Reference number: CH000130

Enabling / disabling Windows AutoPlay.

Issue:

Enabling / disabling Windows AutoPlay

Cause:

It has been discovered that this option can be disabled by software, the manufacturer of the computer, or in some cases it can be disabled if the computer crashes during the execution of an AutoPlay CD. Below is steps how to enable and disable the Microsoft Windows AutoPlay feature for data and audio CDs.

Solution:

Before attempting the below instructions ensure the CD that may not be AutoPlaying is capable of doing this. Not all CDs are capable of being auto played. CDs that are AutoPlay data CD's will have a "autorun.inf" file in the root directory of the CD.

Enabling Microsoft Windows AutoPlay
Disabling Microsoft Windows AutoPlay

Enabling Microsoft Windows AutoPlay

Enabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows 95, 98, and ME)
Enabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows NT and 2000)
Enabling AutoPlay on a data and audio CD (Windows XP)
Enabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 98, ME, and 2000)
Enabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 95)

Enabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows 95, 98, and ME)

1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click the System icon
2. Open Device Manager
3. Click the + next to CD-ROM and double-click the currently installed CD-ROM drive.
4. In the CD-ROM properties click the Settings Tab and verify that there is a check within the Auto Insert Notification section. If there is no check in this box, place a check into the box, then click Ok and restart the computer.

Enabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows NT and 2000)

Note: Performing the below steps will require that you edit the system registry. Make sure you are aware of the issues that could occur if the incorrect registry entry is made.

1. Click Start, Run, type regedit and press enter.
2. In the Registry Editor open the below registry key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
   System\
   CurrentControlSet\
   Services\
   Cdrom\
   
   
3. When in the Cdrom folder change the Autorun from a '0' to a '1'
4. Close the Registry Editor.

Enabling AutoPlay on a data and audio CD (Windows XP)

1. Open My Computer or Explorer
2. Highlight the CD-ROM drive, right-click the CD-ROM drive and click properties.
3. Click the AutoPlay tab. Within this section you will be able to specify all Windows AutoPlay features.

Enabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 98, ME, and 2000)

1. Click Start, Programs, Windows Explorer
2. Within Explorer click View and then Folder Options.
3. Click the File Types tab and locate "CD Audio Track" category within the list of available file types.
4. Highlight "CD Audio Track" and click Edit or Advanced.
5. In the Actions category double-click the option listed Play; if this is not listed, see the next paragraph.
6. If you wish to use the default Windows CD player ensure that within the "Application used to perform the action" section is c:\windows\cdplayer.exe -play .
7. Once set make sure this action is the Default.

If Play was not an option listed when following the above steps, in the "Edit File Type" window click New, for the Action type Play, for the Application used to perform this action type c:\windows\cdplayer.exe -play .

Note: The above steps are for setting audio CDs to be played with the default Microsoft Windows CD player. If you have a different CD player you want to use you will need to edit the play to point to the program you wish to play your CDs.

Enabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 95)

1. Open My Computer click View, Options, File Types
2. Highlight the "Audio CD" section and click edit. 
3. Double-click the Play option and ensure that the Application used to perform this action is cdplayer /play. If this appears to be set properly, click ok and ensure that the play is bold indicating that it is set as the default action.

Note: The above steps are for setting audio CDs to be played with the default Microsoft Windows CD player. If you have a different CD player you want to use you will need to edit the play to point to the program you wish to play your CDs.

Disabling AutoPlay

Tip: You can temporarily disable the AutoPlay feature by holding down the left shift key as the CD begins to run. In addition if you wish to browse the contents of the CD open My Computer, right-click the CD-ROM drive and choose explore. 

If you wish to permanently disable the AutoPlay feature follow the below steps for your version of Microsoft Windows.

Disabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows 95, 98, and ME)
Disabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows NT and 2000)
Disabling AutoPlay on a data and audio CD (Windows XP)
Disabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 98, ME, and 2000)
Disabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 95)

Disabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows 95, 98, and ME)

1. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click the System icon
2. Open Device Manager
3. Click the + next to CD-ROM and double-click the currently installed CD-ROM drive.
4. In the CD-ROM properties click the Settings Tab and verify that there is not a check within the Auto Insert Notification section.

If the My Autorun or AutoPlay feature still does not work after following the above recommendations and you are running Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98.

It is possible that after attempting to follow the above recommendations that the computer will still not AutoPlay CDs. If this is the case you may want to try the below solution, providing you are aware how to navigate the computer registry and are familiar with the possible issues that can be caused when editing the registry.  You can find this information on our Registry page.

Within regedit, navigate into the below folders.

HKEY_USERS\
.DEFAULT\
SOFTWARE\
MICROSOFT\
Windows\
CURRENTVERSION\
POLICIES\
EXPLORER\

Once within the Explorer folder, double-click the entry: "NoDriveTypeAutoRun" if present and change the value to "95 00 00 00"

If NoDriveTypeAutoRun is not present, follow the below steps:

click Edit from the drop down menu
click new
click binary value
enter "NoDriveTypeAutoRun" as the name
enter "95 00 00 00" as the value

Once the above has been completed, exit regedit and reboot the computer; your issue should be resolved.

Disabling AutoPlay on a data CD (Windows NT and 2000)

Note: Performing the below steps will require that you edit the system registry. Make sure you are aware of the issues that could occur if the incorrect registry entry is made.

1. Click Start, Run, type regedit and press enter.
2. In the Registry Editor open the below registry key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
   System\
   CurrentControlSet\
   Services\
   Cdrom\
   
   
3. When in the Cdrom folder change the Autorun from a '1' to a '0'
4. Close the Registry Editor.

Disabling AutoPlay on a data and audio CD (Windows XP)

1. Open My Computer or Explorer
2. Highlight the CD-ROM drive, right-click the CD-ROM drive and click properties.
3. Click the AutoPlay tab. Within this section you will be able to specify all Windows AutoPlay features.

Disabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 98, ME, and 2000)

1. Click Start, Programs, Windows Explorer
2. Within Explorer click View and then Folder Options.
3. Click the File Types tab and locate " CD Audio Track" category within the list of available file types.
4. Highlight " CD Audio Track" and click Edit or Advanced.
5. In the Actions category change the default from Play to Open or none.

Disabling AutoPlay on an audio CD (Windows 95)

1. Open My Computer click View, Options, File Types
2. Highlight the " Audio CD" section and click edit. 
3. Change the default action from Play to Open or none.

Additional information:

• Additional information about the AutoPlay feature can be found on our AutoPlay dictionary definition.