Auto actions/ options dialog box gone from XP ..

[97tbird]

Win XP Pro:

you know that dialog box that pops up automatically when you insert a USB drive, CD, DVD, connect a camera, etc etc?
it has the options such as "load photos..", "play DVD/CD using....", "burn contents.... "always perform this action..." etc.

I must have clicked "do not show this box" checkbox or something without meaning to, 'cause now when i connect a USB flashdrive or put in a cd/dvd, that auto diaolg box never pops up...the laptop just doesn't do anything, so I have to go to "my computer" and select the E dtive, and do everything manually. DVDs and CDs also don't play automatically of course.

How do I get that auto diaog box back?

Thanks.

 

[Moose016]

If it were just the CD drive I would say do the following:

1 Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box,
and then press ENTER.
2 Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CDRom

To disable automatically running CD-ROMs, change the
Autorun value to 0 (zero). To enable automatically running
CD-ROMs, change the Autorun value to 1.
Restart your computer.

but since it seems to be all autoplay I would try:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

and look up the fix for restoring autoplay,load it,open
it,may want to save it for next time,then open it up and
run it. Haven't used it myself, but looks like some people have.

 

[youdontwannaknow]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
How do I get that auto diaog box back?



Try this -
Go to My Computer. Right click on the drive or device for which you want these options to come back. Then select Properties. Then go to the "Autoplay" tab. Select "prompt me each time..."

hope this helps.

 

[97tbird]

thanks for the replies.

what youdontwannknow suggested did not work...i guess i might have to fool with the registry...

oh btw, how does on UNinstall VMWare work station? I can't find it on the list of programs

Thanks.

 

[97tbird]

ok i uninstalled the VMware i had, and VMware was disabling the autoplay function.

Now I have a new problem: when I try to restart (by going to turn off--> restart), the laptop shutsdown and STAYS shutdown...it does NOT restart!!! until i press the start button manually...

had VMware messed with the start up or reboot stuff???

any ideas?

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

There's an option on VMWare Workstation to enable/disable AutoRun....

 

[97tbird]

yeah i found it and then uninstalled VMware

and now i see that my laptop doesn't RESTART- i wonder if VMware had altered something in start up - when I try to restart (by going to turn off--> restart), the laptop shuts down and STAYS shutdown...it does NOT restart!!! until i press the start button manually...

it's more like it does not completely shut down before restarting...

after shut off--> restart is hit, win xp logs off, saves settings, and the blue screen goes away like normal, THEN the screen goes blank; BUT i still hear the fan going after the screen goes blank, then i have to hold the start button and then i hear the fan stop . nothing happens; THEN i hit the start button and win xp boots like normal...

like a dummy when i was uninstalling VMware, i answered "yes" when it asked me if i want to keep the settings in VMware in case I need to install it again or something...

would REinstalling VMware and uninstalling again without saving any settings work ???

system restore could not restore to a point before VMware UNinstall ...

 

[97tbird]

okay; it's fixed, but idk which of the 2 following things fixed it:

1. did another system restore on safe mode - still said it could not restore to the point i selected BUT it was able to restart the laptop like normal !!!

2. did a registry restore by using a CCleaner restore point i had created earlier sometime ago, when i did a registry cleaning with ccleaner at that time...

anyway, all seems normal now

haven't tested autoplay yet as i don't have a USB device or a CD (i am not at home) - will update when I test.

 

[97tbird]

restart ok - autoplay still no go

 

[97tbird]

UPDATE:

i got it fixed; i am sure you guys' suggestion would have worked but I found a MS program called Autofix.exe and just ran it, and it fixed everything..

Thanks a lot for the help, guys