a registry setting to clear it

COlin

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Yes its as I thought. You can delete everything except the rip folder and a user on which you can at least tell it to ignore.

But more importantly somehow the settings get changed over time. Don’t know if it is MS updates or what, but I regularly clear this and when I remember to look again in a few weeks, I have a full library.

Colin

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I don’t run Vista, so I can’t check this, but maybe if you check this registry key you might find a setting to remove the Library “feature”. I found the information here. HTH

To remove WMP features:
Go to : HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindowsMediaPlayer
Create a new DWORD and give value of 1 and name according to below
Media Favorite = NoMediaFavorite
Find New Station = NoFindNewStation
Radio Bar = NoRadiaBar

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Thanks

I’ll have a look in the morning.

I just decided to look up my copy of Windows Secrets book, and I’ve just discovered, that by default, Vista catalogues Pictures and Videos as well. I have over 25,000 pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And more importantly, I paid a lot of money to buy Adobe Lightroom. Now I discover that wmp has gaily been cataloguing in the background.

I think that is is for me, I’m now seriously thinking of un-installing. Need to think ’bout it tho. Don’t want to regret it later because of the good bits of wmp11.

Colin

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You might want to consider replacing it with Media Player Classic.

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Yes I do have MP Classic.

I also have VLC & WinAmp & DivX player, so I need to think how to proceed.

Colin

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Yes I do have MP Classic.

I also have VLC & WinAmp & DivX player, so I need to think how to proceed.

Colin

What are your settings for retrieving music data from the internet? It could be that WMP automatically updates your library if you let it retrieve information from the internet.

Joe

--Joe

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Unfortunately that’s not the answer either. As I use MediaMonkey, WMP is set to never download from the internet

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Unfortunately that’s not the answer either. As I use MediaMonkey, WMP is set to never download from the internet

Have you disabled the automatic Internet downloads on the Privacy tab also?

Joe

--Joe

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