How can I stop media center from loading in vista?

[surfer100]

I'm reposting the the thread below in case anyone else can offer some
suggestion as to how I can stop media center from loading. Unfortunately,
everything I've tried so far hasn't worked. Any other thoughts?

Previous thread:

Hi Mark,

Per your suggestion, I went to software explorer and disabled the windows
media center tray applet (ehtray.exe). For good measure I also went to
services and disable four services with media center in the description.
And I confirmed that load at startup was unchecked in media center's
settings/general.

Then I rebooted and media center still booted up!

So, I went back to software explorer. I see that another copy of media
center applet (ehtray.exe) had been somehow created shows as permitted.

I'm guessing that somewhere there is a register or other setting that forces
media center to be loaded. In addition, it is clear that the setting
control in settings/general is not working.

It's a bit of a mystery! Any next step suggestions?

surfer100

 

[John Inzer]

snip<
how I can stop media center from loading. snip<

=====================================
How to Disable (Uninstall and Remove)
Windows Media Center in Vista
http://tinyurl.com/35w33y
or...
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/...all-and-remove-windows-media-center-in-vista/

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Do it the right way. Start the media center, go to
Tasks/Settings/General/Startup and Windows Behavior and uncheck the line to
load at boot.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[surfer100]

Thanks, Rick, but unfortunately that direct solution is not working, as
indicated in the the thread.

surfer100

 

[surfer100]

Thanks for your reply.

I found a solution on another web forum that worked. Just renamed the
"ehome" directory to "ehomeold" and media center no longer runs! Simple!

 

[surfer100]

Hi Shark:

Yes. Basically you find the folder "ehome" and rename it to "ehomeold" (no
quotes). The programming that launches media center is dedicated to
finding it at ehome folder, so when it looks for it...no can find because
the folder is now labelled ehomeold!

The way I found the folder was to go to start/search field and type in
"ehome" (no quotes). That then generates a folder icon and the folder name
ehome at the top of the window. Left click on the folder name ehome. This
opens a new window which shows you ehome as a subfolder of the windows
folder on the c drive.

Right click on the ehome folder, which brings up a menu of choices. Left
click on "rename" Now you can type in any new name for the folder.
Actually, ANY different name will stop media center from running, but using
ehomeold is just a convention that lets you remember some day in the future
if you want to start it up again. Hope that is enough to help you get this
accomplished.

surfer100