Prevent Windows Media Player Album Art Download

Anonymous
2009-12-02T13:24:14+00:00

I have spent a large amount of time fixingand manually editing my music album art with 500x500px images.

I have read the article at http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7music/thread/6ff8c9fd-d97f-4304-bad5-693f7dbb4532/ however this isn't my problem - I can add the artwork as I need.

The problem I have is that Windows Media Player is going online and replacing my 500x500px artwork with the 200x200px artwork from the online database. In addition to this, it is creating all of the 75x75px Small artwork files which are cluttering the My Music folder.

I have set Retrieve Additional Information from the Internet to No, and I have set Update Music Files by Retrieving Media Info from the Internet to No also, however it still goes online.

I used Wireshark to determine it is going to the following addresses:

redir.metaservices.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net

serviceswitching.metadata.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net

I have blocked these addresses on my router but WMP is finding a way around. I looked in the registry and there is nothing regarding totally disabling the artwork download (although this should be disabled with the options already set).

I can set the Folder.jpg files as Read-Only and this prevents WMP from overwriting my 500x500px files, but I still don't want it creating the AlbumArtSmall files.

Richard Green, MCSA Windows Server 2003

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2011-11-02T20:30:33+00:00

easy... just totally block windows media player using your firewall... or add those address as 127.0.0.1 (redir.metaservices.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net; serviceswitching.metadata.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net)

in the HOSTS file.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-02T18:55:00+00:00

    127.0.0.1 (redir.metaservices.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net; serviceswitching.metadata.windowsmedia.com.akadns.net)

    in the HOSTS file.

    Doesn't work.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-17T23:10:45+00:00

    I finally gave up on WMP and went with Media Monkey and I'm super pleased with it and have no plans to go back to WMP.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-16T17:49:11+00:00

    I agree, the same obviously occurs in Windows 8.1 and the only approach is to block via Media Player through the firewall, and all of it's sub-executables (there are three in total), and then to not only stop the Window Media Player Network Service service but also Disable it.

    Microsoft, it would be nice if you could make the effort and fix this minor code change, but MAJOR annoyance, so that automated updating does not impact the vast majority of people today who want quality album artwork for their PC or HD Windows 8 Phone!

    Yours begrudgingly,

    Andw99

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-12-14T21:48:07+00:00

    Just to note I've performed both the above registry fix and also blocked the relevant hosts in my hosts files, but Windows is _still_ updating the album art on my music. It's like a vampire that will not die.

    Here's a question: I play my music via my XBox, using it as a media extender. Could the _XBox_ be downloading album art?

    P.

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