I've just installed Windows Media Player 11 and found every time I use it its connecting to the net for something and I can't find what setting is causing this. I have unticked ALL the options under WMP's privacy tab but its still happening. The following is the traffic log from my firewall for the period after starting WMP:
The following is what CCleaner is showing to clean after just starting WMP then immediately running CCleaner:
http://images.metaservices.microsoft.com/svcswitch/wm_com_v_rgb_15x15.png(&H41) 981 byteshttp://images.metaservices.microsoft.com/svcswitch/WindowsMediaPlayer11_30x30.png(&H41) 1.98KBhttp://wmp11.vidzone.tv/wmp11/images/logo_icon.jpg(&H41) 467 byteshttp://images.metaservices.microsoft.com/svcswitch/ServiceInfoMGGB.xml?locale=409&geoid=f2&version=11.0.5721.5145&userlocale=809(&H41) 508 byteshttp://img.od2.com/ServiceInfo/icons/PackardBell/wmp10service.png(&H41) 596 byteshttp://img.od2.com/ServiceInfo/icons/PackardBell/wmp10serviceLarge.png(&H41) 1017 byteshttp://img.od2.com/ServiceInfo/shop16/associd4/serviceinfo.xml?locale=409&geoid=f2&version=11.0.5721.5145&userlocale=809(&H41) 1.63KBhttp://www.emusic.com/images/frameworks/wmp10/logo-15x15.png(&H41) 887 byteshttp://onlinestores.metaservices.microsoft.com/serviceswitching/AllServices.aspx?sv=2&locale=409&geoid=f2&version=11.0.5721.5145&userlocale=809(&H2041) 1.51KBC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\D7GUXKZF\desktop.ini 67 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\desktop.ini 67 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\NXQ7PLMM\desktop.ini 67 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\WZ3JZER8\desktop.ini 67 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\YHWXN0PO\desktop.ini 67 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\desktop.ini 67 bytesCookie:*****@onlinestores.metaservices.microsoft.com/serviceswitching/(&H100001) 146 bytesC:\Documents and Settings\*****\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\desktop.ini 145 bytes
Can anyone tell me what WMP setting I need to change to stop this???
FYI you can't stop it happening in WMP via any settings. Although this is nothing new as WMP 10 also does this which is rather annoying in my opinion and shouldn't be the case which is another reason to dislike WMP.
How to stop it via the Windows HOSTS File:
1. Copy any URL's you don't want it to auto-load into a new Notepad windows.
2. Use this format so you know exactly what's being blocked, that way you can undo the changes quickly should you decide to stop blocking WMP auto loading media services/sites, etc., into a heading in the HOSTS file like this (don't block go.microsoft.com as that will cause tons of Microsoft links to fail):
# Start of Windows Media Player Blocked Cookies and Sites127.0.0.1 entimg-origin.msn.com127.0.0.1 img.od2.com127.0.0.1 metaservices.microsoft.com127.0.0.1 images.metaservices.microsoft.com127.0.0.1 onlinestores.metaservices.microsoft.com127.0.0.1 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com127.0.0.1 serviceswitching.metaservices.microsoft.com127.0.0.1 www.emusic.com127.0.0.1 wmp11.vidzone.tv127.0.0.1 cinemanow.com127.0.0.1 sms.napster.com127.0.0.1 images.fullaudio.com127.0.0.1 fullaudio.com127.0.0.1 music.msn.com127.0.0.1 img.xmradio.com127.0.0.1 xmradio.com127.0.0.1 musicmatch.com127.0.0.1 wwwp.musicmatch.com127.0.0.1 www.courttv.com127.0.0.1 courttv.com127.0.0.1 wmp.audible.com127.0.0.1 audible.com127.0.0.1 mlb.mlb.com127.0.0.1 mlb.com127.0.0.1 dl.images.musicnet.com127.0.0.1 musicnet.com127.0.0.1 www.passalong.com127.0.0.1 passalong.com127.0.0.1 images.movielink.com127.0.0.1 movielink.com127.0.0.1 images.live365.com127.0.0.1 us.soundbuzz.com127.0.0.1 soundbuzz.com127.0.0.1 wmp10.puretracks.com127.0.0.1 wmp11.puretracks.com127.0.0.1 puretracks.com127.0.0.1 www.musicgiants.com127.0.0.1 musicgiants.com127.0.0.1 wmp.playout.se127.0.0.1 playout.se127.0.0.1 msn.soundsgood.com127.0.0.1 soundsgood.com127.0.0.1 downloads.walmart.com127.0.0.1 content.ztango.com.edgesuite.net127.0.0.1 edgesuite.net# End of of Windows Media Player Blocked Cookies and Sites
Note 1:
Remove any blocked site that you actually visit via your web browser, otherwise they will fail to load.
Note 2:
You must restart Windows after pasting the blocked entries into the HOSTS file, the same goes if your remove an entry when a website doesn't load.
FYI you can't stop it happening in WMP via any settings. Although this is nothing new as WMP 10 also does this
I've never realised before, only noticed with WMP11 because I was spending time trying to understand it and it confused/irritated me when it started up for the first time it automatically added all my music files to the library. I don't like any program that does something without asking first. I then noticed it was phoning home when I was checking if CCleaner cleaned WMP11 and noticed the web adresses. Does CCleaner clean version 11?
Think I'll block it through my firewall rather than hosts file, at least I can easily allow it again then.
I'd recommend using a third-party two-way firewall to block it (I should take my own advice and download ZoneAlarm or something similar versus using Windows Firewall) that way it's quick and easy to allow or disallow it versus removing something from the HOSTS file which will always require a reboot.
