Tech: Media virus?

Subject: Tech: Media virus?
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 05:11 PM

Is there a new one?
I use two programs, Windows Media and Mediamonkey, and they have both gone wrong.
Mediamonkey will only cycle through the library, ending up on a jazz tune that I didn't install, and which I have now removed. So now it cycles though the library and settles on something else, but when I click play, it just cycles through the library again.

Windows Media kept giving me error messages, can't find this and that, so I allowed it to delete everything it couldn't find, and it deleted EVERYTHING, all except that same jazz tune.
I wish I could remember the tune. Something by Mark Sales?. I deleted it manually in a fit of pique.

Seectind and deselecting changes nothing. Virus killer finds nothing.
The other thing that I've done, prior to having the problem, is to install Polderbite sound trialware and CD to MP3 freeware.

It isn't a tragedy, I have all the music in other formats, so it just means tedious reinstalling, But does anyone know of a virus that does this?   Chris.

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 07:25 PM

I haven't checked the news for about 7 or 8 hours, but haven't heard of a significant attack via Windows Media Player. It generally has been patched fairly quickly whenever anything has come up, if you're allowing Auto Updates from Microsoft.

I'm not familiar with Media Monkey, but a Wiki article indicates that updates have been frequent - two or three times per year. No indication if updates are or can be received automatically. A check with the supplier might find an update, or explanation of any recent "bug."

Media Monkey appears to be able to change formats "on the fly" and can "tag" individual files in multiple ways for selective sorting and playback. The capabilities seem "powerful" enough that an inadvertant re-sort might have the potential to scramble things(?).

Bottom line is that none of my "usual sources" have mentioned any viral attacks on either program; but any file of almost any kind can be compromised "in the usual ways."

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:05 PM

Things have turned "nasty" in cyberdom for the year 2008.

We have returned to the days of the "platform" and "compatability" WARS of more than decade ago. Eventualy "Netscape" lost the war ... to latter "win" the battle in court ... and "for sins committed" a non-profit foundation Bill&Milinda-Gates ... enriches the educational pockets of school administrators inside multiple "gifts" delivered under multiple tags.

Bottom line:

Reverse compatability NO MORE!

New media will not play on old software and old platforms (DOS 3.0, Win 97, 98, 2000, ME)

MS is again developing a web presence that does not like (or play well with) others on the "internet playground" Lynix, Opera, Mozilla (one of the very first 17 years agao to go "head to head")and a host of two score more.

MS was anticipated to reveal some of the new 2010 this week...they did not.

Good news ... the internet is returning back to the control of the "geeks".

Bad news ... if you want to play...you either learn ... or pay. Some folks will be mining pure gold as we transition from the final analog to fully digital

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

...Full disclosuer: I have invested funds in MSFT, INTC, BMFD, and MAX-Speigel ... no trading transactions will occur within 60 days of this posting...and the opinions expressed are the sole expression of the author.

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: Gurney
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 12:46 AM

Looks as if the answer to my question is no. Cold comfort.

John, the only thing that I did to MediaMonkey was to change the library catalogue from song-title order to singer order, a one-click process that I've done before with impunity.
You are right, the program is powerful. It will assign a decibel level to music and then arrange to play all at equivalent levels.

Tacky graphics though, and not quite as user-friendly as WMP, but it is free!

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: GUEST,Elfcall
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 02:59 AM

Gurney

If I undertsand your problem correctly - it could be that neither program can locate your library properly. In WMP I would be tempted to remove all tracks from the player and then reload your library from its source. I am not as au fait with MM although I have 'tinkered' I would imagine the process is fairly similar.

Elfcall

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: Gurney
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 01:48 AM

Elfcall, WMP has removed all tracks from the library all by itself, and I have never put songs into the player, playing them directly from the library. I am tempted to see if I can load the WMP library from the MM library, because MM hijacked most of its content from WMP in the first place.
At the moment I'm filling a MP3 player, and the MP# converter that I'm using (Free CD to MP3) turns CDs into WAV files at the same time as MP3 files, so that is a start in the refilling process.

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 06:31 AM

It has been quite common for printers and cameras to come with software that you are urged to install, but for which there is NO INFORMATION prior to installation about what the software is going to do to for you. Many of these programs arbitrarily move all your photos to new folders they create, relable them according to their own "classification schemes" and otherwise f**k up what you've had organized to your own complete satisfaction.

I have learned (from bitter experience) to avoid anything that either a camera maker of "photo printer" maker says is "good for me."

I don't "do audio" so can't comment from experience; but the reviews of some of the commonly available programs imply that they may "do everything that's good for you" in similar ways. While I don't have any reason to believe that either of the programs named here are in that category, I would not be surprised to hear of "disappearing files" with a number of nominally similar "organizers" I've seen reviewed, and similar functions seem to be integral to some of the download site programs(?).

Some of what is offered might actually be helpful, if you knew what it was doing or was going to do; but I guess I'm just to old-fashioned to "take it on faith" without some idea of how it works - in advance of using it.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: Gurney
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 06:54 PM

Elfcall, on rereading your post, I realise that you thought that I had a separate Library. No I was using WMPs Library. When I installed MM, it took unto itself a COPY of WMPs library.
As I said, it had features that WMP didn't, which made it better for random playing whilst at the computer.

John, I once had a program CALLED HiJack, which did exactly that, as you say. Then the company disappeared, new graphics coding came in, and HiJack proved hard to uninstall. File by file.

Subject: RE: Tech: Media virus?
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 03:30 AM

New CDs ripped to WMP seen to be behaving perfectly.
MM cycles through the library still, settles on something other than the selected track, and now a new symptom. It 'stutters' at the start of the track, repeating the first few notes about 8 times, and then playing it properly.
I think this is a worm. I'll get in touch with Tucows tomorrow and ask them. In the meantime, I'd advise you, DON'T download 'POLDERBITS' or 'Free CD to MP3' software from them.