Itunes won't open on Windows XP

HikesWithEyes · 06-09-2011, 07:42 PM

I know this has been discussed many times, but I have read through many posts and have been unable to solve my problem, so here goes:

Problem-about a month ago Itunes simply stopped opening on my
Windows XP computer.
The error said that Itunes could not be opened due to an application error (code 50). I was running version 10 of Itunes.
I did some research online and found that one possible fix was uninstalling and then re-installing Itunes. However there was a lot of conversing about the possibility of losing your Itunes library.
I pretty much everything on my library on my Ipod so I was not really worried about that happening.
I did try to uninstall/reinstall Itunes but I kept getting different error responses. I didn’t write them down but they were basically “that application is in use my another program” or something similar.
I finally called Apple support and he said that an error code 50 is usually firewall related. I had upgraded AVG anti-virus on my computer but I am pretty sure that Itunes worked for a week after that. The adviser sent me several links to try and help solve the problem by myself but nothing worked.
I tried disabling the firewall when trying to open or uninstall or reinstall
Itunes but nothing worked.
Out sheer frustration I went into program files and deleted the Itunes folder since the Add/Remove program wouldn’t work and then tried to reinstall, but no joy.
Now I can neither get the original error message or reinstall Itunes. I just get “Itunes installation interrupted” when I try to install it. Does anyone out there have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

spunk.funk · 06-10-2011, 01:40 AM

Well deleting the iTunes folder wasn't a great idea. Because now you can't uninstall it and you can reinstall it. First make a system restore point. Next go to My Music and copy the iTunes Folder to a USB Flash drive. or burn to a CD.
Now go to Start/Run and type appwiz.cpl and press enter. In the Add Remove Programs uninstall Quick Time, and any other thing related to Apple like an iPod updater. Now do a search for iTunes and delete all items (be sure to have backed up your iTunes folder first and removed the media from the computer). Empty the Recycle bin. After Restarting, go to Start/Run and type regedit and press enter. backup your Registry. In the Registry Editor go up to Edit and choose Find in the Find What box type iTunes and press enter. It will stop on something, press the Del key, press enter to acknowledge the deletion, press F3 to continue the search. Do the last 3 steps several times until you get the message Finished Searching the Registry. Restart. iTunes is now uninstalled. Reinstall iTunes and replace the iTunes folder back in My Music.

michaelmoody84 · 06-10-2011, 04:01 AM

Uninstall the Itunes programme, Run the AV program and then the Antispyware prog... once you are sure you are all clean:

Restart the Computer, click on Start/ Run and type: "sfc /scannow" without quotes...(NOTE: You need to insert your XP CD Installation in the CD drive before typing that command)...
When finishes restart the Computer and then try Re-installing The iTunes software... Hope this help

Quote:

Originally Posted by HikesWithEyes

I know this has been discussed many times, but I have read through many posts and have been unable to solve my problem, so here goes:

Problem-about a month ago Itunes simply stopped opening on my
Windows XP computer.
The error said that Itunes could not be opened due to an application error (code 50). I was running version 10 of Itunes.
I did some research online and found that one possible fix was uninstalling and then re-installing Itunes. However there was a lot of conversing about the possibility of losing your Itunes library.
I pretty much everything on my library on my Ipod so I was not really worried about that happening.
I did try to uninstall/reinstall Itunes but I kept getting different error responses. I didn’t write them down but they were basically “that application is in use my another program” or something similar.
I finally called Apple support and he said that an error code 50 is usually firewall related. I had upgraded AVG anti-virus on my computer but I am pretty sure that Itunes worked for a week after that. The adviser sent me several links to try and help solve the problem by myself but nothing worked.
I tried disabling the firewall when trying to open or uninstall or reinstall
Itunes but nothing worked.
Out sheer frustration I went into program files and deleted the Itunes folder since the Add/Remove program wouldn’t work and then tried to reinstall, but no joy.
Now I can neither get the original error message or reinstall Itunes. I just get “Itunes installation interrupted” when I try to install it. Does anyone out there have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

HikesWithEyes · 06-10-2011, 04:16 PM

Thanks to the two responders.
I had started on Spunk.Funk's suggested course of action and when that stalled I saw that MichaelMoody had responded as well. Since I am in the midst of repair option #1 I am going to respond to Spunk.Funk.
I got to the appwiz.cpl portion of your method.
I was able to delete a couple of Apple items, but when I got to
Apple Application Support I received a dialog box that said "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable." I clicked on OK to try again and the response was " The path to C:/Documents etc. to Apple Application Support can not be found. Verify that you have access to this location or try to find the installation package Apple Application Support.msi in a folder from which you can find the product Apple App Support."
I performed a search but couldn't find it.
I tried repair it but the response was that the network resource was unavailable.
I got similar responses when I tried to continue and delete Bonjour.
Any further ideas?
Thanks to both,
Hikes

HikesWithEyes · 06-10-2011, 04:17 PM

PS-to MichaelMoody:
I can't uninstall Itunes so I can't proceed with your suggestion.

spunk.funk · 06-10-2011, 06:00 PM

Those files were in the folder that you deleted, so you can't uninstall those programs because you deleted the uninstall files. So, continue on with the rest of my post and you will be rid of iTunes.

HikesWithEyes · 06-10-2011, 09:29 PM

Greetings Spunk.Funk

I am starting to edit the registry. There are a lot of files that I recognize
as being Apple related. However, some of the files don't mention Ipod/Itunes/Quicktime etc., but they appear so I assume that I should be deleting them
since the Find box still shows Itunes?
Is this correct?
I'm just a little paranoid about wiping out stuff that is unrelated.
Thanks,
Hikes

HikesWithEyes · 06-10-2011, 09:30 PM

To clarify, in the search results box many times there are multiple files that
appear. I should delete all of them, right?

spunk.funk · 06-10-2011, 10:43 PM

Yes, there will be many files. You will not be deleting any programs or files that are not related to iTunes or Apple. The search only stops on files associated with iTunes. There is nothing to fear if you backed up your registry first. If anything doesn't work right, you can restore your Registry to what you had before Again, nothing that you are deleting has anything to do with anything other the iTunes.
If you hadn't deleted the iTunes folder, you would not have had to do this drastic surgery.

HikesWithEyes · 06-10-2011, 11:39 PM

Ok, got it about the whole deleting the Itunes folder

I will proceed with the registry edit.
I starting getting worried when files that said "My Pictures" started appearing.
My wife would kill me if they were gone....although we do have a backup program with Carbonite.
Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes.
Probably tomorrow.
HWE