April 02, 2007

Curious, George: Your favorite media player sucks. Okay, so I got a problem. Windows Media Player is creating folders on my USB drive. "What's this," you gasp? "Yes," I reply!

I love love love me my portable hard drive. Take it to work, take it home, take it to my friends' places. PortableApps, wahey. No, women don't find me that attractive. But I've noticed something weird: When I try to play music on that drive in WMP, a "My Music" folder is inexplicably created in the root folder of the drive. Every time. I do not want it there. I delete it, I go back and play tracks later, and the goddamn thing creates it again. Why? And how do I make it stop? Yes, yes, I've installed PortableVLC (don't really want to install local media apps on my work PC), but I'm not crazy about it. Goddamn thing won't save settings -- keeps reverting to 5.1 audio for DVD files no matter how many times I reset it, which sucks ass, can't set it to 2.1 audio, which appears to leave my subwoofer mute and therefore sucks ass, won't start in skinned mode, which is beyond sucking ass, and won't allow me to set it to not automatically load subtitles for movies, which sucks slightly less ass but still sucks ass. Besides, right now it's a matter of pride. It's the principle of the thing. I must keep this folder from spawning like so many undead clowns. I must stop it or die trying. Is there a way? Or if not, is there another portable alternative to VLC that works for major media formats, including VOB files? Buy a Mac, Commandant Enis Weenis Picklefap, The Low Calorie Squirrel Alternative (mct)

posted by middleclasstool 17 years ago
  • mplayer?
  • Burn the whole goddamn village.
  • I'm guessing WMP does this to support its synchronization function. Might this be useful? To remove a device from the library You can remove all information about a device, including the list of files that sync to the device, if you no longer want it to appear in the Player. If you do so, you will need to set up sync if you want to sync to the device again in the future. Disconnect the device from your computer. In the Navigation pane, right-click the device you want to remove, and then click End Sync Partnership. If the device is connected when you perform this step, the device will switch to manual sync, and some information about the device will remain in the Player. Source: Windows Media Player Help | Organizing your digital media collection | Managing your library | Remove items from the Windows Media Player library Specifically, the last paragraph suggests to me that you can stop synchronizing your library but still display the device in Windows Media Player. I don't have an appropriate device, so I can't verify this.
  • That's why I employ a rollicking band of merry minstrels to follow me around playing my favorite songs.
  • When danger reared its ugly head Brave Dame TUM she turned and fled...
  • Might this be useful? No, but then yes! That wasn't the problem, but it led me straight to it: the default rip folder had somehow been mapped to that drive (I assume it was my dumb ass what did it somehow). When WMP didn't see the appropriate folder, it created it. Now it be gone forever. Feel free to use the remainder of this space to discuss all the presents you want to buy for me. My birthday's this month, after all. *goes to study pharm's link*
  • Happy birthmonth! Sounds like you could use a rollicking band of merry minstrels. Zounds! TUM has the right idea. *shoulders halberd, savors bracing morning swig of mead*
  • *polishes sackbut*
  • How about a victory in the half-marathon, mct? because you're running it on MY birthday, so it'd be like TWO gifts at once. Or something. Or the minstrels could try to keep up with you for 13 miles. That might be far more entertaining.
  • There will actually be minstrels stationed at every mile marker along the way, I am told. Your birthday? I will buy you a paperback at Bookman!!!11!!
  • For your birthday I give unto you happiness and nipple tape
  • Wasting a front page post? I suggest we TAKE AWAY his birthday! (or give him two and make him get old fast) he does get old fast, doesn't he? Happy birthday to Tool!
  • I bet Argh's a flack for the nipple-tape industry.
  • Touche and well played Wingo old chap. (polite golf clap from the gallery)
  • Birthday gift ideas appreciated, since we're on the subject...
  • I know I have a thousand pens, but I was thinking about how I miss my old fountain...just a last-ditch thought
  • Also, I hear there are some very fine laptops available
  • I'm also a big fan of The Maltese Falcon, so if you could get me an actual Maltese falcon...
  • Get a room, you two!
  • Well, I hate to be bandwagonny, but you can't go wrong with a Wii. Give the boy something else to do while he's warming up milk at 3am.