disable first-run in WMP9

[prathapml]

Hi all,

Did anyone yet find out how to disable wmp9 first run?

'Coz it is getting a bit sick here on SP2 - re-install windows everyday and (sarcastic) *ENJOY*ing (/sarcastic) seeing that SICK,SICK,SICK first-run configuration screen about as many times too. The irritating thing is that I have to uncheck all the file-types every time, for I use some other player as my default - and I don't want WMP to hijack the file associations.

On SP1 there were registry settings available to disable WMP9's first-run, so it should only be a matter of time before a workaround is found. Besides, gold/SP1 versions of XP had WMP8 by default and did not throw first-run bull-S*** in your face. So logically, WMP9 being pre-installed in SP2 by default, should not have this piece of crap - or it should atleast have a way to gracefully disable/bypass it.

Is there a registry tweak for this? Or a .INI file somewhere? Or.....

Please, 'coz I'm desperate.

[Alanoll]

hmmm.....

I think i got that awhile back....haven't seen it for the past few installs....

[WMP9]
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\HTTP,ProxyBypass,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\HTTP,ProxyExclude,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\HTTP,ProxyName,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\HTTP,ProxyPort,0x00010001,80
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\HTTP,ProxyStyle,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\MMS,ProxyBypass,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\MMS,ProxyExclude,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\MMS,ProxyName,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\MMS,ProxyPort,0x00010001,1755
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\MMS,ProxyStyle,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\RTSP,ProxyBypass,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\RTSP,ProxyExclude,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\RTSP,ProxyName,,""
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\RTSP,ProxyPort,0x00010001,554
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings\RTSP,ProxyStyle,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,DoNotShowAnchor,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,EnableScreenSaver,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,ForceOnline,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,UpgradeCodecPrompt,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,DisableMRU,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,MetadataRetrieval,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,SendUserGUID,0x00000001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,SilentAcquisition,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,UsageTracking,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled,0x00010001,0
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,WebScriptCommandsEnabled,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,WebStreamsEnabled,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,UpgradeCheckFrequency,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences,AcceptedPrivacyStatement,0x00010001,1
HKCU,Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer,DoNotShowAnchor,0x00010001,1

It's one of those Not sure which, perhaps all.

EDIT:: Well, I'll be.....I made two exact copies of the same tweaks, even in my file....better fix that.

[prathapml]

It's one of those Not sure which, perhaps all.

Well, no problems on that count. It's pretty obvious in that list as to which ones _cannot_ be related to fixing this S***. So I am left with just having a few keys to bother about.

I made two exact copies of the same tweaks, even in my file....better fix that

Ya, sure - and could you please post the necessary tweak (same as above) in .reg form?

Please, please, please, please, please, please..........................................

IN THE MEANTIME:

hey dudes, keep the suggestions coming (of which I don't see too many over here, :you stingies: )

[Alanoll]

picky picky picky.....

Everyone wants in THAT format, no one likes INF....geeeze...people these days...

I removed teh double tweaks by the way....

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences]
"AcceptedPrivacyStatement"=dword:00000001
"UpgradeCheckFrequency"=dword:00000001
"FirstRun"=dword:00000000
"DoNotShowAnchor"=dword:00000001
"EnableScreenSaver"=dword:00000000
"ForceOnline"=dword:00000000
"UpgradeCodecPrompt"=dword:00000001
"DisableMRU"=dword:00000001
"MetadataRetrieval"=dword:00000000
"SendUserGUID"=hex:00
"SilentAcquisition"=dword:00000000
"UsageTracking"=dword:00000000
"PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled"=dword:00000000
"WebScriptCommandsEnabled"=dword:00000001
"WebStreamsEnabled"=dword:00000001

I think that's all of them (exported the key from the registry, and removed alot of values....) Perhaps it's the FirstRun value?

[prathapml]

Perhaps it's the FirstRun value?

Yup, that's what I was thinking (prolly "AcceptedPrivacyStatement" as well).

But then, those values are present in my existing tweaks to be applied - lem'me see for sure.....

Have you just hurriedly exported the keys (above) from the registry, or is it an exact .reg form of your INF keys?

In any case, I'll try out on this one, and come back and post if it worked or not.

Everyone wants in THAT format, no one likes INF.... geeeze...people these days...

LOL

Yup, INF method needs some sympathy......

[prathapml]

HAIL TO THE KEEL, ME HEARTIES!

-RedBeard (the high seas robber).

So many page views and so few responses!

We need more opinions/ideas here dudes, so keep the posts coming.

[Alanoll]

they think you're posting HOW disable, not requesting to know how

It was hurredly assembled (REG FILE)......

Should work....i think......

[prathapml]

Hey there,

thanks Alanoll.

It worked!

This was what was required:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences]
"AcceptedPrivacyStatement"=dword:00000001
"FirstRun"=dword:00000000

Now, don't even think of asking me why it did not work previously (though I had that same key already present) - 'coz I myself am in the process of finding the reason. Since I have a nice, big, fat <wmp9.reg> of 14 KB of desired (cleaned) settings, maybe I had multiples of the above values; which were inverse of each other.....

Maybe something to do with the fact that the above values work only on SP2 RC2 (which I upgraded to only today). Since it is very close to the RTM build, maybe MS has opened out these hooks for use - remember the same tweaks did not work for me on builds 2055/2096.

[prathapml]

Nopes!

It works when you just apply the above from the explorer shell.

But if you have "WMaccess=off" and "WMPOCM=off" and then apply the above reg in T-12 (cmdlines) or GUIrunonce, it does not help - the first-run insists on being seen.

I also have the above entries in "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences" - but still, no effect is taken after a re-install.

Maybe running wmplayer for the first-time, after having it as a disabled component, will refresh the above keys (and thus make this pre-reg process useless)?

But, if that is the case, how is the other settings not affected (the other prefs do take effect)?

But I don't think all the difficulty above is needed. GPedit.msc has a property to switch-off the first-run for all users. Now, if only someone could clean-install windows, then monitor the registry while the gpedit setting is applied......

@Alanoll

:wink: You have vmware and regmon, isn't it? :hint: :hint:

EDIT:

Looks like the values have to be applied when the explorer shell is running. Since T-12 and GUIrunonce, both don't have explorer loaded when processing the above values, they don't work. I was able to disable WMP access in setup as described above, then reboot on first-login, then login again, double-click wmp9.reg (to apply it), and after this wmplayer ran without first-run for that user.

So it looks like only gpedit can be the saviour, can anyone help this poor soul out here....... ?

[prathapml]

--BREAKING NEWS--

I have made a workaround, and am testing it. Shall type it up in this space if it is more reliable. But let me say, it is very ugly to use at best.

Thanks for everybody's help (everybody A.K.A. alanoll at this point on this thread), please keep on the quest to find a way out of this mess of WMP first-run.

@Alanoll:

any progress on the gpedit thing yet?

BTW, how do you apply administrative policies related to WMP/IE/etc. unattendedly?

[GreenMachine]

@prathapml:

Odd, I never have that screen, and it would bug me if I did! I do two things, and will share them with you from memeory, as I cannot get to my files at the moment.

1) I clear the StubPath entry for WMP. The StubPath entry is the code that runs once for each new user.

2) Remove a registry key for each supported type, e.g. GIF, JPG, AVI, that tells WMP NOT to run this type, or something. Sorry, my memory is very foggy on this one, but if you are intersted I'll dig it out later.

The StubPath keys are look something like this:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6}

(StubPath is a value for that key)

In any event, my workaround is far from ugly, if you're still interested.

[prathapml]

Thanks for sharing a foggy memory with us GreenMachine

(never mind, just joking around.....)

Yup, I'm interested in knowing what you do.

Do post back in detail on your 'clean' method. It's guaranteed that a lot of people on MSFN would be happy to know your technique.

[prathapml]

I would like to know what exactly the gpedit utility does when you enable the policy to "Don't execute first-time run" for WMP9 (on SP2). Would anyone using regmon *PLEASE* check-out and tell me ?

[GreenMachine]

Hey, as many brain-cells as I've lost along the way, sometimes I'm lucky just to remember the way to the nearest bar!

Enclosed is the list of Reg Edits I make concerning WMP. I hope I didn't miss anything, but these are extracted from my complete registry imports. All are called from SVCPACK (CMDLINES will be fine). The last section, Silly StubPaths, include ALL the StubPath entries that I edit, but I believe only one or two are pertinent to WMP. It will be more obvious when searching a non-modified registry, which I do not have.

That should be enough. Please post back how it works, or if I can help you further. And if you have all you need, perhaps you can make a little "How To" page!!!

Good luck!

WMP.REG

[Alanoll]

haha....

prathapml.. I'll look into the gpedit thing. I don't really need a new PC to test it on....just the current system....(new notebook about to be formated, good for test)

I'm betting of the stubpaths, but I call my regedits from CMDLINES and GUIRUNONCE....and I don't remember teh screen. I'll check on my next format to be sure.

Now the AVI thing that GM spoke about interests me, I hate that little box that comes up (MPC user)