How to Go Back to the Old Version of Spotify *Permanently*

You may have noted that Spotify decided to completely fuck up its interface in the new relaunch. Below is a slightly clarified version of a how-to that user AriMc99 (Gig Goer) posted on the Spotify forums on how to go install the older version of Spotify and keep it from updating automatically. Of course, that means you lose *all* future updates, including beneficial ones. The following worked for me, using Windows 7 on a PC, but of course if something goes wrong, you've only got yourself to blame. I don't take any responsibility if your computer is unusable afterwards.

1. Google for and download SpotifyInstaller.exe v. 0.9.7.16, the one just before this horrendous new pile of puke.

2. At this point, you should naturally check the file for viruses.

3. Double-click the downloaded file to install.

4. You'll be told that you already have a version of Spotify installed and asked whether you really want to re-install. Yes, you do.

5. Then find the location of the current spotify.exe, usually C:\Users\\Appdata\Roaming\Spotify or C:\Document and Settings\\Application Data\Roaming\Spotify. I had to consult Windows' search function and look on the entire hard drive for "roaming" to find this.

6. Open this directory and do all of the following there.

7. Create a new empy text file.

8. Name it Spotify_new.exe

9. Right click the file and check the appropriate box to make it read only.

10. Create another new empty text file.

11. Name it Spotify_new.exe.sig

12. Right click the file and make the file read only.

Note. In one case, I had to overwrite to save the text file in the directory, in the other, I had to manually delete the file which had the same namme as the newly created file. I forget which was which.

Apparently the trick is that, upon closing, Spotify tries to create new files that have the names of the files it created, which would then be used to install the update. But it cannot, as the files are read only. Hence, no updates.