Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Auto-play can be a convenient feature but if it's not what you want, it can be difficult to turn off and keep off. The TweakUI utility can fix that.
How do I *really* disable auto-play in Windows XP?
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The auto-play feature in Windows was significantly beefed up when Windows XP was introduced. For CD and DVD drives specifically, Windows will first attempt to determine what type of media you've inserted and then perform an appropriate action. If it doesn't know what action is appropriate, it asks along with providing the option to remember that action for next time.
Seems fair enough, except that when I encountered it for the first time it kept forgetting the settings and would always ask. From my perspective that's worse that not having auto-play at all. And then I couldn't turn it off.
If that sounds familiar, then you know my frustration.
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Enter one of my favorite Windows add-ons: TweakUI, one of what Microsoft calls "Power Toys for Windows XP". It's more than a toy. It allows you to adjust (or 'tweak') several settings that aren't exposed directly by the standard Windows tools.
Once you've installed TweakUI you'll find a lot of options in it. For our current problem, in TweakUI expand My Computer, and then AutoPlay. Click on Drives and uncheck the drive letter that you no longer want to auto-play. Click on Apply and that's it. No more "what would you like me to do" dialogs.
TweakUI has a number of other settings, I encourage you to install it and browse around in it. It's something I install on every computer I run. (The PowerToys page has a number of nifty tools as well. Have a look while you're there).
Article C1884 - January 21, 2004 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
March 15, 2011 8:49 AM
I have unchecked my two memory sticks (E & F drives) in TweakUI but now my computer does not recognise them so how can I access them?
March 15, 2011 8:56 AM
Sorry my mistake - I unchecked the computer drive not the drive in Autoplay. However, unchecked in autoplay still opens my stick on clicking 'Open'.
September 15, 2011 3:23 AM
My favourite tool for this is Autoplay Disabler Pro from http://www.autoplaydisabler.us
I had bad experience with editing registry, since I am not so good with computers! This tool is simple and works safe and for Xp and for windows 7, for Vista I didn't try...
November 4, 2011 6:46 AM
G-d bless TweakUI. I have been cursing the autoplay "feature" ever since it haunted me for the second time and beyond. Why on earth wouldn't Microsoft want to give people the ability to turn this off? It is not like it encourages people to use non-Microsoft software or otherwise hurts their business. Actually just the opposite.
November 4, 2011 6:53 AM
Hopefully this link will show up. Here is what I see in the TweakUI utility. Notice how I unchecked boxes A-G which covers most of what I do daily. When I would hook up my smartphone to synchronize, it would show up as E and G for internal memory and SD card, respectively:
Click here to see JPG