You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

itunes wont run

I have reinstalled itunes but it wont run. When I first installed it it asked me to choose a library and then didnt go any further.

Windows, Windows 6

Posted on Nov 12, 2020 10:34 AM

Reply
9 replies

Nov 13, 2020 7:57 AM in response to trevorfromtring

If iTunes is apparently installed correctly try the following in turn until iTunes opens/closes/reopens/connects to the store normally:


  • Remove any SD card that might be in a card reader.
  • Exit the BTTray.exe Bluetooth utility if installed.
  • Locate the shortcut for iTunes, right-click on it, and select Run as administrator. Doing this once may fix certain launch issues. Some users were finding that with the 12.6.1.25 build, for example, they had to use this method every time and modified the shortcut accordingly.
  • Try holding ctrl+shift as you launch iTunes so it opens in safe-mode. Again doing this once may sometimes help.
  • Try disconnecting your computer from the Internet before running iTunes.
  • Delete the iTunes shortcuts from the start menu, desktop, task bar, or similar, then repair iTunes from the programs and features control panel.
  • Try Fix unexpected quits or launch issues in iTunes for Windows - Apple Support and test the behaviour in a different user profile or with a different library. If the problem only exists in your profile it may be possible to delete some of the iTunes preference files which it would seem that iTunes may be choking on. We can go into details later if the issue is limited to your own profile.
  • Temporarily disable any non-Microsoft anti-virus and see if that has any impact on the behaviour.
  • See the second box in Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates for detailed tear down and rebuild advice. Disable any non-Microsoft anti-virus software when reinstalling and run the installer as the administrator.
  • If you installed iTunes from the Microsoft Store you may find the traditional iTunesSetup.exe installer works better for you, or vice versa.
  • Or see the iTunes installers section of the troubleshooting tip and reinstall the last version that worked correctly for you. Note that iTunes 12.6.5.3 or iTunes 12.8.0.150 are the minimum versions required for devices running iOS 12. Newer releases are now at the very bottom of the page.


tt2

Nov 12, 2020 11:49 AM in response to trevorfromtring

For general advice see Troubleshooting issues with iTunes for Windows updates.



The steps in the second box are a guide to removing everything related to iTunes and then rebuilding it which is often a good starting point unless the symptoms indicate a more specific approach. When reinstalling right click on the downloaded setup file and use run as administrator. It may also help to temporarily disable any non-Microsoft anti-virus.


Review the other boxes and the list of support documents further down the page in case one of them applies.


The further information area has direct links to the current and recent builds in case you have problems downloading, or want to revert to an older version if the current one won't work properly for you at the moment. Links to the most recent builds are now at the bottom of the page.



Your library and device backups should be unaffected by these steps but there are links to backup and recovery advice should it be needed.




The default location for your library in Windows is C:\Users\<User>\Music\iTunes.




tt2

Nov 13, 2020 4:15 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks for that. I checked for QTMovieWin.dll but didn't find it.


I did the removing and reinstall step which ran clean but that made no difference. If I start iTunes with the shift key down I can choose my library nothing else happens. I never get the GUI appear.


I checked for iAdCore.dll but that file is not present.


In Task Manager I can see iTunes.exe is running as a background process using no CPU but no entry under Apps.


Without an error code or other symptom I don't know what do do next.


Cheers

Trevor



Nov 13, 2020 6:21 AM in response to turingtest2

Yep did that, no change.


I installed 12.9.1.4 x64 under W10 Home 19041.630 2004 and the behaviour is the same so I'm assuming a W10 bug. Interestingly the install put an icon on the desktop and start menu which was expected but pinning it to the start page was not! There is clearly something not getting wiped somewhere. Maybe that is remembering a setting and causing the new install to not run correctly? Perhaps a dabble in the registry is required?


I have another machine running 12.10.10.2 under W10 Pro 18363.1139 1909 which works fine. This hasn't had a windows update recently so I'll stick with this machine for a while.


Cheers

Trevor

Nov 15, 2020 7:06 AM in response to turingtest2

Hi I haven't done any of this yet as I discovered more info. If I click the icon to start iTunes and go for a long walk when I get back it is running!! Also I start Adobe Premiere CS4 and choose a project to open it sits and stares at me while I go for another walk by which time it has opened the project! Methinks it is windows that is the problem.


However my other machine (W10 Pro) updated itself to the same release (2004) as my W10 Home machine and that still runs iTunes and CS4 fine!


I would reload windows but I have some legacy apps that are a complete pain to reinstall so will just accept I can't run iTunes and CS4 on this machine until I find the windows bug.


Cheers

Trevor

itunes wont run

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.