Under
Windows Operating Systems, inserting a
CD into your
CD drive (
audio or
data) will commonly cause a program to run.
Audio CDs cause the program associated with
audio CDs (typically
Winamp or
Windows Media Player) to start, while
data CDs commonly cause a
developer-specified program to run (usually an
install executable).
Autorun (aka autoplay) data CDs check for a file named AUTORUN.INF in the root directory of the CD in order to determine which program to execute.
Your typical AUTORUN.INF:
[autorun]
OPEN=SETUP.EXE
ICON=IMAGES\CDICON.ICO
How to (temporarily) disable autoplay/autorun:
Hold down the left shift key until the CD drive has finished its initial spin.
How to (permanently) disable autoplay/autorun:
- Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel
- Double-click the System icon
- Under the Device Manager tab, click the plus sign next to 'CDROM'
- Double-click the entry for your CD drive
- Under the Settings tab, uncheck the Auto Insert Notification box
Voila!