Cannot open the application "iTunes" because another user has it open.

Well I'm running Windows XP and that's precisely the message I get if I try to open iTunes in both user profiles.

I've just tried it again to confirm this. I did confirm it.

Phil

Same problem here running WinXP. Just created a new profile for my nephew and am getting the "You cannot open the application "iTunes" because another user has it open." To keep my information separate I want him to have his own profile. Is iTunes a bad choice for a Windows environment?

dcwdcw:
The solution to your problem is to close the other user's copy of iTunes, so that you are only using one copy of iTunes at any time. As long as you have separate user accounts, your nephew's iTunes and everything in it will be separate.

I assume the problem is that having two copies of iTunes open at the same time violates the licence to use iTunes which, in common with "paid for" software, usually has the restriction that you can only use one copy at a time unless you have a _multiple user_ licence.

Of course it's a bit silly - iTunes is free, but I suspect that's what the problem is.

The original poster has a different problem though, but I don't understand ATV because I don't have it, which is why I haven't been able to help the OP. Hopefully, someone else can.

Phil

That was it. The real problem was that I did not know that Windows "Switch User" does not close the original user's session.

Thanks for your help.

I respectfully disagree that the problem was solved by you closing iTunes in the other user's session. The real problem is that iTunes wasn't tested with Windows in this scenario. iTunes programmers didn't know that this would be a problem (I assume). I can't believe they refuse to fix it, and I'm unhappy with Apple about this. If they aren't going to fully support Windows users, maybe we shouldn't buy their products after all.

Firefox doesn't have this problem. Multiple users can have it open no problem. I'm sure the vast majority of programs don't have this issue. Only with iTunes have I seen Fast User Switching to be a problem. It's iTunes and Apple's problem, and they don't care.

I have the same problem only when itunes is open on another user account, I get this constant error message that reads "cannot open application "itunes" because another user has it open". The problem is that I haven't tried to open itunes. Something is trying to make it open on it's own. It pings evey 30 seconds or so and drive me crazy. If I switch users and shut it down it still pops up with the same error.

My daughter will be mad if I can't find an answer because I'm about to delete itues off of our computer!

I assume the problem is that having two copies of iTunes open at the same time violates the licence to use iTunes which, in common with "paid for" software, usually has the restriction that you can only use one copy at a time unless you have a multiple user licence.

No. It is a problem with Windows Fast User Switching.
-> http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1969?viewlocale=en_US

Chris CA wrote:
No. It is a problem with Windows Fast User Switching.

Okay, but since I did get the message when I tried having iTunes open with two user accounts and the problem went away when I closed one account - that solves the problem. Doesn't it?

Yes.
Even with *Fast User Switching* enabled, only one user can run iTunes at one time.

I have this problem on my new Vista PC. I open iTunes and my wife gets the can't open iTunes pop ups contantly even though she's not trying to open iTunes. At least I now Know that I'm not the only person that is seeing this issue.

This is not a Windows problem. Fast user switching has been around for a long time. This is an APPLE problem Fix it.

Doubt they'll get right on it...it's been stated in their documentation for years that windows fast user switching isn't supported.
It works fine on a Mac, of course.

Well they just lost one long time fan. Now uninstalled.

Well, as carlif posted
+If they aren't going to fully support Windows users, maybe we shouldn't buy their products after all.+

Good thing itunes is free....


The original message that said this wasn't a problem in XP, and only started in Vista, is incorrect. It's always been a problem. Apple has never designed itunes to be used with fast user switching. For whatever reason. it must be too hard for them since it's not on a Mac.


The posters after that, probably have an IM plug-in trying to find out what music is playing, and it's popping up every 30 seconds trying to start itunes to see what's playing.

Message was edited by: Katrina S.

APPLE NEEDS TO FIX THIS!!!!

Absolutely Ridiculous that you need to close the running application on one user account so that you don't get this annoying message every 30 seconds on another account - Even if the other user never uses iTunes!