iTunes no longer runs since buying Match. Within ten seconds of opening, it crashes, everytime. Firewall off, latest version of iTunes reinstalled, Windows updates/etc. on, no other software running at the same time. Error-report just says reinstall.

I have exactly the same issue, except on a Mac!

I shut off wifi, signed out of the store and turned off iTunes Match. Then I turned wifi back on and opened iTunes. It stayed open instead of crashing this time.

But now I can't use the service I am paying for.

I even reinstalled 10.7.3 with the combo updater. Issue remains. Let's hope this is fixed quickly!

How big is your library? I would recommend the following troubleshooting steps:

- Backup your library. Always a good idea before messing with things. 🙂

- Create a new library. Refer to this article for details: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1589. This won't delete your old library, you're just creating a new empty one. Also refer to this article to get back to your old library later.

- Add a few albums into this new library. Not everything, just a small sampling, as a test.

- Activate Match on this new library. You shouldn't have to re-pay, it should just say "Add Computer" or similar.

- At this point, Match should run again. With just a few albums it should complete in just a few minutes.

If iTunes doesn't crash at this point, then likely there's something about your original library that Match doesn't like - what that is I don't know, but at least you'll know it's not your PC. If iTunes still crashes, then if could be a number of other things, but probably not your library. My next suggestion (if you haven't already done this) is to uninstall / reinstall iTunes. If that doesn't work, then my next ideas you won't like. 😟

iTunes Match is known to work with both Windows 7 and iPhone 4S.

It sounds like they may be some local file corruption on your system.

Suggested route to resolve:

1. Take a secure backup of your Song files;

2. Install again the current iTunes client;

3. Start iTunes with shift key held down - select option to create a new library;

4. Import Song files into the new library.

This should restore iTunes operation on your computer.

Once iTunes is running in a stable form:

1. Take a secure backup of the new library;

2. Turn on iTunes Match and allow the process to run to completion (several hours to several days);

3. Songs will either be 'uploaded' or 'matched'.

Full recovery should be achieved.

Further assistance should certainly be available from Apple should you need it.

When it crashed, had you followed the steps as advised - meaning Windows 7 with a fresh install of iTunes and a new library? If so, there must be some 3rd party software or hardware issue involved. Options at this stage would be limited to:

1. Fixing Windows 7 - start from cold boot - update Windows - install updates - reboot from cold; and

2. Ensuring no 3rd software is running - usual culprits are firewall settings and/or antivirus support.

Should all of these fail you would need to call Apple direct - they may well conclude it is an issue with your system rather than their service given the symptoms as described.

Agreed, and at least you've ruled out that it's not something in your song library.

As mracole mentioned, rebooting cold and making sure the system is clean (i.e. a full virus scan) is a good idea. I'd also recommend uninstalling / reinstalling iTunes as well, just to rule that out. Again, what you are trying to do is eiminate potential factors.

If none of these things work, the problem with calling Apple is that they will likely suggest the same thing I'm about to suggest, as a last resort - and that's a complete rebuild of your system. I wouldn't do this unless you've exhausted all other options, as well as called them to make sure they have no other ideas. But sometimes if you've spent a lot of time trying to fix problems, a rebuild (assuming you do full data backups so as to not lose your data) can fix many inherent issues. It may not be worth doing just for Match, but if there are other inherent problems with the system that you've dealt with it could end up fixing all these problems.