Windows Media Player automatically starts up randomly and repeatedly. I may or may not have Internet Explorer open. It will pop up with the WindowsMedia.com page while I am working in Excel, Word, Groupwise Email, virtually any time. Can anyone help me to identify why this is happening and how to turn it off? I am running XP Pro. Thanks

Sorry first time i've ever heard of that issue, perhaps you've downloaded something like gator or something?

Maybe check your scheduled tasks for anything related to Mplayer although I have no idea how or why anything would get into there.

Start Menu -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

Does the player actually play anything or does it just sit there and do nothing at all? That is a really bizarre problem.

There are possible conclusion here:

1: Autoupdate is checking to see if you can update your windows media version

2: you've some how assigned a file extension to windows media player which is being used by those programs that trigger it.

3: if your using IE5 or IE5.5 you might have fallen foul of an exploit that was about round that time with olderversions of Media player that could trigger code through executing as if it was a remote URL to a file.

There should be relevant information on this areas through the use of a search engine like google, or if anyone else would like to add to these or other possibilities.

Try removing it from your PC and then reinstalling the latest version that is compatible with your OS.