Many users of iTunes™, and of other Microsoft® Windows® applications, have found their systems hiccup when certain applications are launched. This can happen when an application cannot get configuration data stored in the Microsoft® Windows® registry. In some such cases, the start-up is aborted but in others the application will rebuild the information it needs to run. When this happens, the user can receive the message “Please wait while Windows configures [name of application]” followed by a minute or so while the program’s start-up gets sorted out.
Thousands, and possibly millions, of iTunes™ users have been afflicted by this problem which first struck me around the first of December, 2010 after an automatic update of the software, specifically to iTunes™ version 10.1.0.56. My computer runs Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Business Edition and its software is up to date.
A Google™ search led me to many websites with information about the same issue. I found that a number of fixes had been suggested and were reported to have worked in some cases. For three weeks, I tried in vain many proposed solutions, usually a few times, including:
• Via the Control panel, removing iTunes™ and re-installing it.
• Trying the same thing but with Microsoft’s now unsupported Windows Install Clean Up tool, that quite often been able to exorcise from the Windows™ registry stubborn residue of previous installations gone bad.
• Resorting to so-called Windows™ “registry hacks”, in an attempt to regenerate the application preferences for iTunes™ normally re-accessed on each launch.
• Recreating Desktop “shortcuts” in various ways.
No posted solution worked in my case but I kept on trying. After dozens of hours (OCD can be a fine thing in the right circumstances), I eventually did resolve my particular problem with an as yet unposted modification of the Windows™ registry
Before proceeding, please be aware that a messed up registry can transform your computer into a proverbial boat anchor. Changes should therefore be avoided unless one is willing and able to spend several days reinstalling software from scratch. Notwithstanding this advice and subject always to the caveat in my closing paragraph, here is the sequence of steps I took that has momentarily solved my particular problem:
1. Click the Start Button, and then Run.
2. Launch the Windows™ registry editor by entering Regedit and then clicking on “OK.”
3. Navigate the registry’s tree-and-branch hierarchy as follows:
HKEY
CURRENTUSER
└─ Software
└─ Apple Computer Inc.
└─ iTunes
At this point you may be unable to see two dependent “child” objects in the folder, one labelled (Default) and then SM Shortcut Installed but if you try you might receive an access blocked message. Continue with the next step anyway.
4. Right-click on the iTunes folder and select Permissions, then Advanced, and lastly the Owner tab.
5. Add as Owners of the iTunes folder the following valid user IDs: SYSTEM, Administrators and your own.
6. Go back to Permissions and assign Full for the SYSTEM and for Administrators, and Read for USERS and then check to box at the bottom left of the dialogue box to apply these permissions to the folder’s dependent objects.
There is no consistent reason why Microsoft™ Windows™ applications end up improperly registered. What worked in my case may not do so for you. Any suggestions made here are offered gratis and on the express condition that, in relying upon them, you accept sole and full responsibility for any consequences. My only assurance of a kind is to wish you good luck.
Julian Isitt
Vancouver Island
Christmas 2010
