Windows Movie Maker AutoStart Problem

[kimco52]

I have Windows XP Pro with SP3. I have a problem that is bugging me that I can't seem to stop. I do not use Windows Movie Maker for anything. The OS will not let me delete or rename the folder in Program Files. If I go into the Movie Maker folder, I can rename the executable but it just creates a shortcut and keeps the main file. Deleting it copies it to the Recycle bin but keeps it in the Movie Maker folder.
I don't care if it is there, I just don't want it turning on unless I want to use it, which I presently don't. I use Premiere Pro.

The problem is, when ever I plug a new camcorder into the firewire port and turn it on, Movie Maker autmatically starts. I don't want it to do that. How do I turn that OFF?. I thought by renaming it that it would not find the program and would not start but no dice. I don't like auto runs for most anything. Whenever I insert a DVD, a box comes up and asks me what I want to do. I always click do nothing and remember that. Somehow, it forgets. When turning on the camcorder, it doesn't ask me what to do, it just starts that darn old Windows Movie Maker and that screws up my Premiere captures.

So, How do I get my computer OS to not start Movie Maker automatically when I turn on the camcorder on Firewire, or anything for that matter.

[zoobie]

try going into wmm>options>restore settings

[JohnnyMalaria]

Copy and paste this registry code into a new text file using Notepad, save it with a .reg suffix then double-click on the file's icon. It will remove the entries. The forum has mangled the code slightly - there should be no line break between the "[-" and "HKEY_".

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\EventHandlers\VideoCameraArrival]
"MSVideoCameraArrival"=""
"SonyDVConnectvegas8"=""
"MSWMEncVCArrival"=""

I'm not sure if something will pop-up or not afterwards, but it shouldn't load any app automatically anymore.

[kimco52]

zoobie,
I tried the reset option and it did not do anything.....as I had expected it to. Nothing in the program itself starts the sequence. It is outside the program that needs to be changed.

JohnnyMalaria,
I copied the code to Notebook, made sure there were no line breaks or other stuff, just the four lines and saved it. Double clicked on the icon, it asked me if I wanted to insert the code, I answered yes and it said it did it. I then rebooted the computer and when it was finished booting, turned on the Sony DCR-HC38 camera and MovieMaker immediately started. So, that did not fix it.

I wish Premiere would start as fast as Movie Maker. Anyway, it loads it's basic page and then it's capture window opens and the title at the top says "Video Capture Wizard Sony DV Device"

I go to Control Panel and under Scanners and Cameras it shows up as "Sony DV Camcorder #2". It also shows up the same way under Imaging Devices under Hardware in System.

If I turn that camera off and move the cable to my Sony DCR-TR720 and turn it on, Movie Maker does not start...nothing happens. It shows up in Control Panel as "Sony DV Camcorder". That must be the number 1.

If I turn that camera off and move the cable to my Canon GL2, Movie Maker does not start....nothing happens. It shows up in Control Panel as "Canon DV Camcorder".

Evidently, the first time the Sony #2 got plugged in, the Question box came up and got rid of by clicking OK when it had Moviemaker highlighted and Do nothing was not checked.

So, How do I get that negated or removed? It would be OK to delete it somehow and then when I turn it on if the message box came up again and I carefully choose "Do Nothing" and then click OK. But How do I get to that point?

Thanks for your help.

Edit update:
I went into the Register and did a search for "Sony". Boy are there a bunch of them. Anyway, I found a group of devices with "MSTakeNoAction" including the Canon and a few other manufacturers. One of the Sony entries had "MSVideoCameraArrival". I changed it to "MSTakeNoAction". I exited Regedit and rebooted.
Now, when I turn that camera on, Movie Maker does not start. I do get the Question Box but it is empty and there are no choices in the box. I still click on the "Do This every Time" box and it goes away. Still, every time I turn the camera on, I get that empty box that I have to close. I would like to get it to not come up and ask the question but I can live with it doing that. At least, it does not start a program that I need to close before I proceed with what I want.

Any ideas?

[JohnnyMalaria]

I'll have a deeper look (I had to write a handler for one of our apps and the way Windows does it is rather complicated. I surprised that the registry thing didn't work, though).

[JohnnyMalaria]

There's a similar set in HKEY_CURRENT_USER:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\EventHandlersDefaultSelection\VideoCameraDeviceHandler

(Note, it is EventHandlersDefaultSelection and not EventHandlers as in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)

[kimco52]

I only have one entry in the registry for EventHandlersDefaultSelection and that value was set to nothing. I set it to VideoCameraDeviceHandler and that did not change anything. I still get the empty selection box.

Of course, I am poking around the registry with minimal knowledge of what I am doing. I wouldn't now how to remove that particular device completely so that it would start from scratch again with the full list in the selection box. I think that once I got that and selected "Take No Action" and select it to use it every time, then it would not bring up the box again.
But I don't know how to get to that point.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Removing a device is tedious - there are *lots* of entries including a whole bunch in the driver/hardware part. Internally, the camcorders are identified with really helpful names such as \\?\AVC#Sony&MOD_0&TYP_4&ID_0&DV#F44C5F0201460008 and things are horribly cross-referenced.

Try removing all the entries under HKCU\...\AutoPlayHandlers\EventHandlersDefaultSele ction and set (Default) to "MSTakeNoAction" without the quotation marks.

Under HKLM\...\AutoplayHandlers\EventHandlers\VideoCamer aArrival, remove the existing values and add a new string value named "MSTakeNoAction" - leave it as an empty string.

I'm not at a PC with a camcorder nearby so I can't verify these tonight. Supposedly with XP (not Vista), you can change the autoplay settings for a device by right-clicking on its entry in My Computer/Explorer, select Properties then the Autoplay tab.

[kimco52]

Yes, even longer and more obscure names, I have seen while searching.
I'll have to try your recent recommendations tomorrow. Right now I have to get to work.
I'll let you know what the results are.
Thank you.

[kimco52]

"Try removing all the entries under HKCU\...\AutoPlayHandlers\EventHandlersDefaultSele ction and set (Default) to "MSTakeNoAction" without the quotation marks. "

I did that. No noticeable change.

"Under HKLM\...\AutoplayHandlers\EventHandlers\VideoCamer aArrival, remove the existing values and add a new string value named "MSTakeNoAction" - leave it as an empty string."

There were no entries under EventHandlers. There is no VideoCameraArrival there.

"you can change the autoplay settings for a device by right-clicking on its entry in My Computer/Explorer, select Properties then the Autoplay tab. "
I am running XP Pro with SP3 and right clicking under it, when it appears, does not have an Autoplay Tab. There are only 2 tabs..... General and Color Management. There is only one option under General... "Test Camera". Color Management adds or removes color profiles.

So, no change.