what causes media sharing to be enabled

[bookouri]

We just started deploying win7pro on our domain and we have run into a problem that I can't answer. Some of the machines deployed have media player sharing enabled and we can't figure out what causes some machines to be enabled and some to not be enabled. In XP you could go into Media Player - Tools - Options - library and enable or disable the sharing service, but in win7 that setting is missing from media player as far as i can tell. But, the bottom line is that some workstations have the sharing service enabled and some have it set to manual. Does anybody know where/how this service gets enabled? Our users store all kinds of photos and stuff on their machines and we dont want them inadvertantly sharing their vacation photos to the whole domain.

The only solution I have found so far is to spot the "offending" clients and go to them and disable the sharing service. Can anybody tell me how this service gets changed to auto? Some setting the user can make? Some program installed that does it?

 

[dilettante]

You might consider the options at:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...sing-windows-media-player-enable-disable.html

 

[bookouri]

thanks, i can fix it by making registry changes. That would probably work. I'm more curious about what the "cause" of it being enabled is? Something has to "trigger" the service being turned on...

 

[dilettante]

I think it can be made active simply by plugging in a USB flash memory device or a phone. It is normally "on" by default. It can also be activated when the network is identified as a "private" network.

The feature seems to be fairly aggressive about wanting to be active.

Fudging that registry key is really just doing what the GPO is supposed to be used for, and isn't recommended. People can get pretty frustrated with the Group Policy tools though too, with the difficulty of finding what you want in there. The advantage is that in managed networks you can set such items without visiting each machine.

 

[bookouri]

I'm sure its going to be pretty easy to do a gpo to "fix" the problem, its just going to bug me until i can figure out what these people are doing to turn it on without knowing it...

all the machines are members of a domain on a private network etc..and all the machines start out from the same image and are identical brand, model, OS, everything....

 

[DrB0b]

If I was in your shoes, Id make a VM of a new 7 install and try some of the above things listed to see if it "auto" comes on. Plug in various USB devices, open player up to make sure it isnt set to auto but manual and see what changes it, try using some of its functionality and see if playing with it brings it to life....

"Silence is golden, duct tape is silver...

 

[linney]

Does this semi related post offer any clues?

How do I use a pictures library, but prevent windows media player from sharing it?

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-prevent/9f855d26-e7ed-4723-adaa-147b08afea7a

 

[bookouri]

i have extra machines and that's what i plan to do.. just sit down with a new imaged machine and see if i can reproduce the "problem"

maybe plug in some cameras, iphone, external hard drives or whatever i can find to test...