autoplay

How to disable auto-play on Flash content in Chrome

If you've been browsing the Internet at all over the past couple of months, you've probably come across several Flash advertisements on pages that produce sound.

While this isn't a problem if the sound is muted by default, several of these ads begin playback immediately while also defaulting to max volume. Flash Control, an extension for Google Chrome, blocks these Flash applets from loading until you say it's OK.

Begin by downloading and installing the Flash Control extension.

Navigate to a page with a Flash applet on it. You'll notice it no longer automatically loads. … Read more

Clean up your Registry with Autoplay Repair

Uninstalling media players can leave invalid Autoplay entries in your Registry that repeatedly prompt you to use programs that you've already attempted to get rid of. Autoplay Repair is a utility that can display these invalid entries and let users delete them for good. Although we like the idea of the program, it's not necessarily easy to use.

The program's interface is plain and doesn't offer a lot of direction for new users. A tabbed Autoplay Manager screen lets users view the installed Autoplay handlers for audio and video files, audio CDs, DVDs, blank discs, images, … Read more

How to adjust Autoplay options in Windows

Autoplay can be a great tool to help your computer react to new media being inserted into a drive. It can automatically open your music player for an audio CD or a file browsing window when you plug in a USB thumbdrive. But what if, at the time, you don't want to listen to the audio CD, or browse the files on your USB drive. Follow these steps to adjust, or even disable outright, your Autoplay settings.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel from the Start menu.

Step 2: Click on the small triangle next to Control Panel in … Read more

Stop the iPhone AutoPlay pop-up

Ever notice how the AutoPlay window appears whenever you connect your iPhone to your PC? (Correction: your Vista PC. Does this "feature" exist on Macs, too?)

While some users may find the window useful, I end up closing it 99 times out of 100--each time wondering why Vista doesn't give me the option of preventing it from appearing in the first place. After all, the pop-ups for most other devices include a "do nothing" option. Why must the iPhone AutoPlay be different?

Fortunately, there's an easy way to kick it to the curb. Just … Read more

Customized disk menus

AutoPlay Menu Studio is a very handy program to help users create menus and options to embed onto CDs. With a variety of options, more-advanced users may have to pick their tongues off the floor, but novices may be overwhelmed.

This program will look instantly familiar to user with a basic knowledge of programs like Photoshop or Quark X-Press. With rulers at the top and side and a scatter of icons along the top, users are given free reign to customize their projects. The choice of menus is very impressive. Everything from a standard DVD menu to business card formats … Read more

Be safer than NASA: Disable autorun

NASA confirmed this week that a computer on the International Space Station is infected with a virus. (See "Houston, we have a virus" at The Register.)

The malicious software is called W32.TGammima.AG, and technically it's a worm. The interesting point, other than how NASA could let this happen, is the way the worm spreads--on USB flash drives.

Randy Abrams, director of technical education at ESET, alerted me about this. Touching on both interesting points, he said:

To start with, no computer going into space should have autorun enabled. Simply disabling autorun would have almost certainly … Read more

USB flash drives need a condom

Many Windows users are annoyed by the Autoplay feature. But Leo Notenboom recently explained why it is dangerous, rather than annoying.

Many of us, when we run across an unknown USB flash drive (a.k.a. thumb drive, pen drive, memory stick, etc.) will stick it in a computer to see what's on the thing. It's at this point that Autoplay can screw you big time.

Unlike with CDs, Autoplay on a USB flash drive will run a program immediately, no questions asked. Quoting Leo "USB Thumbdrives or flash drives are a non-obvious but easy way to … Read more