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Remove Windows Media Player pinned taskbar item

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Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to remove the default pinned windows media player from the taskbar with a script/GPO. The lnk files for the pinned items are saved in this folder:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

but if you delete it there the icon will turn white and will no longer be accesible. When you try to click it an error pops up allowing you to remove the pinned item.

This is probably because the pinned links are stored on the files system, but additional info on the pinned items is stored in a binary registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband\FavoritesResolve

Is there a way I can do this with a script/GPO or API call somehow?

Cheers, Michiel

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 2:11 PM

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Hi MichB,

Per the windows sdk for windows 7, a small set of applications are pinned by default for new installations. Other than these, only the user can pin further applications; programmatic pinning by an application is not permitted.

Therefore, I think the programmtic interface for adding/removing them are quite limited. As you mentioend that deleting items under
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

is not complete, you can try using processMonitor to capture all the file/registry related activities to see whether there is anything else related to the taskbar item.
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.
- Marked as answer by MichB Monday, August 17, 2009 11:44 AM
Friday, August 14, 2009 8:09 AM

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Right click of any Taskbar icon I have shows "Unpin this program from the task bar" which I just did.
I then started it from Start menu, Right clicked its active taskbar icon & slected "Pin this icon to the task bar".

Why would you want script to do it? Don't answer this question if it answers your question

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 4:58 PM
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Hi,

Thanks for our answer.

I'm creating images completely unattended so I would like to remove the windows media player pin automatically instead of pausing the image building process just to unpin wmp from the taskbar. It was a decision of management to have the wmp icon removed from the taskbar so I have to figure something out how to remove it programmatically.

Cheers, Michiel

Thursday, August 13, 2009 7:04 AM
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In File you mention there is also Desktop.ini where in:
[LocalizedFileNames]
Windows Explorer.lnk=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-22067
Media Center.lnk=@%systemroot%\ehome\ehres.dll,-100
Internet Explorer.lnk=@%windir%\System32\ie4uinit.exe,-731
Windows Media Player.lnk=@%SystemRoot%\system32\unregmp2.exe,-4

Removal from here & the shortcut does not drop TBar icon in current session but would in next.

The Media player's Icon in Start shortcut:
{"C:\%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /prefetch:1}

When right clicked has Unpin from task bar or Pin to task bar depending on pinned staus,
this can be chosen without invoking Wmplayer.
In Registry: wmplayer.exe ? Unpin, Taskband Pin; ImplementsVerbs taskbarpin;taskbarunpin

Trying it in CMD.EXE I do not know how the shortcut is being used to do this; for instance,
{"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /taskbarpin} runs the player but does not pin it to TBar

This added info. may help you if you know what to do with it. I do not.

Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:25 AM
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Hi MichB,

Per the windows sdk for windows 7, a small set of applications are pinned by default for new installations. Other than these, only the user can pin further applications; programmatic pinning by an application is not permitted.

Therefore, I think the programmtic interface for adding/removing them are quite limited. As you mentioend that deleting items under
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

is not complete, you can try using processMonitor to capture all the file/registry related activities to see whether there is anything else related to the taskbar item.
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.
- Marked as answer by MichB Monday, August 17, 2009 11:44 AM
Friday, August 14, 2009 8:09 AM
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I don't know what Pin Unpin means to your process, but it could be avoided if you put Media Player shortcut into your own Taskbar or just had it on Desktop?

Friday, August 14, 2009 12:01 PM
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If you are using Sysprep and an .xml file from WSIM, under Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup > WindowsFeatures (add to pass 7 oobe System), there is an option to "ShowWindowsMediaPlayer". Set that to False, and Media Player will not appear on the Taskbar.

Now if anyone can tell me how to also remove Windows Explorer from the Taskbar, that would be great. WSIM does not have an option to "ShowWindowsExplorer".

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:40 PM
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If you are using Sysprep and an .xml file from WSIM, under Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup > WindowsFeatures (add to pass 7 oobe System), there is an option to "ShowWindowsMediaPlayer". Set that to False, and Media Player will not appear on the Taskbar.

Now if anyone can tell me how to also remove Windows Explorer from the Taskbar, that would be great. WSIM does not have an option to "ShowWindowsExplorer".

Ukon,

Did you find an answer for this? I'd also like to do the same with the IE icon.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 10:19 PM
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Were you able to find a solution to remove Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer from the taskbar? Looks like MS produced an actual blog post on how to customize the start menu and taskbar but they mention that you can't. Kinda sucks not having a choice in the matter.

http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/archive/2010/03/16/how-to-customize-the-windows-7-start-menu-and-taskbar-using-unattend-xml.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage

Thursday, April 15, 2010 9:29 PM

I forget where I found this but this VB script works - usually (I'm also running it automatically after imaging process - since it has to run per user). originally I think it was written to add items but I've changed it to work to remove. so some of the comments may not be accurate... sorry for the inconsistencies if there are any but I'm too busy at the moment:

Option Explicit
'On Error Resume Next

Dim blnPinned
Dim blnTaskbar

Dim i
Dim intOpMode

Dim objWshShell
Dim objFSO
Dim objShell

Dim strPath
Dim strArguments
Dim strOptionsMessage

' Define constants
Const CONST_ERROR        = 0
Const CONST_WSCRIPT       = 1
Const CONST_CSCRIPT       = 2
Const CONST_SHOW_USAGE     = 3
Const CONST_PROCEED       = 4
Const CONST_STRING_NOT_FOUND  = -1
Const CONST_FOR_READING     = 1
Const CONST_FOR_WRITING     = 2
Const CONST_FOR_APPENDING    = 8
Const CONST_Success       = 0
Const CONST_Failure       = 1

Const TRISTATE_USE_DEFAULT   = -2
Const TRISTATE_TRUE       = -1 'Open the file as Unicode. 
Const TRISTATE_FALSE      = 0  'Open the file as ASCII. 

blnTaskbar = False

'*****************************************************************************
'* Create Objects
'*****************************************************************************

Set objWshShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")


'********************************************************************
'* Check script host exe and parse command line
'********************************************************************

'Get the command line arguments
For i = 0 to Wscript.arguments.count - 1
  ReDim Preserve arrArguments(i)
  arrArguments(i) = Wscript.arguments.item(i)
Next

'Check whether the script is run using CScript
Select Case intChkProgram()
  Case CONST_CSCRIPT
    'Do Nothing
  Case CONST_WSCRIPT
    WScript.Echo "Please run this script using CScript." & vbCRLF & _
      "This can be achieved by" & vbCRLF & _
      "1. Using ""CScript MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows 95/98 or" & VbCrLf & _
      "2. Changing the default Windows Scripting Host setting to CScript" & vbCRLF & _
      "  using ""CScript //H:CScript //S"" and running the script using" & vbCRLF & _
      "  ""MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows NT."
    WScript.Quit
  Case Else
    WScript.Quit
End Select

'Parse the command line
Err.Clear()
intOpMode = intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage)

If Err.Number Then
  Wscript.Echo "Error 0X" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred in parsing the command line."
  If Err.Description <> "" Then
    Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "."
  End If
  'WScript.quit
End If

Select Case intOpMode
  Case CONST_SHOW_USAGE
    Call ShowUsage()
    WScript.quit
  Case CONST_PROCEED
    'Do nothing.
  Case CONST_ERROR
    WScript.quit
  Case Else
    Wscript.Echo "Error occurred in passing parameters."
End Select


'********************************************************************
'* Main Script
'********************************************************************

WScript.Echo strOptionsMessage

blnPinned = PinItem(strPath, blnTaskbar)
WScript.Echo "Item unpinned: " & CStr(blnPinned)

If blnPinned Then
  WScript.Quit(0)
Else
  WScript.Quit(0)
End If


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function intChkProgram()
'*
'* Purpose: Determines which program is used to run this script.
'*
'* Input:  None
'*
'* Returns: intChkProgram is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_WSCRIPT,
'*      and CONST_CSCRIPT.
'*
'********************************************************************
Private Function intChkProgram()

  ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

  Dim i
  Dim j
  Dim strFullName
  Dim strCommand

  'strFullName should be something like C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\CSCRIPT.EXE
  strFullName = WScript.FullName
  If Err.Number then
    Wscript.Echo "Error 0x" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred."
    If Err.Description <> "" Then
      Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "."
    End If
    intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR
    Exit Function
  End If

  i = InStr(1, strFullName, ".exe", 1)
  If i = 0 Then
    intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR
    Exit Function
  Else
    j = InStrRev(strFullName, "\", i, 1)
    If j = 0 Then
      intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR
      Exit Function
    Else
      strCommand = Mid(strFullName, j+1, i-j-1)
      Select Case LCase(strCommand)
        Case "cscript"
          intChkProgram = CONST_CSCRIPT
        Case "wscript"
          intChkProgram = CONST_WSCRIPT
        Case Else    'should never happen
          Wscript.Echo "An unexpected program is used to run this script."
          Wscript.Echo "Only CScript.Exe or WScript.Exe can be used to run this script."
          intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR
      End Select
    End If
  End If

End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function intParseCmdLine()
'*
'* Purpose: Parses the command line.
'*
'* Input:  arrArguments       An array containing input from the command line
'*
'* Input:  strPath          Path of exe to pin
'*      strOptionsMessage     String containing options selected
'*
'* Returns: intParseCmdLine is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_SHOW_USAGE,
'*      and CONST_PROCEED.
'*
'********************************************************************
Private Function intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage)

  ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

  Dim i
  Dim strFlag
  Dim strSwitchValue
  
  strFlag = arrArguments(0)
  Err.Clear()

  'Help is needed
  If (strFlag = "") OR (strFlag="help") OR (strFlag="/h") OR (strFlag="\h") OR (strFlag="-h") _
    OR (strFlag = "\?") OR (strFlag = "/?") OR (strFlag = "?") OR (strFlag="h") Then
    intParseCmdLine = CONST_SHOW_USAGE
    Exit Function
  End If

  strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "" & VbCrLf
  strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & WScript.ScriptName & VbCrLf
  strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "" & VbCrLf
  strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Command Line Options:" & vbCrLf
  strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "=======================================" & VbCrLf

  For i = 0 to UBound(arrArguments)
    strFlag = Left(arrArguments(i), InStr(1, arrArguments(i), ":")-1)
    If Err.Number Then      'An error occurs if there is no : in the string
      Err.Clear
      Select Case LCase(arrArguments(i))
        Case "/q"
          blnQuiet = True
          strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Supress Console Output: " & blnQuiet & VbCrLf
        Case "/taskbar"
          blnTaskbar = True
          strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "unPin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu: " & blnTaskbar & VbCrLf
        Case Else
          Wscript.Echo arrArguments(i) & " is not recognized as a valid input."
          intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
          Exit Function
      End Select
    Else
      strSwitchValue = Right(arrArguments(i), Len(arrArguments(i))-(Len(strFlag)+1))
      Select Case LCase(strFlag)
        Case "/item"
          strPath = strSwitchValue
          strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Item to unpin to Start Menu or Taskbar: " & strPath & VbCrLf
        Case else
          Wscript.Echo "Invalid flag " & strFlag & "."
          Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
          intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
          Exit Function
      End Select
    End If
  Next

  If (strPath = "") Then
    Wscript.Echo "The /item switch is required"
    Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
    intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
    Exit Function
  End If

  intParseCmdLine = CONST_PROCEED

End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function PinItem()
'*
'* Purpose: unPin item to the taskbar.
'*
'* Input:     strlPath     Path of exe to pin
'*         blnTaskbar    unPin item to Taskbar instead of Start Menu if true
'*
'* Dependencies:  objShell     Shell.Application object
'*         objFSO      File System object
'*
'* Returns:    True if the shortcut is removed, else false
'*
'********************************************************************
Function PinItem(strlPath, blnTaskbar)
  On Error Resume Next

  Dim colVerbs
  Dim itemverb
  
  Dim objFolder
  Dim objFolderItem

  Dim strFolder
  Dim strFile

  If objFSO.FileExists(strlPath) Then
    '***** Do nothing, folder exists
  Else
    '***** Folder does not exist
    PinItem = False
    WScript.Echo "File to unpin does not exist."
    WScript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
    Exit Function
  End If

  strFolder = objFSO.GetParentFolderName(strlPath)
  strFile = objFSO.GetFileName(strlPath)

  WScript.Echo "Folder: " & strFolder
  WScript.Echo "File: " & strFile

  Err.Clear
  Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strFolder)
  Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(strFile)

  ' ***** InvokeVerb for this does not work on Vista/WS2008
  'objFolderItem.InvokeVerb("P&in to Start Menu")

  ' ***** This code works on Vista/WS2008
  Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs

  If blnTaskbar Then
    For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs
      If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Unpin from Taskbar" Then itemverb.DoIt
    Next 
  Else
    For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs
      If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Unpin from Start Menu" Then itemverb.DoIt
    Next 
  End If

  If Err.Number = 0 Then
    PinItem = True
  Else
    PinItem = False
  End If
End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Sub ShowUsage()
'*
'* Purpose:  Shows the correct usage to the user.
'*
'* Input:   None
'*
'* Output:  Help messages are displayed on screen.
'*
'********************************************************************
Sub ShowUsage()
  WScript.Echo "This script is used to unPin items to the Taskbar."
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo "Usage: cscript " & WScript.ScriptName & " [options]"
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo "Options:"
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo " /item:<PathName>    Path of item to pin."
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo " /taskbar        (Optional) Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu."
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo " /?           (Optional) Displays this help text."
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo ""
  WScript.Echo ""
End Sub

and you can run it like so:

cscript "\\server\share\UnPinItem.vbs" /item:"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /taskbar

Lawfirm IT guy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 7:17 PM

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you can use a script like this to modify superbar or start menu pinto

Const CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS = &H17
Const CSIDL_PROGRAMS = &H2
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objAllUsersProgramsFolder = objShell.NameSpace(CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS)
Set objUsersProgramsFolder = objShell.NameSpace(CSIDL_PROGRAMS)

strAllUsersProgramsPath = objAllUsersProgramsFolder.Self.Path
strUsersProgramsPath = objUsersProgramsFolder.Self.Path

' For Office 2007 Applications
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office")

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Microsoft Office Excel 2007.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Microsoft Office Word 2007.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next

' For DM
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strAllUsersProgramsPath & "\Microsoft Office")

' For Internet Explorer
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strUsersProgramsPath)
Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("Internet Explorer.lnk")
Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objVerb in colVerbs
    If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt
Next
Jay Parekh Project Leadership Associates

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 2:23 PM
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If you are using Sysprep and an .xml file from WSIM, under Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup > WindowsFeatures (add to pass 7 oobe System), there is an option to "ShowWindowsMediaPlayer". Set that to False, and Media Player will not appear on the Taskbar.

Now if anyone can tell me how to also remove Windows Explorer from the Taskbar, that would be great. WSIM does not have an option to "ShowWindowsExplorer".
Note that the ShowWindowsMediaPlayer setting removes WMP ENTRY POINTS. So it will also remove the icon from the start menu.
Moo.

Friday, February 17, 2012 3:22 PM
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Right click of any Taskbar icon I have shows "Unpin this program from the task bar" which I just did.
I then started it from Start menu, Right clicked its active taskbar icon & slected "Pin this icon to the task bar".

Why would you want script to do it? Don't answer this question if it answers your question

Because some of us need to prepare machines for use in
a business. Try removing this manually on a couple thousand machines.

Thursday, March 22, 2012 5:34 PM
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Create a GPP: User Configuration - Preference - Windows Settings - Files - New File

Set action to "Delete"

Delete Files: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Windows Media Player.lnk

In Common: Apply once and do not reapply. (So if a user wants to put it back)

Far easier than all these scripts.
- Edited by Craig COoksey Wednesday, May 15, 2013 9:46 AM
- Proposed as answer by dstones Friday, July 5, 2013 6:46 PM
- Unproposed as answer by dstones Friday, July 5, 2013 6:46 PM
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 9:46 AM
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Create a GPP: User Configuration - Preference - Windows Settings - Files - New File

Set action to "Delete"

Delete Files: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\Windows Media Player.lnk

In Common: Apply once and do not reapply. (So if a user wants to put it back)

Far easier than all these scripts.

This seems to accomplish the task partially, but the icon seems to stay visible in the task bar. When a user clicks on it for the first time, a message pops up stating: Can't open this item - "It might have been moved, renamed, or deleted. Do you want to remove this item?" If you click yes, the link on the task bar goes away. Sure, that works, but for the anything but savvy user, this is going to alert them and cause calls to the helpdesk.

Have you found a way to simply remove the taskbar icon for the user as well?
- Edited by dstones Friday, July 5, 2013 6:52 PM rewording
Friday, July 5, 2013 6:51 PM
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Spot on! In My windows 7 unattend, this also gives the option to hide the IE and the MediaCentre Icon.

Friday, January 26, 2018 1:37 PM

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Remove Windows Media Player pinned taskbar item

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