How to Stop Windows XP Media Center Program Guide Downloads

If you have a Windows XP computer with Media Center 2005, you may have noticed an icon in your lower right-hand task bar that says, "Downloading Program Guide" when you first turn on your computer. What is the Media Center Program Guide? And how can you stop it from automatically downloading?

The Media Center Program Guide is a listing of television shows for your area. The guide downloads television listings daily to help keep the information current. The guide gives you a title, broadcast time and description of each television show. This information is great if you use your computer as a television, but totally useless if you don't.

One day, perhaps because of a Windows update, my computer starting downloading the Media Center Program Guide data every morning. Since my computer no longer has the ability to act as a television, I wanted to get rid of this daily nuisance.

At first I settled for right clicking on the icon to tell it to stop downloading the program guide data. But that was getting pretty annoying, so I set out to find a way to permanently stop those pesky automatic downloads.

How to Stop the Media Center Program Guide Download:

I suggest you print out these directions before starting the process since you will not be able to see your online browser once you open up Media Center.

First click on "Start" on the lower left-hand side of your screen. Click on "All Programs". Locate the program called "Media Center". Your screen will go black as it opens up Media Center.

When Media Center opens up you should see "Online spotlight, My Videos, My Pictures, My TV, My Music, Movielink, More Programs."

The next step is the reason why so many people can't find a solution to this problem. You have to arrow up to see more options that were originally hidden from view.

Arrow up until you see "Settings". From "Settings" right arrow or use your mouse to click on "General".

Next go down and click on "Privacy" and then click on "Privacy Settings".

You will see the following statement, "Use the Guide and send anonymous information to Microsoft to improve the quality and accuracy of the service." Uncheck this box so Microsoft does not have permission.

Click on "Save". Then move your mouse around until you see a "X" in the upper right hand corner to exit out of Media Center.

That should do it! Now you can turn your computer on without having your system bogged down by the annoying program guide download.