If you’re running W98, go to the start button, then run, then type in msconfig and then go to your startup tab and UNCHECK RealPlayer. I have to do this every time I use that damn thing.
If you’re running anything else (like W95 or XP or ME) I would think it’s a similar process, but being a bit behind times, I am not sure how to tell you how to chill it out.
When it’s flashing, though, it usually in my case means it wants you to update. (shrug) That’s up to you.
Exactly the same for Win ME as SilkyThreat described. I would recommend using MSCONFIG to “turn off” a whole bunch of shit, but that’s another story.
No matter - if you disable the startup of Real (just look for all things with “real” or “realplayer” next to it and uncheck) your life will instantly become much better. Things will taste better, the sun will shine all the time, and all the beautiful people in the world will want you desperately. I kid you not.
Yeah, I know it wants me to update - hence the part of my rant where I say I hate software telling me what to do. I just don’t want to do it.
(Hub says I’m obstinate - I have no idea where he gets that from.)
(Thanks for the advice, Silky. I will give that a go now.)
Thank you, Silky and Leander. It’s gone now, so I can start living my life again. Now, if I could just figure out how to get the computer to stop asking for a Micro$oft Networking password everytime I boot up…
My pleasure! (Hey look!!! I actually tried to help someone! Don’t I get bonus points for this?)
Oh I forgot to mention you have to reboot for it to actually make the blinking blinking blinking go away, but it’s a small price to pay.
At least until you run RealPlayer again. Then you gotta uncheck it again. It’s not a fun media player to play with. It’s a bloodsucking leech and a freakin’ eyesore in the toolbar regardless. But we all know there is NSTAAFL…right?
And unless you are in the mood to actually PAY for this Non-Free-Lunch…don’t update. The “new” version will be free before long. And if not…well…something else will be. After all…this is the Internet!
Heh.
When my Real Player icon starts blinking, it’s lying. It pretends it has an update for me, but really all it wants to do is sell me something (real player premium usually).
When I click it, it tries to make me feel bad and somehow laking (Your player is OUT OF DATE!). The only upgrade available costs 15 dollars.
I’d pay 15 dollars too, if I could get rid of that . . . . buffering 176k 11.6 seconds. . . buffering 158k 15 seconds. . . buffing-----
Here! a .4 second snippet of what you’re trying to see---- buffering 100k 1236849 seconds. . . .
Yeah, that’s right - I did try to upgrade it months ago, and it did some song and dance number like what Biggirl described, and I said “screw you, hippie” to the computer and tried to ignore it after that. I knew there was a reason it was still blinking at me (other than my innate inability to take orders.)
Be aware that if you ever try to use it again (like for the sample sound clips on Amazon) it will start blinking again, but at least then you can right-click on it, and it gives the option of removing the StartCenter (whatever the hell that is) and will disappear.
Running 98? Start, find, *.pwl Delete ALL of them. (PassWordList)
Right click on Network Neighborhood, Properties. Change Default Logon to Windows Logon. Reboot. Put in nothing when it asks you for a password. Just press enter repeatedly.
Real Player isn’t right in the head, it really isn’t. The TKBell (also called sysevent) thing in your msconfig is its Updater, and there’s no way to keep that from recreating itself on every reboot. It’s also separate from the Real One Player itself, which you CAN stop from running at startup. On my firewall’s internet access control, I blocked something called Real Networks Dynamic App Launcher from going online. My Real One stays in its hellhole somewhere and doesn’t show up unless I tell it to. When I’m done I shut it off and it stays gone.