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Topic: How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA (Read 55533 times) previous topic - next topic
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How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Windows or Windows Media Player 11 keep creating Folder.jpg and multiple AlbumArtSmall.jpg's in my music folders.  (I haven't opened WMP in 2 years and all downloading information options are set to off).  It may happen just from visiting the folder, or maybe clicking on the mp3's, I have no idea.

How do you stop this behavior?

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #1 –
You can't.

Like it or not, Folder.jpg (and the other equivalent hidden/system files) is considered a reserved file by the Windows shell and WMP 11... as such, it can and will process or create them with a standard size of 200 x 200.

So, ignore them... that's why they are generally hidden.

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #2 –
"You can't stop it" does seem to be the concensus, sadly.

However, I came across a simple batch script you can run periodically (perhaps on startup) that will purge your folders of AlbumArtSmall.jpg and Folder.jpg.

Run it from the root of your music collection or C: if you never want to see these files anywhere on your hard drive.

[blockquote]REM - Remove Hidden and System attributes, recursively
attrib -S -H AlbumArtSmall.jpg /S

REM - Delete any file called AlbumArt.jog, recursively
del /S AlbumArtSmall.jpg

pause
  attrib -S -H Folder.jpg /S
  del /S Folder.jpg

[/blockquote]Hope that helps.

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #3 –
For those who use folder.jpg to display album art and every now and run run WMP and don't want your carefully-assembled album art overwritten by 200x200 images: setup a periodic backup and sync profile.
After WMP has replaced your folder.jpg image once, it will not do so again. And have your backup sync the original folder.jpg back.
I also set my backup program to automatically delete AlbumArtSmall.jpg files.
God kills a kitten every time you encode with CBR 320

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #4 –
Windows Media Player >> (alt key) >> Tools >> Options >> Library >> uncheck the 'retrieve additional information from internet'

I think that stops it.

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #5 –
You might try
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences]
"LargeAlbumArtSize"=dword:ffffffff
"SmallAlbumArtSize"=dword:ffffffff

Don't know if this work for WMP11
See http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/WMP12/AlbumArt.htm for more details
TheWellTemperedComputer.com

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #6 –
Quote from: spoon on
Windows Media Player >> (alt key) >> Tools >> Options >> Library >> uncheck the 'retrieve additional information from internet'

I think that stops it.

If WMP were a rational program, that would stop it. However, it still grabs art even when that is unchecked.
God kills a kitten every time you encode with CBR 320

How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #7 –
Possible solution:

Gather info on process and file activity for a while using Process Monitor and Process Hacker
then, using the program Sandboxie, force WMP and its "unwanted new data" to redirect to a locked-down sandbox every time it loads.

This Sandboxie solution requires no constant user interaction once it is configured.
Every now and then just empty the WMP sandbox contents (just like you do with the Recycle Bin).

Re: How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #9 –
So any solution for WMP 12?

Re: How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #10 –
Desinstall it !

Re: How to stop Windows (Media Player) from creating Folder.jpg and AlbumA

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Hitesh on
So any solution for WMP 12?
Hi. Just registered to answer this 10-year-old question. In short, if anybody still need to get rid of AlbumArtSmall, then one should go to C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player, find "Art Cache" folder and replace it with a file with the same name. That's it, You won't see any trash anymore. Don't tell Microsoft.

I wrote a post about it recently, cause this behaviour makes me mad too. A more complicated solution is described there as well, but it's all in russian: (edit: Link removed, please first participate normally on the forum before linking your site. Thank you. -Admin)