Unwanted Napster

Good evening everyone,

Well something strange happened when I got online today, I went to watch a video and a strange icon appeared in my "Windows Media Player 10" window, I found out it was a napster icon and 2 more icons that said "music" = Napster music service and "radio"=Napster radio, all this is in the upper right hand corner of the Media player.

Where did this Napster stuff come from? I didn't downoad it, I want it GONE before it causes trouble, not that it will but I still want it GONE.

Did Microsoft give it to me as an update to my Media Player?, I ask this because on the screen it says "onlinestores.metaservices.microsoft.com" but when I click on it it says that it doesn't have a security certificate and that worries me that its a FAKE.

Does anybody have any feedback on what has happened and how to get rid of this?

I've taken a screenshot of it but I can't post it for some reason.

Thanks in advance

James

 

anyone?

 

If the boxes in the pictures are checked - un check them.

When media player is on-line and getting info for you some companies will try and offer you their services. MSN and others like Napster offer $.99 downloads and such. If you have not installed Napster you can get rid of it.

 

Ok BirdBath there were only the first two boxes checked on the "privacy" icon, they are now unchecked but the napster icon is still there , I clicked on the music icon to see if I had Napster and it said "napster is not detected"

Anything else you can think of?, oh and thanks for the reply , by the way how did you post your screenshot?, I have no problem saving them


James

 

The boxes you un checked will not get rid of Napster but will keep it from trying again.

In the same options panel go to plug-ins and see if Napster is there. I will check my player out and get back to you A.S.A.P. with more info.

To post screen shots check out this link.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=26019

 

Actually I thought of something else.

open media player and go to your library.

Now look through the library for the on-line stores option and delete Napster if its there.

 

Well in my plug-ins option Napster wasn't there, I opened Media player and went to Library but I only see the names of various songs I didn't see the online stores option, I may of missed it.

Although when I click on the arrow to the right of the napster icon there is a huge list of various stores and at the bottom of the list it says "browse all online stores"

p.s. I saw that link to post screenshots before, I just thought there was an easier way, thanks


James

 

As long as you have not installed any software for napster it is not really on your computer. The on-line stores is an option that is part of media player. You just have to do your best to ignore it if you don't want the services.
It is a microsoft update though so you dont have to worry about Napster being fake. It's all real. and it's all annoying.

Think of it as unwanted advertising. If you keep the setting off it really doesn't get in the way and no information from your computer is being sent to microsoft or any of the other services.

 

Well now I can breathe a sigh of relief , I guess you can never be too safe these days, thanks again BirdBath for all of your help I really appreciate it.

James

 

I always check my add/remove programs file before I'm confident things are gone. For example, Adobe Reader installs with picture viewer 3.0 or thereabouts. I have to manually delete the sucker.

 

I checked the add/remove programs and it was not there unless it was under another name, I did notice that my last media player update happened on June of this year but the napster icon didn't appear until a few days ago. I did have security updates though this past Sunday and Today


Thanks augiedoggie for your reply


James

 

Napster is not actually installed on your computer. You wont find it in add/remove programs. The online store is a part of media player itself.

This will explain it better.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/onlinestores.aspx

 

It is always better to be safe.

If you don't trust the Napster add on you can always choose a different media player but like I said, if you don't install any of the Napster software it is not running on your computer as a program.

 

Thanks once again BirdBath I won't be installing Napster, so like you said I should be safe. Unless there is the small chance that it could install itself which I doubt it

James

 

Thanks, quartermile & BirdBath for the thread. I came here with the same problem, the Napster icon attached to Windows Media Player. After reading the thread it undoubtably came from Windows Update, but like quartermile, it didn't show up immediately so I wasn't sure.

I tried everything to remove it. You can remove the registry entries for Napster easily enough but WMP writes them right back in when it opens.

Since they apparently are only shortcut icons, the best solution I found is to pick another icon, let it open the store window, then go back to Now Playing or Library, etc.. That gets rid of the atrocious Napster icon and your chosen icon will be displayed there until you change it again. Poor solution, but the best I've found.

 

Yeah IveyLeaguer I know what you mean I don't use any function of WMP except to play movies I was just worried that something got on my computer without me knowing about it , its always good to see other Geeks have the situation happen and then to have a solution to the problem.......MAJOR GEEKS RULE !