Identifying the Problem
Using Media Tools 7
Media Tools 9
Window Media Player 8 & 9
Neutering WMP's Registry ability to URL
the Hex Edit Way
Nothing Worse than downloading a media clip to only
find yourself in IE pop up URL hell. So you swear off downloading *.asf and *.wmv
files, only to find that you now are getting this obscenity in *.avi and *.mpg
clips. Well, the spam-ad masters have noticed a small trick in windows media
player. WMP will play any clip it can load a codec for, no matter what extension
is on the clip. I have yet to find any avi, mpg, or mov clip that loaded a url
that was not a renamed wmv or asf clip. And if you wish to keep it but remove
the url, this is how:
Confirm the file is indeed a wmv by Opening it in WindowsMediaPlayer,
then click on FILE / PROPERTIES / ADVANCED. Look to the bottom "Codecs in
use:". of this window. 
See that despite the "movie.MPG" in the title the codec
being used is WMV8. Now you know the fixes you're about to be shown will work.
Media Player
6.x and 7
1. If you didn't download and already install the Complete
Windows Media Resource Kit 7 beta 3 from Microsoft, find someone who did and
get it from them. This has been tested on 98, Me, and Xp.
2. Rename the clip from the incorrect extension to the
correct one - in the above from Rene Bus_10.mpg to Rene Bus_10.wmv.
3. From the start menu, select Windows Media Advanced
Script Indexer from the Windows Media / Windows Media 7 Resource folder.
4. Now find and open the renamed file:
5. Find the URL script in the lower right hand corner -
6.Simply highlight the script, and click delete on your keyboard.
7. Then simply select save:
8. Close the indexer and enjoy your pop up free clip.
Media Tools 9
With thanks to and help from Pony in Tampa. M$
first pulled the plug on your ability to remove embedded scripts under the guise
of "improved content control" - read Digtial Rights Management. The
new Windows Media Encoder 9 Series download includes four new utilities that
replace previous Resource Kit components:
1. Windows Media
Encoding Script - Enables batch encoding or automation of routine
tasks.
2. Windows Media
Profile Editor - Enables you to create custom profiles for
encoding sessions.
3. Windows Media
File Editor - Trim the start and end points of a file; add metadata,
markers and script commands (this is the feature
you're looking for); and, for multi-channel files,
control the fold-down for stereo playback.
4. Windows Media
Stream Editor - Enables you to split or combine streams in existing
Windows Media files in order to create new files.
Just open Media Editor, insert the file:
Select
Script Commands, 
and simply remove the url command. to
completely remove the clip's ability to send you to pop-up hell.
Media Player 8
& 9 - XP again, thanks go to
Pony In Tampa, without whom I would have not noticed this. He reports:
After installing the Win Media 9 beta, I tried playing
the some "mpg" files from a spam site. It refused saying:
Or 
The difference in the above is based on
which version of the new Media player you have. Once renaming them to WMV (the
correct extension for the encoding codec) they played fine except they have
scripts in them.
It seems there are some good things in Media Player 9. There
is also a setting under tools to refuse to execute scripts.
Simply open Tools: 
Select Options.... then the Security tab
Then
unclick the "Run script commands when present" and hit Apply.
Another day away from pop up script hell.
Neutering WMP's
ability to URL
NOT for the faint at heart! If you haven't edited your reistry, don't try
this.
The following was done on Windows 2000, but the process should be the same
for Nt and Xp:
(by Download Junkie DownloadJunkie@
When you're playing a media file in MP and it opens a website in your
browser that you didn't want to visit......
To disable processing of HTML scripts in Media Player
===========================================
1. Open your registry and find or create the key
below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences
2. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing
value, called "PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled" and set it to 0.
User Key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences]
Value Name: PlayerScriptCommandsEnabled
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (0 = disable script, 1 = enable script)
Hey presto....no more websites popping up !
Works on Windows 2K so should be ok for NT and XP. Not sure about Win9x but
give it a try.
regards,
DJ
the Hex Edit Way
There's an easy way to fix it if you have a hex (binary) editor like HEdit
for example.
1. Open the video file and near the top of the file you'll
see the text U.R.L.h.t.t.p././.w.w.w. etc. etc.
2. Simply change the U to E or anything to stop it
spelling "URL" and you're done.
Sometimes there are two within close proximity so make sure you get both of
them.
Hope that helps.
DJ
TL's note: This can also be done using Wordpad in windows - the URL will
still stand out.
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