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AppleMobileDeviceHelper has stopped working

A problem caused the program to stop working correctly.
Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

Alright.. I get this message, constantly, as iTunes is running.

I just downloaded the new 7.6 version and am running on a Vista system. I have not had this problem before so I don't think it's Vista's fault.

Basically once I start iTunes the heading "AppleMobileDeviceHelper has stopped working" in a small new windows pops up, then showing a loading bar saying that it's looking for ways to solve this problem. Then that message in bold will show up and give me the option to "Close program".

I click that button.. nothing happens.. and five seconds later it does the same thing. If I click cancel while it's on the screen looking for ways to fix it.. it dissapears.. but then starts up.. again. If I leave it alone without clicking "Close program" once it's done loading.. another one will pop up anyways.

I've had 25 windows eventually pop up because I am trying to ignore this. I went into my task manager and tried to stop the program but it still does nothing. Tried rebooting computer.. nothing.. and now i'm searching for answers on what I should do.

Message was edited by: Kaptinkangaru587

Windows Vista

Posted on Jan 21, 2008 11:55 AM

61 replies

Jul 12, 2008 11:30 PM in response to Kaptinkangaru587

I am getting the same problem as well. I load up iTunes, and every five seconds, a new window will pop up. All I use my laptop for now is iTunes, because I don't want to import all my music to my new computer. At 32 windows of this popping up, my machine crashed. I am using Vista, and the newwest version of iTunes, which I believe is 7.7, it came out the day of the new iPhone 3G. Any solution so I can listen to my music without having to resort to using CDs again would be great.

NOTE added 5 minutes later...
deleting the AppleMobileDeviceHelper from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\ fixed the problem, with no apparent loss of functionality to iTunes.

Message was edited by: AirmanRobertson

ibaj

Level 1

55 points

Jul 13, 2008 1:26 AM in response to inmarkco

inmarkco wrote:
My laptop is running Vista Ultimate. I deinstalled, ran http://www.ccleaner.com/, turned on User Account Control (UAC), and set a bunch of exe files to "run as administrator" in the directories C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\ and C:\Program Files\iTunes\. Now iTunes runs in I have UAC turned on, if I turn UAC off its back to "AppleMobileDeviceHelper has stopped working". I ran through this cycle 3 times to make sure that at least on my PC UAC is necessary. As a software engineer my job is to write and test new and updated programs all day, UAC *****.

Dell installs SupportSoft as part of their Dell Support package. If you disable it using MSCONFIG or stop the process "sprtcmd.exe" before launching iTunes you should be fine.

ibaj

Level 1

55 points

Jul 13, 2008 1:29 AM in response to AirmanRobertson

AirmanRobertson wrote:
I am getting the same problem as well. I load up iTunes, and every five seconds, a new window will pop up. All I use my laptop for now is iTunes, because I don't want to import all my music to my new computer. At 32 windows of this popping up, my machine crashed. I am using Vista, and the newwest version of iTunes, which I believe is 7.7, it came out the day of the new iPhone 3G. Any solution so I can listen to my music without having to resort to using CDs again would be great.

NOTE added 5 minutes later...
deleting the AppleMobileDeviceHelper from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\ fixed the problem, with no apparent loss of functionality to iTunes.

Message was edited by: AirmanRobertson

The side effect of removing AppleMobileDeviceHelper is that you will not be able to sync an iPod or iPhone with your computer.

Jul 13, 2008 6:13 AM in response to nixo9999

Many many thanks for this, this problem had me tearing my hair out!

I deleted the files in the suggested folder and the problem has now stopped!

It would appear to be a problem between Vista's security and iTunes! You would think that MS and Apple would be able to get together and develop software that doesn't **** up our enjoyment of both!

DantheMD

Level 1

0 points

Jul 13, 2008 7:36 AM in response to Kaptinkangaru587

OK... The guy that said that the problem was with Comcast desktop Doctor was absolutely right! I just uninstalled it and no more infinite messages saying that apple mobile device manager has stopped working!

mrlcd

Level 1

0 points

Jul 13, 2008 8:39 AM in response to ibaj

Thanks for the advice, disabling supportsoft has worked!
itunes 7.7 now working without the AMDH problem.

This has also cleared my other error message of
"itunes could not load dataclass information from sync services"

(a much relieved) iphone/itunes user
mark

inmarkco

Level 1

0 points

Jul 13, 2008 11:18 AM in response to DantheMD

Removing Comcast's Desktop Doctor has enabled me to run iTunes and sync my new iPhone 3G witout UAC.

Thanks,
Makr

inmarkco

Level 1

0 points

Jul 13, 2008 11:22 AM in response to inmarkco

P.S. I also removed Dell's SupportSoft.
Mark

ibaj

Level 1

55 points

Jul 13, 2008 5:35 PM in response to inmarkco

SupportSoft, or "sprtcmd.exe," is a piece of several support systems run by Comcast, Time Warner, Dell, and many others. Their website, http://www.supportsoft.com/index.asp, describes the several functions it performs. It's not system critical and it's not part of the Windows OS, so it's safe to disable it from starting up entirely by using MSCONFIG

gergrd

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2008 7:57 AM in response to ibaj

IBAJ said:

The side effect of removing AppleMobileDeviceHelper is that you will not be able to sync an iPod or iPhone with your computer.

However, I removed AMDH and my IPODs (60G video, 160G classic) sync just fine. I do hope that Apple, Microsoft, HP come up with a fix before my next ITunes update - but it appears that this has been a problem for people since early this year.

Jul 14, 2008 8:05 AM in response to sailorswfe

I also found that closing the Comcast Desktop Doctor program allowed iTunes to run properly and no more errors! yeah!

ibaj

Level 1

55 points

Jul 14, 2008 9:52 AM in response to gergrd

gergrd wrote:
IBAJ said:

The side effect of removing AppleMobileDeviceHelper is that you will not be able to sync an iPod or iPhone with your computer.

However, I removed AMDH and my IPODs (60G video, 160G classic) sync just fine. I do hope that Apple, Microsoft, HP come up with a fix before my next ITunes update - but it appears that this has been a problem for people since early this year.

iPod Touch

Jul 14, 2008 5:25 PM in response to ibaj

Thanks, this is working for me too. Quite possibly the most annoying error ever, but at least it's up and running.

rvaidyan

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2008 7:40 PM in response to Kaptinkangaru587

HELP!

Just got my iPod Touch. When I connected, it asked me to update iTunes. When I did, it now gives the awful "AppleMobileDeviceHelper has stopped working" windows. I have read through this thread, but doesn't look like Apple has a solution. I do NOT have Comcast, so I don't know what the problem could be.

Can someone from Apple help?

Running Vista 32bit.

Markimar

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2008 7:53 PM in response to DanMan217

I found my culprit... Bellsouths monitoring system. I closed it out of my task box and Walah! It no longer kills Mobiledevicehelper!
I didnt have to uninstall or anything so its probably comcast and bellsouth monitors that are doing it.
Whewww was getting tired of closing 1800 error boxes.
mark

AppleMobileDeviceHelper has stopped working