iTunes not launching - no .exe

If you don't Have iTunessetup, you can download it here:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

But I wonder how you were installing iTunes without it.

There is also a basic troubleshooting step that we haven't carried out yet and that is to find out if the problem is computer wide or confined to one user account. If it is, it opens up a number of possibilities.

Look in this article under create new user account.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1717

OK, so user specific problems are eliminated, I am rapidly running out of ideas now. :-)

I have contacted someone else who is a great expert on this kind of thing, but they haven't been around much in the last few days so I am not sure if they will respond.

There is something else we could try to try and see what is going on, but it is pretty geeky and I am not sure if you will want to do it. It involves using something called ProcessMonitor which is a tool that can be downloaded from Microsoft.

You set it running while you start iTunes and it records what happens. Let me know if you want to give it a go.

There is also a tool that you can run which checks window system files for problems. iTunes is quite dependent on obscure system files so it might be worth a go but it is a real long shot.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

you can get the cmd prompt by typing cmd into the search box.

Then cmd shoul appear at the top of the list under programs, right click and select run as administrator.

Paste the following into the black cmd window

sfc /scannow

Pasting avoids typing errors, right click in the black window to get the paste option.

It takes a few minutes to run, you see the prompt when it has finished. (that's c:\users\yourusername)

It will take me a while to work out how to explain using process monitor to you. :-)

This is where you download it:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645

cmd tells me I have to be an administrator to run it..

Are you using an administrator account, I assumed that you were as you were installing and removing programs happily.

You can install most prgrams from a non admin account but you have to put in an administrator password every time. It is important to be clear about this. Most people seem to use and admin account all the time although I don't.

You do not need to be an administrator to use the cmd prompt but you do have to use "Run as administrator" in order to run sfc.

I just tried downloading process monitor and there was no trouble. But it is essential that you click save, not open.

It is a zip file which should be saved to your downloads folder. right click on it and select extract all. This will extract the file to a new folder called process monitor which contains the program. You do not have to install it. I will let you know how to use it soon, I am a bit busy with something else just now.

Running Process monitor.

Extract the files from the zip file you downloaded as I described before.

Look in the ProcessMonitor folder created when you extracted from the zip folder.

You should find procmon.exe (or just procmon).

I would close all other programs before using it just so you don't have lots of other activity going on on your PC.

Double click on procmon.exe.

you should see the home screen

You should also see the filter window:

If you don't see the filter screen click on filter on the home screen.

The left hand field starts off as architcture, you use the drop down arrow to find process name, then type iTunes.exe as shown.

Then click add. Then OK.

I have drawn a circle round some buttons, When you start, the four on the left are pressed.

You only want the leftmost two pressed.

In the image, the arrow points to a button that is pressed the others are not.

You want the leftmost two pressed. Click on a button to press/unpres sit.

Now try opening iTunes.

A lot of stuff will come up on the screen:

In this instance I only had one button pressed (the one the arrow pointed to before.

Now we need to save the information

Click on File then save.

You will see the save dialogue

You need to set it as follows:

Click on Ok and the file will be saved in the same folder as procmon and will be called logfile.csv.

You need to upload this to somewhere like dropbox or another file share site and post me the link so I can take a look at it.

If we are lucky I may see something helpful.

Ok lest check that you got the right file.

First you need to be able to see file extensions.

Open windows explorer and go to the folder where your log file is, the folder should be called process monitor.

Click on Organize (top left) and select "Folder and search options". Then click on the view tab.

Uncheck "hide extensions for know file types"

You can check it again when you are done.

Now check the log file, it should be logfile.csv.

If dropbox doesn't like it, rename it logfile.txt and try again.

I will probably not be back until tomorrow.

I am amazed that you had the patience to get this far.

Doublechecking something, Angela. Have you reinstalled your QuickTime Player yet?