iTunes freezes MY ENTIRE MAC

I've compiled a list to show everybody exactly what we are looking at with this issue. If you've got anything to add and your problem matches these specs exactly, feel free to add it.

Problem: Complete system lock up.

Variables/requirements for lock up: iTunes playing music while flipping through cover flow.

What happens?: System lock up. Able to move only cursor which eventually turns into the spinning/loading beach ball. Can't adjust volume through keyboard however "caps lock" and "num lock" lights still work. When lid closes, it continues to play song (or so I've heard). Once the song is over, it won't go to next song or unlock. It just sits in a state of unusability.

System Affected: MBP running Leopard.

Fix: manual restart MBP and DON'T use cover flow mode in iTunes (unless you want to test the lock up... ha)

-Dave

All your problems sound pretty serious. Don't know how to solve it though.

Just adding my two cents. I have MB pro, 10.5.2 and the latest iTunes. Coverflow is definitely poison for me. C'mon Apple! This seems to be repeatable, let's hope for a fix. I like to look at the album art.

Have you tried reinstalling iTunes?

Cover Flow looks harmless, I've been using it for a very long time and it hasn't failed me. Your problem sounds weird.

I experienced the same problem, and it's quite boring right now.
I suppose it's a software bug but there's no way to report the bug since the OS is completely freezed and the only thing you can do is to shut down through the power button.
As I can see it's seem a bug more related to iTunes used in a new MacBook Pro with penryn processor, but it doesn't make any sense.. 🙂

FYI I have a 24" iMac that I purchased last thursday, 05-22-08, and I'm experiencing the same **** thing! Brand new mac and it crashes!!! Just wanted to point out that it's not just the mac book pro.

Wow! THIS IS WEIRD! I don't know how to help you know. Anybody else?

I don't how how to resolve the problem either but I have had the exact same problem on my mbp. While flipping through coverflow it locks up, keeps playing the song, lets you use the mouse but nothing else until you get the pinwheel of death. I systematically uninstalled programs on what I had running when it locked up and the only thing left is itunes. I also by chance changed to non coverflow mode and it hasn't locked up since. Major bummer as I love CF but not enough to be rebooting my work machine 2-3 times a day. Mine also is a 2.5 MBP penryn chip running 10.5.2.

Message was edited by: Michael415

FYI, I see that people are repeatedly mentioning that they crash when using cover flow, but I notice the crash specifically happens when I add album art. Since my mac is new, I'm adding a lot of music and then adding the art if it doesn't initially appear. When I add several covers in a row i almost invariably crashes, locks, freezes, what ever you want to call it, it's done!
HELP!!! I'm also a big cover flow fan. So much so, that I use it for file viewing in the finder too.
I want my cover flow!

I am having essentially the same problems. Mine are most severe with movies but it happens with music too. I have used iTunes for years and this is my first serious problem so I think it is the latest update. A movie will play for about 3-4 seconds and then lock up for a few minutes. If I wait long enough, it will usually unlock the spinning wheel and try to play but it is very jerky. Videos also somehow get the resolution messed up --- they often lose some of their vertical pixels or something so that they look like normal TV on a wide screen. The same files play fine in Quicktime. I have tried everything except getting an older copy of iTunes and getting rid of the update. That is my next step. It also seems to happen with Windows versions of iTunes and also only with this latest update.