Disabling or Changing Audio-CD Autorun on Windows XP Pro

Factual Questions
1

There once was a time on my ThinkPad that inserting an audio CD caused Windows XP Pro to bring up a dialog window asking me to choose one of the various functions it could subsequently execute regarding same disc. I find this dialog window a grave annoyance, and would douse it with butane and then set it aflame if I could; I’d much rather it do jack diddly squat and nothing, and let me figure out how to use the CD by my damn self (I’m quite capable!). I seem to recall there having been a checkbox for “remember which one I fricking click on and do that same fucking thing every time I put a damn medium of this type in my gad-frocking computer, thankyouverymuch” at some point, but I don’t get that anymore; I don’t remember whether that was in some previous version of Windows, or whether I inadvertently turned it off, or what.

So, first question: Can I turn off that damn dialog, and if so, how?

That brings me to the next gripe. Today when I put in the audio CD that comes with my Spanish textbook, to do myself some a-practicin’ and a-learnin’, it not only opened that ghastly dialog window (an annoyance which I’ve learned to accustom myself to), but also committed the Second Deadly Sin upon the Holy Name of Expensivonne, Goddess of Windows Computing: allowing an program not worthy of the task (RealPlayer) to assume itself more-righteous and start playing the damn CD all by itself. And ho boy, let me tell you, Expensivonne is angry!

So, second question: Failing success in the first, can I turn off damn audio-CD autorun, and if so, how?

Which brings me to my third question: Failing success in the first and second pursuits, can I at least tell RealPlayer to shut Its Unholy Clap-Trap, jump off of Its High Holy Horse, and allow the Far More Worthy Winamp handle the task?

Which brings me to my fourth question! Failing success in all three pursuits, how many hamsters must be sacrificed to appease Expensivonne?

2

It distresses me that Adsense thinks I need a session with humor writing pros at a workshop. Fuck your couch, Adsense.

3

Good golly! I figured it out. For anyone else who might be wondering:

Right click on your CD drive (or whichever) and click Properties. Go to the AutoPlay tab. That there tab will let you set an action to perform each time a certain kind of media is entered, for each kind of media.

Expensivonne is happy once more and we need no longer turn our heads over our shoulders while entering Audio CDs into Her Computers.

4

For specific cases you can hold down the Shift key while the tray is closing, that will disable the autorun of any CD media.

5

To answer your third question, if you wish to change the default app that opens a file goto My Computer, My Documents, or Windows Explorer, click Tools, then Folder Options…, then the File Types tab. Highlight the file extention, click Change and pick the new app. If it’s not listed click Browse… to search for it.

6

I’m aware of that; the only issue is that I think that all auto-running of any kind, in any circumstance, is an abomination unto the name of Expensivonne, and I can’t envision a scenario where I would want to AutoPlay anything.

Thanks! I’m not at my home comp but i’ll have to try it out when I get home.

7

How to disable autoplay for everything:

  1. Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc
  2. Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System folder.
  3. Set “Turn off Autoplay” to enabled and select “all drives” from the drop down menu.
8

What OSs does this work for? I have XPHome and it didn’t find it.

9

I just did it in XP Pro. It says (in the group edit thing) that it will work on W2K and later.

10

Thanks, fetus.