Autoplay, Autorun

This hasn't been updated for a while, so could be outdated (particularly if it's about something that evolves constantly, such as software or research).

This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and is probably a first version, is not well-checked, so may have incorrect bits. (Feel free to ignore, or tell me)

Autorun refers to the concept of the computer reacting to insertion of some (portable) drive, CD, DVD, or such, and usually to the windows implementation of this concept.

In windows:

• AutoRun
  • Can be disabled using TweakUI, Drive properties (per drive), Device Manager (per drive), and editing the registry (different options)

• Autorun.inf mostly alters the way Autorun/Autoplay works (see MSDN: 'Autorun.inf Entries')
  • setting labels, setting icons, adding items to autoplay

• AutoPlay
  • is the name of the popup that tells you what a (portable) drive contains, and whether you want to view, play, or do something else with it.
  • Vista's version is more detailed