HELP PLEASE! My iTunes wont come up on computer. :*(

Can you confirm your symptoms:
You are running Windows XP
When you start iTunes you see the hourglass briefly then nothing.

If you open the task manage (ctrl alt del) can you see itunes.exe running on the processes tab and does it stay there rather than disappear?


If that is what you have, try the following troubleshooting method. It is very important that you feed back the results as requested in the method, it is for diagnosis.
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Troubleshooting silent launch failure in Windows XP

Before checking if iTunes works, restart your PC or close the iTunes.exe process with task manager if it is running.

A couple of simple things to try:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1776?viewlocale=en_US
Stop the bonjour service, this FAQ has instructions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2250?viewlocale=en_US


But usually it is due to a problem with cryptographic services.

Check to see if you have your smart card service and that it is not set to disabled. For some reason iTunes needs it.

Start>>Run>>Services.msc
you should find the smart card service in the list. Report back with your findings.

Malware can interfere with cryptographic services and also prevent a resolution so it is important to check that your system is clean before proceeding: Run a virus and spyware scan with up to date definitions.


Then work through *Method 4* in the following link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798

You should be able to copy and paste the individual lines to save on typing.

Make a careful note of any error messages you get, they are important for diagnosis. Report back any error messages especially the names of any dlls mentioned.

If there are no errors try starting iTunes.

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One thing that you did not confirm, does iTunes.exe show up on the processes tab in the task manager and does it remain there even though iTunes does not open.

This is important because everything else in the method assumes that it does.

The normal setting for the smart card service is "manual" so that's fine.

If no errors show up on method 4, that suggests that your cryptographic dlls are OK.

There is a small chance that you have malware unregistering them again after you register them.

Also the thing you need to check if you have silent launch failure and iTunes.exe does not persist is for malware.

So you should run a full malware scan with up to date definitions. If nothing shows up it is a good idea to get a second opinion form one of the free online scanners. Beware only use a big name such as Kaspersky, Norton, Trend, Pandasoft etc. There are scams out there that will add malware rather than remove it.

The Kaspesky one seems to be pretty good at fining stuff but does not remove it:
http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

If iTunes.exe does not show up on the processes tab of the task manager, the malware is the common cause.

If you have Kaspersky then try a second opinion form someone else e.g.
Norton
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/home.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=HSV YVBMPQKKESFKNIPN&auth_status=0
Or Pandasoft
http://www.pandasoft.us/pandasoftware/2/scan.htm

If that's not it, the other possibility is some other conflict preventing iTunes from launching. Try a selective startup with MSconfig as described in this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1275

Otherwise you need to work your way though this article, some of which you have already done:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1421

qttask just puts the Quicktime quick launch icon in the system tray so it should not affect iTunes launching.

See for the background processes:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA23565?viewlocale=en_US