"Error 7 (Windows error 126)" for Windows XP Home edition

can you repeat the link for the "following post" you mention above?

... actually, it looks like I missed the link altogether in my reply there. (Long-belated apologies to Lybech.)

Things have changed a bit with error 7s since the time I made that reply. They used to be predominantly associated with a damaged Apple Application Support, or a damaged .Net framework. There's more possibilities afoot now. (Damaged Quicktime and other itunes-related programs, and damaged DirectX or other OS files are also in the mix.)

Along with your error 7 are you getting another message mentioning a specific file? If so, what's the name of the file?

If you're just getting the error 7 with no other error message, I might start with one of the following documents:

Removing and Reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows

Removing and reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows Vista or Windows 7

The first error is as follows:

"Titled: iTunes.exe: Unable to Locate Component: This application has failed to start because AVFoundationCF.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."\

After clicking OK this message appears:

"iTunes was not installed correctly. Please reinstall iTunes.

Error 7 (Windows error 126)

I've tried to reinstall iTunes about 7 times and same problem every time.

I really appreciate your help.

🙂 many thanks.

"Titled: iTunes.exe: Unable to Locate Component: This application has failed to start because AVFoundationCF.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."\

Taken at face value, you're having trouble with an Apple Application Support program file there. (Apple Application Support is where single copies of program files used by multiple different Apple programs are kept.)

Let's try something relatively simple first. Restart the PC. Now head into your Add or Remove programs control panel, select "Apple Application Support", click "Change" and then click Repair.

If no joy after that, try the more rigorous uninstall/reinstall procedure from the following post (although it's for Vista and 7, just read "Computer" as "My Computer", read "Uninstall a program control panel" as "Add or Remove programs control panel" and assume the system is 32-bit, and you'll be doing the right things):

Re: I recently updated to vista service pack 2 and I updated to itunes 10.2.1 and ever since I did that my itunes won't open any more. Itunes starts but before anything loads a window pops up saying that the prograam has encountered a problem and sh...

When I click "repair", it says another installation is in progress and I need to close it before starting another one. How do I find that "installation? (I restarted first)

When I click "repair", it says another installation is in progress and I need to close it before starting another one. How do I find that "installation? (I restarted first)

Crikey. Okay, reregistering the Windows Installer Service is the usual way to get past that one. For XP instructions, see Method 1: Reregister the Windows Installer from the following Microsoft document:

You receive an error message when you try to install a program that uses the Windows Installer in Windows XP

Okay - I did the "repair" but iTunes still won't open (same messages).

Now I should do the unistall?

Before I start, how do I know I won't lose my music when I uninstall? I don't have an external hard drive I'm backing up to (note: this is all on my cousin's computer...living with them for the summer and started having trouble when they asked me to help set up their new ipod touch, which required a newer version of iTunes and during that installation I began to have problems). SO since its not my music, I especially don't want to screw anything up!

Again..thanks so much for the help.

Yeah, let's try the uninstall. The instructions in my previous post shouldn't touch your music or library files ... assuming you've got the library and content files stored in their default locations, they're in a different area of your PC (in \Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\ ... do not delete!)

Man...I'm having a hec of a time. I got through half of the unistall phase. When I got to the "computer-->common files-->apple-->apple application support -->delete this message appeared:

Error: cannot delete icudt 40: access is denied. make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

What does that mean?

This is sure a headache...

Error: cannot delete icudt 40: access is denied. make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

Crikey ... well, this might be the ultimate source of our Error 7 then.

Are you able to rename the Apple Application Support folder Apple Application SupportOLD ?

If so, do that rather than deleting the folder (this will hide the strangely-utilised file from the installers), and we'll proceed with the rest of the instructions.

... any better luck?

Nevermind...when I double checked the unistallation (under add/remove programs) Apple Application Support was still there....strange...

and then - everything worked!!

Thank you thank you soo much! I really appreciate it. Dont know what I would have done without you!

Nevermind...when I double checked the unistallation (under add/remove programs) Apple Application Support was still there....strange...

Oooh. Under rare circumstances (usually with the really early versions of AAS ... 1.0 and 1.1), it was possible to (unintentionally) have two different versions installed at once. I saw it once on one of my machines. So it's possible that there might have been a "lurker" like that on your PC that only showed up once you'd uninstalled the other version.

🙂 But at any rate, woohoo! (This one was fighting us every step of the way.) Glad you're finally up and running again.

Repairing the Apple Application support program worked for me on Windows 7 64bit. Thank you very much

I just followed your same instructions to go to Apple Application Support in the control panel, clicking change and Repair and YEEEEAAAHHH it worked! Thanks!