Disable Windows Media Player "media server" network locations

Question

I'm running Windows 8 and in the Computer menu, I see a huge list of "media server" network locations of many of the PCs in my network (most running Windows 7).

Is there a way to either locally disable this so I don't see this list every time, or disable this sharing feature on the other computers?

I've tried disabling "Media Streaming options" from the Network and Sharing Center (on my PC), but that had no effect.

Another thing I tried was enabling Media Streaming, but then selecting all the found clients and clicking Blocked in the list of found clients. That had no effect in removing the list either.

I've also attempted disabling the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, but alas, the list remains.

I'm starting to believe there's a magic registry key to unbury and flip to a "1", but all the searching I've done has come up empty.

Solution 1

I was encountering exact annooying problem and i found the answer in rhis thread: Niyamath Mohammed answer

1. Press Windows key + E on the keyboard to open Computer folder.
2. Click on Computer Tab on the top.
3. Click on Access Media in the ribbon.
4. Click on Disconnect from Media server and follow the onscreen instructions.

And it worked when i reopened explorer folder.

Solution 2

If you stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service in Services, does that help?

Comments

[Angie Lambert]

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts listed in that folder.

[David Ferenczy Rogožan]

@Moses But you have to disable it on the machines, which are running the Media Player Network Sharing, not on the machine, where you're listing them I guess.

[AnT]

"Disconnect from Media server" is grayed out. It is not possible to select it. Why would it be enabled, if we never connected to any media server in the first place?

[usr]

Deleting a built-in Windows service appears very unsafe and unnecessary.