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apple software update for windows does not work properly

Apple software update does not work properly

apple software update-OTHER, Windows XP

Posted on Jun 16, 2012 1:34 PM

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22 replies

Jun 20, 2012 11:42 AM in response to diesel vdub

Actually, I am also experiencing a scenario where the Apple Software Update application (Windows 7 Home, 64-bit) is not working.


Specifically, using either the iTunes client or the Apple Software Update application, I am unable to update Apple software. Within iTunes, in both regular and 'safe-mode', I can successfully choose Help Menu > Check for Updates and I get all of the way to the dialog box w/the choice to either download the update or 'don't download' the update. If I press the 'download' button, the dialog box closes and *nothing* else happens. I have repeated this issue several times across multiple administrator-level accounts on this particular Windows machine.


Sometimes the iTunes client will lock up upon checking for updates, but that is not consistent behavior.


When I open up the Apple Software Update application, the app shows a brief status bar and then displays text to the effect that there are new updates to download. BUT the various panes that typically list out the updates (with check boxes, etc.) are completely empty. I have repeated this same behavior across multiple user accounts, too.


I have tried the various updating methods in Windows Safe Mode. I have gone through the MSCONFIG utility and disabled all start-up items AND services to remove potential software conflicts. I have updated both video and audio drivers. I have confirmed that all Windows Updates are installed. The problem machine has been restarted countless times during this troubleshooting session.


My next step, if I am unable to find a less-destructive solution, is to de-authorized this iTunes client and tear out / reinstall all Apple software on this machine.


The only thing that I can think of in terms of causation is that a fully up-to-date iPhone 3GS was docked with this PC and that there may have been a conflict between the iPhone and the out-dated iTunes client software.


The iTunes client update in question is 10.6.0.40 > 10.6.3.xx (most recent version).


I appreciate any insight that can be provided so that I can get my user's PC back to fully operational. Thanks!

Jun 20, 2012 3:06 PM in response to Rashomon1950

I , as well as many, many , many others are having this exact same issue. you can check here:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4038569?start=0&tstart=0


and there are a few hundred other threads discussing the same issue in one way or another. As of yet, Apple has made no official comment of why this is occurring or when it wil be resolved; but I think it's safe to say that it IS a problem from their end - lets face it, all of us didn't just mysteriously happen to have our Apple Software Update utility go dead at the exact same time. I'm sure it must have something to do with the new rollout of itunes 10.6.3(which is the 1st itunes to allow iOS 6 to be downloaded through it). itunes 10.6.3 is also a fairly hefty update that adds a 2 new programs(Apple Application Support & Apple Mobile Device Support) that I've never seen in my list of Programs & Features before. I'm sure they'll smooth it out in time. I just wish they wouldn't be so tight lipped about the whole affair.

Jun 20, 2012 10:14 PM in response to Zman23

I FIXED IT!! I can't believe it . I actually figured out how to make it work(well sort of). My Apple Software Updater now works (almost) perfectly and I just successfully downloaded and installed itunes 10.6.3.25 through it!!!


Ok , the way I see it, either the latest itunes update or the recent Windows Patch Tuesday on June 12th, 2012 must have inadvertently removed the Administrative Rights from the Apple Software Update Tool .lnk file.


So you must go to where the file resides on your hard drive - for me that was C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs - Right click on the Apple software Tool icon and choose properties. Click on the compatibility tab. At the bottom of this tab click on "change settings for all users" and hit Yes at the UAC pop-up. Now make sure you place a check in the "Run this program as Administrator" under the Privilege level section at the bottom. Hit Apply and then OK. The hit Ok again to get off the properties pop-up.


When I went back and clicked on the Apple Software Update shortcut, I got a UAC pop-up asking me if I wanted to proceed(something I had always, in the past, gotten but haven't since this problem started). The Apple Software Update tool came up and to my suprise the progress bar STAYED and started to slowly fill up partially with the green progress bar. Viola, the itunes 10.6.3 update showed up on the top part of the screen as a new update needing to be installed - the bottom screen, as usual, had the changelog info for the 10.6.3 update. I clicked on install and , again, Viola. the update downloaded and installed flawlessly. I had to reboot my computer and when it restarted, itunes was working perfectly and it was correctly showing as itunes v10.6.3.25.


I say it is almost or sort of fixed because when you click on the Apple Software Update shortcut after the 10.6.3 install it goes back to doing the same thing it did before(i.e. processing for a second and then saying there are new updates but showing a blank field). Maybe this is the way the software now looks if there are no updates available to install - maybe Apple is working on this to eventually get it back to normal. All I know is the process I outlined above worked for me(at least to get the ASU to recognize and properly download and install itunes 10.6.3). It's certainly not perfect, but it worked. Please try this method and let me know what results you have with it. Good luck.

Jun 25, 2012 4:59 PM in response to Zman23

I just came back from the store with a new retina MBP, and Apple Software Update is not working for me either. When I run it, the following happens: I get the UAC prompt, allow it to run, and then there are no options to select, but the program says that updates are available. The progress bar never fills, the pop-up simply disappears, and there it sits blank. I have seen a few similar threads in these forums. The method suggested above did not work for me.

Jun 25, 2012 5:08 PM in response to diesel vdub

I understand that this is the iTunes section. However, the symptoms described above (specifically, I say it is almost or sort of fixed because when you click on the Apple Software Update shortcut after the 10.6.3 install it goes back to doing the same thing it did before(i.e. processing for a second and then saying there are new updates but showing a blank field) match my issue exactly. Since the same service is responsible for delivering updates to iTunes directly and through Apple Software Update, I thought this might be relevant. Nevertheless, thank you for your doubtlessly valuable suggestion.


upd: just to clarify, I am talking about ASD under Win ran through bootcamp.

Jun 26, 2012 2:53 PM in response to markarich159

I tried the steps that you used, and my software updater still says that I have updates to install, I just don't know which ones they are. When I go to itunes, it tells me that my itunes is up to date, so that isn't the problem. I'm running Win 7 64bit as well. Mine has been acting up since I installed the latest version of iTunes, a couple of weeks ago. I open the software updater, it doesn't show a progression on the bar, then it says to select what I want to update. I wish I could select something, or nothing, that would be better than just sitting there grasping at straws trying to figure out what I needed to find on Apple's download page.

Jun 30, 2012 4:58 PM in response to Zman23

Good news, the ASU seems to be working again(starting today for me and for the past few days I've seen positive reports from other places on planet earth). I've only been able to see this on my computer at work(running Win 7 32) but it definitely IS working as it should. It loads, starts the appropriate green bar search progress, and then finds anything on my computer that needs to be either updated or installed - I know this because I do not have Safari installed on my work computer and it is now 10 for 10 in loading and finding and telling me that I should download and install Safari 5.1.7(everything else on my work computer from Apple is already installed and fully updated). Hopefully, when I get home, I will find that my desktop and laptop are also working as they should. It appears it was a problem from Apple's end this entire time. As others have speculated in other similar threads; Apple most likely "fixed" this on their end about 3 days ago, but has been slowly dispersing the "fix" throughout their worldwide update servers. Some people were lucky enough to have the servers in their neck of the woods fixed earlier then others. Hopefully, as Apple finally matriculates the fix to ALL their update servers, everyone will be back up and running smoothly with their Apple Software Updater. If the ASU on your machine is still wonky, just hold out for a bit longer; It should be up and working any day now.

Jul 2, 2012 9:55 AM in response to markarich159

When I went home on Saturday 6/30/12, I found that both my Desktop(Windows 7 64bit) and my laptop(Windows Vista 32bit) were back up with the Apple Software Updater and running perfectly. So in my neck of the woods(Eastern Pennsylvania in the USA), everything seems to have been "fixed" by Apple. I know how frustrating it is waiting but it should, hopefully, be up and running for everyone quite soon.

apple software update for windows does not work properly

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