Still Trying to KILL wmplayer.exe DEAD, DEAD, DEAD

[Guest]

Vista sp1
Wmplayer.exe is causing me grief.
I can't burn a CD because the drive is in use by...
you guessed it...wmplayer.exe. Yes, I can start task manager
and kill it and restart the burning program.
Not at all clear how it's getting started.
Some suggest that it's being started by mobsync.exe
when I insert a flash drive. Since I always have
a flash drive inserted...

Often, but not always, I can't eject a flash drive because
it's in use. Killing wmplayer usually, but not always releases it.

I rename wmplayer, it comes back.
I renamed the file, and the one in the prefetch cache
and turned off system restore. Turned off automatic updates.
Two days later, I try to burn a CD and can't...wmplayer back.

Is there a dummy file that just sleeps that I can rename as wmplayer.exe
and make windows quit reinstalling it?

I don't want windows to sync anything or play anything or index
anything. When I insert media or a flash drive, I want a drive
letter assigned and NOTHING else.

I don't want wmplayer to run EVER. How do I stop this
invasive program???

Thanks, mike

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Have you considered checking the default actions for media insert and, where
necessary, disabling Media Player from there? Open Control Panel then
AutoPlay.

 

[Guest]

Have you considered checking the default actions for media insert and,
where necessary, disabling Media Player from there? Open Control Panel
then AutoPlay.

First thing I tried.

 

[zachd [MSFT]]

Let's step back to the beginning: ~why~ is the player using the CD player at
that time when you're trying to burn? If the player isn't burning, I don't
believe it's going to try to acquire a lock on the burner: that seems like
something else might be going on.
What app are you using to burn?

As regards "not starting the player" : you're starting services (mobsync,
for example) that use the player.

As regards "killing the player": what you're trying to do there is not
supported. Third party system-destroying tools such as vLite might give you
what you want there, but : you really would be taking a hammer to your
system and breaking it.

 

[Guest]

Let's step back to the beginning: ~why~ is the player using the CD
player at that time when you're trying to burn?

My question exactly...

If the player isn't

burning, I don't believe it's going to try to acquire a lock on the
burner: that seems like something else might be going on.
What app are you using to burn?

imgburn 2.4.1.0
Been using it for ages on xp on the same hardware with no problem.
One thing I just realized is that I replaced a USB hard drive with
a USB flash drive at about the same time I switched from XPSP2 to
VistaSP1 They are known to behave differently.

As regards "not starting the player" : you're starting services
(mobsync, for example) that use the player.

Yep. That's been discussed. I found some tools to disable that,
but I'm waiting till the next system backup before I try it.
Unknown tools from unknown developers is risky.

When I plug in a usb drive, I want a drive letter assigned...NOTHING ELSE!!!

As regards "killing the player": what you're trying to do there is not
supported.

There's supported and then there's useful unsupported. Most of the best
stuff is in the latter category.
Third party system-destroying tools such as vLite might give

you what you want there

I'll have to take another look. Thought vlite only worked on the
initial install setup. Can I apply it after the fact?
, but : you really would be taking a hammer to

your system and breaking it.

If that's what it takes...
I've never found ANY reason to knowingly activate wmplayer.
Removing the player system may have unintended consequences with other
players that expect certain OS support files. If I can just prevent
it from executing, I'd be a happy camper. Renaming the file works for a
while. If I could prevent it reinstalling itself, I'd be a happy camper.

One man's breakage is another man's fixing.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried disabling the "Windows Media Center Extender Service" in
services?
(start, type "services.msc" (w/o quotes), then find above and
disable.)

Yep, that was one of the first things I tried.
I just looked again. There's a thing called
"windows media center service launcher".
Says it's only used for TV, but I disabled it too.
There were other windows media services set to manual.
I disabled all of them.
I'll see if that help.

I thought I'd also disabled windows update, but it
was running. Disabled that too.
Will be interesting to see if my system boots.
Thanks, mike

 

[Guest]

zachd [MSFT] wrote:


Let's step back to the beginning: ~why~ is the player using the CD
player at that time when you're trying to burn?

My question exactly...

If the player isn't
burning, I don't believe it's going to try to acquire a lock on the
burner: that seems like something else might be going on.
What app are you using to burn?

imgburn 2.4.1.0

When I used Imgburn I got a message about the drive being in use or
locked or something
by another application but if you OK out and clear the message box and
continue the burn works fine.
I assumed it might be a problem with Imgburn.

Mine won't burn until I kill wmplayer.exe. Then it will allow the burn
but the verify fails. Rebooting solves the problem. I haven't done a LOT
of experimenting, but it appears that if I kill wmplayer BEFORE starting
imgburn, I get a successful burn.

Try the latest version of ImgBurn, I've just checked and my version is
2.4.2.0.
(and it works ok in Windows 7.)

Can't hurt to try the new version.
thanks, mike