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Apple Mobile Device failed to start

When I install itunes, I get the following error message: service 'Apple Mobile Device' (Apple Mobile Device) failed to start. Verify that you have sufficient privleges to start system services. Any ideas what to try?

itunes-OTHER, Windows Vista

Posted on Oct 16, 2012 7:31 PM

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Posted on Oct 17, 2012 8:43 PM

Not sure about djeanne, but this didn't help me at all. No matter what I do with uninstalling, deleting all apple files, downloading and extracting and reinstalling one by one, I still cannot itunes to install properly. I'm convinced it has to do with the Apple Mobile Device Support file since I'm getting the same message as djeanne. I also notice rollbacks happening when I try to install, but it goes by so fast.


Anyone? Help? I've been at this for almost 1 month now! I refuse to go out to buy my iphone 5 until I can get iTunes 10.7 installed and working.

149 replies

Aug 16, 2013 8:35 PM in response to stuckintherough

wanna let you and others know that there is an alternative ...


Navigate to Computer>Local Disk>Program Files. Look for iTunes folder to see if there is a numeric value in parenthesis after the file name [for example (537)]. Not sure if it was windows or a virus, but this was the root cause of the issue. Here also, this extension was added to my iPod folder.


Navigate to Computer>Local Disk>Program Files (x86) for Vista and Windows 7 users. check for the same there. Here, my Quicktime, Apple Software Update, and Bonjour folders also had the same random extension.


In the Control Panel>Programs and Features, I unistalled Quicktime, Apple Software Update, and iTunes from the computer. Then manually deleted the iPod, Apple Software Update, Quicktime, and iTunes folders within the two Program Files locations that had the random extensions to them.


Download and install iTunes again from http://www.apple.com/itunes/. This reinstalled all the necessary components. I launched iTunes without error. I connected my iPhone 5 and it synchronized without error.


Problem fixed.

Aug 25, 2013 4:05 PM in response to djeanne

I Had The Same Problem, It`s Very Easy To Solve That Problem.

Follow That Steps:

Open Control Panel > Programs And Features.


There Will Lots Of Softwares But You Want To Uninstale Same:

Apple Application support

Apple Mobile Device Support

Apple Software Update

Itunes (If You Have Crashed Install)


Next Only Install Itunes And it Will Not Write Any Errors.


I Tryed And It`s True 100%.

Jan 22, 2014 8:50 PM in response to djeanne

This worked for me:


Uninstalled ALL Apple software.

Rebooted PC (Windows 64-bit Ultimate)

Renamed my iTunes folder (yes, it still exists in ProgramFiles (x86) after uninstalling ALL Apple software) to "iTunes_OLD".

Created a new folder entitled "iTunes"

Pointed latest install (11.1.4 for Windows [64-bit]) to the new "iTunes" folder

Right clicked on latest iTunes.exe and selected "Run as administrator"

Install went perfectly and even though my iTunes library in on a completely separate drive, the latest install found it without my intervention.


I hope this helps all of you. :~)

Jan 24, 2014 3:28 AM in response to djeanne

Had this problem after I tried an update to v11.1.4 on Win7 32bit PC which failed. I could not start the Apple Mobile Device service.


I Uninstalled ITunes from Control Panel - Programs and Features. I then went to C:\Program Files\Common Files\ and renamed the Apple folder to AppleOld. This folder contains the Mobile Device Support folder. I could have just deleted the folder but I'm a coward.


I then downloaded the latest ITunes installation from http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/download/, ran the installation using all default settings and it cured the problem. Hope this helps someone

Jan 24, 2014 6:14 AM in response to philg146

Like philg146 I had this problem this morning after updating to v11.1.4 on Win7 32bit laptop.


I did exactly what he did, i.e., Uninstalled ITunes from Control Panel - Programs and Features. Then went to C:\Program Files\Common Files\ and renamed the Apple folder to AppleOld.


Except I downloaded the latest iTunes from http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/. Ran installation, etc. This was my solution as well. Thanks philg146!

Apple Mobile Device failed to start

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