itunes is using 100 % CPU

As Stuker notes, for XP service pack 3 users, Micro$soft provides a simple tool to fix the winsock corruption.

XP Service Pack 3 Users - Winsock Reset also works using MIcrosoft Fix It tool:

Go to http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811259

I've just run it and it worked. I don't know why Apple doesn't take ownership of this problem and officially note the solution.

I did the reinstall as apple suggested, that did not help but might have helped the next step to help. The "netsh winsock reset" and reboot worked for me, thank you very much for that!

Thank you. On target!

My problem WAS on Windows XP service pack 3, also iTunes 10.5.

This has enabled me to make the upgrade to iOS v5.

The winsock reset didn't work here. I'm having this issue on Win7 64-bit Enterprise. It's very annoying that I can't sync my iPhone and get a backup to upgrade to iOS5. 😠

Microsoft Fit It did it for me on Windows XP service pack 3, thank you so much for suggesting it.

Thank you japiohelp! Tried your netsh winsock reset on both my daughter's laptop ( running Windows Vista) and my PC ( running Windows 7 32 bit) and it worked on both! The iTunes store is slow to load but it does do eventually. It also seems to have cured the CPU overload too:)

I have Windows 7 64-bit and am experienceing the exact same problems described here, and the iTunes store does not load (the bar gets to half-way and seems to stop leaving me with a blank window). I have tried uninstalling (following the recommended order of uninstalls) and reinstalling, and I have tried the winsock reset. Neither of these has any effect - the problem persists. I checked my firewall and iTunes is set to "allow."

A couple of things I will add in case they help narrow down where the issue is:

• iTunes helps doesn't load - it says it cannot connect to the internet. Obviously if I am posting here I can connect to the internet.
• I tried installing the latest version of Safari too (5.1). Safari also cannot connect to the internet. No web pages will display, even though my IE, Firefox, and Chrome all work.

Because anti-virus has been mentioned a few times as a potential cause, I will say that I am using Norton Internet Security 2012.

Just further confirmation: Windows 7, 32 bit, dual core: did the full prescribed uninstall, did the winsock reset, did the reinstall, AppleMobileDevice begins using 50% CPU after the install, before even clicking on itunes.

Did the winsock reset again just for good measure. AppleMobileDevice still consuming 50% after startup. Kill that process and open itunes, and it consumes 50%.

This feels like a dual core problem, specific to Windows 7. Any thoughts?

I'm running Microsoft Security Essentials, not Norton. Also running Covenant Eyes, a web accountability program, latest version. Any correlation with that?

Just to add this into the mix. I also heard that anti-virus could be the culprit. I'm running Kapersky 2011, and I've set it not to scan anything and everything related to iTunes. Still no luck.

In response to tarplantir, I use Win XP SP3 (32 Bit), and Covenant Eyes as well, and I've been having the issues with 100% CPU and iTunes 10.5. I have not been able to complete the upgrade to iOS 5. I read in the thread that winsock reset helps the situation, and when you do winsock reset, it messes up Covenant Eyes.

Long story short, I uninstalled Covenant Eyes and I was able to successfully upgrade to iOS5. Something has changed, apparently, in the way iTunes 10.5 handles winsock. After the upgrade is complete, I will re-install CE.

I hope that helps you.

Possible resolution.

I was having the same issue on Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Itunes 10.5. Itunes.exe and APSdaemon.exe would peg the cpu at 100% total as soon as itunes was launched. I have NetNanny installed on that machine, and had to uninstall it to resolve the Itunes issue. Disabling it was not enough. Once Netnanny was completely removed and the machine restarted, ITunes worked fine. Have not tried reinstalling NetNanny to see if the problem returns. The netsh suggestion about did not work for me. From this and other threads, it appears that apps that monitor network/http traffic, like NetNanny does, might be giving iTunes issues.

I too am having the same problem Windows 7 64 AMD chip. Reinstall hasn't worked.

Hmm, I'm running BSecure, which is similar to NetNanny and CE. I'll try disabling it and repost my results

japiohelp, your "netsh winsock reset" worked for me - thanks!

Windows 7 32bit

Wow, the "netsh winsock reset" and reboot solved my problem on Windows 7. I have been dealing with this since one of the beta releases of iTunes 10.5 a few months ago and not sure what it was..

Saved me from re-imaging a laptop.. :-)