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[rsbrux]

There was a bug in an earlier version of v14 that could incorrectly show these errors if you imported ripped DVDs.  Nothing was actually changed.  It was fixed in build 57.

Media Center makes no automatic tag changes.

Cover art will be downloaded for files with no art, but this can be disabled in Options > Library & Folders if you prefer.

Hi Matt,
Thanks for your quick response.  This had nothing to do with importing ripped DVDs.  The message was displayed after MC's initial scan of the hard disk folders I specified at the end of the installation as containing media to add to the library.  If I could figure out how to attach a file here, I would post a screenshot of the message I received.
I am not sure which version did this, because the version which is offered as a trial download on the website is build 50.  However, when it ran the first time, it immediately offered to download the latest version, which appears to be build 65.  The new version appeared to install itself immediately.  Can I therefore assume that it the scan was performed by build 65, not build 50?
I am reassured by your statement that MC doesn't change tags, but if this is so, the message needs to be changed to prevent unnecessary alarm!
The question of "moving" remains.  Does MC automatically relocate files?
Also, what do you mean by "files with no art"?.  I prefer not to embed album art in the MP3 files, as this results in a lot of redundancy.  Instead, I keep a folder.jpg in the folder containing the album's tracks.  Does MC (automatically) embed cover art in audio files?  If so, how can I undo or disable this?
Thanks for your support!

[JimH]

MC doesn't move files unless you tell it to.

There is a setting on whether to download cover art, and another one on whether to keep art in the files.  You can go to tools/options, where you can search at the top.

[rsbrux]

Jim,
What should I search for?
A search for "cover" came up empty.
A search for "art" had one hit: for an album cover directory, which is apparently located by default in the logged in user's "documents and settings".
If you will let me know how, I will post a screenshot.
It will be easier if you can tell me how to change the language.  I am running a German-language Win XP 2005 MCE, but would prefer an English-language user interface.  Perhaps then the search would also deliver the results you anticipated.  Unfortunately, searching the options menu for "language" and "sprache" also comes up empty.
Apparently the library is also user-dependent.
When I started MC under a different login, MC immediately began cataloging everything it found, without giving me a chance to specify directories.
This is very irritating, since it is cataloging a lot of duplicates and/or files whose tags I haven't vetted yet.
I haven't yet found a way to stop this, short of terminating MC, and I don't like things happening automatically without being asked.
I would like to have a central, user-independent library based on the folders I select.
Thanks for your support!

[JimH]

Tools/Options/File Location/Cover Art/Also store image in the file's tag.

[Alex B]

Here you can add exactly the folders you want (click the "Add folder..." text) and also set the imported file types for each folder separately (click the Advanced button to access the file types):




The "Analyze audio" and "Get cover art" options can cause file tagging. You can disable them if you want to keep the files unchanged. "Analyze audio" runs the Replay Gain and BPM scanners in the background and saves the measured values to the file tags. "Get cover art" searches an online database for matching cover art and downloads image files if found.




And as Jim said, you can also disable the "Also store image in the file's tag" cover art setting so that the image files will be only linked instead of storing them inside the files:

[rsbrux]

Hi Alex,
Thanks for your patient explanation.
Scanning locations:
When I first installed, I was offered an opportunity to limit what was to be scanned (as you describe) and did so.
However, as soon as I logged in under a different account, MC started building a new library of everything it could find on the system.
It seems that my originally chosen preferences werre stored in a user profile and didn't affect the second login.
If settings are user-specific, I suggest automatically running a wizard to help each user who hasn't run the program before set things up.
Personally, I would prefer system-wide settings, or at least an installation option to make them so.  Is there such an option?
Anyone concerned about security will be installing the program from an administrative account but will be running it from an account with lower privileges, so the options offered during installation won't help unless the settings (at least the important ones) are universal.
File tagging options:
Unfortunately, "Get cover art" (Albumcover herunterladen) and "Also store image in the file's tag" (Bilder auch in Dateitags speichern) were selected by default.  Some damage appears to be already done, although judging from their time stamps only about 150 files were changed before I terminated MC.  Fortunately, I made a complete backup before installing MC.
Language:
I was offered a choice of language when installing build 50, but don't recall seeing such an option during the automatic update to build 65.
IAC, build 65 seems to have been installed in German, or perhaps this setting is also user-specific.  I finally found the languages menu under "Tools" (Extras).
Thanks for your support!

[Alex B]

Scanning locations:
When I first installed, I was offered an opportunity to limit what was to be scanned (as you describe) and did so.
However, as soon as I logged in under a different account, MC started building a new library of everything it could find on the system.
It seems that my originally chosen preferences werre stored in a user profile and didn't affect the second login.
If settings are user-specific, I suggest automatically running a wizard to help each user who hasn't run the program before set things up.
Personally, I would prefer system-wide settings, or at least an installation option to make them so.  Is there such an option?
Anyone concerned about security will be installing the program from an administrative account but will be running it from an account with lower privileges, so the options offered during installation won't help unless the settings (at least the important ones) are universal.

MC always uses the current user account for the default database location and the settings are stored in the user specific registry location. After MC is once installed for the current user it is possible to create a portable installation (it's an installer option), but that is mainly intended for removable drives so that the user can run MC on other computers without installing it.

It is possible to change the database location so that each user can use the same library files, but the options are always user specific and you need to set them for each user account separately.

File tagging options:
Unfortunately, "Get cover art" (Albumcover herunterladen) and "Also store image in the file's tag" (Bilder auch in Dateitags speichern) were selected by default.  Some damage appears to be already done, although judging from their time stamps only about 150 files were changed before I terminated MC.  Fortunately, I made a complete backup before installing MC.

Those are the defaults because the developers assume that most users prefer to have the automatic features enabled. The developers have also wanted to make the installation as simple as possible and think that fewer options is better at the install stage.

Language:
I was offered a choice of language when installing build 50, but don't recall seeing such an option during the automatic update to build 65.
IAC, build 65 seems to have been installed in German, or perhaps this setting is also user-specific.  I finally found the languages menu under "Tools" (Extras).

I have only used the English language option, but I think the setting is user specific. A build update does not normally change any set options unless a feature has changed so radically that also the options are different.