iTunes not launching - no .exe

Do you get an error message when you try to launch iTunes, if so give it in full.

iTunes.exe should be in c:\program files\itunes in 32 bit windows or c:\program files (x86) for 64 bit windows.

Could you confirm that it is indeed missing and also which version of windows you are using.

If it is missing try going into Control Panel>>Programs and Features.

If you can find iTunes listed there, try selecting repair.

What happens if you do that? If it doesn't work give the error message in full.

I am struggling to get a clear picture of what is going on.

Did the repair go through normally but it did solve your problem or something else?

Do you 32 bit or 64 bit vista?

I would like to ignore the missing exe for the moment and try something quick that can cause error message free launch failure.

Try updating to the latest quicktime.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

I think it's worth a go before going into something more complicated.

My iTunes folder in c:\Program files(x86)\itunes looks like this (I have 64 bit windows 7)

If you want to post screenshots here is how:

Posting a screenshot

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-xp/help/setup/take-a-screen-shot

Click in the window you want to copy.

Press ALT+PrtScn

Open Paint (Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint

Paste into paint (Ctrl+V)

Save the image. File>>Save As

Click on the little camera icon above the forum edit window to upload the image.

Intended that you install a new version of quicktime not repair.

Using an old version of quicktime with the new iTunes can cause error message free launch failure.

OK, I misunderstood, so if you get that message your probably have the latest Quicktime.

I am disappearing until tomorrow now.

In the meantime, I think it would be wise for you to check for malware have you seem to have something odd going on.

I suggest you download the free version of malwarebytes and run a full scan:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

If you are clear of malware

Try a complete removal of iTunes and related programs using this method:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923

If you get any errors we will have to deal with that tomorrow.

I the uninstall goes OK, Restart your PC and install iTunes:

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

And Quicktime if you want it.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

If you found stuff with malware bytes, you need to fix it before you try to fix iTunes as maware can certainly interfere with iTunes.

I can't help you with malware removal, but if there is stuff that malwarebytes can't fix, there is a malwarebytes forum and you should get good help there. You may even need other tools to fix the problem, but they will advise.

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s=2ff6d4d990887001d768537c9b8ff332&show forum=7

Let's see if I can help debug this:

If you were not able to remove f"Mobile Device Support" then there may still be old files in there.

What is the create date of,

Program Files/Common Files/Apple/Mobile Device Support

From the list below, what Task Manager processes are running when iTunes is NOT running?

Make sure “Show Process from all users” is checked

AppleMobileDeviceHelper.exe

AppleMobileDeviceService.exe

APSDaemon.exe

ATH.exe

distnoted.exe

iPodService.exe

iTunes.exe

ItunesHelper.exe

mDNSResponder.exe

SyncServer.exe

Hi Angela

A few things first.

DO you get a clean bill of health if you run a malwarebytes scan now? In an earlier post, I think you said that there were things malwarebytes could not remove. It is essential that any malware is cleared out before trying to get iTunes working.

As you are having trouble deleting files It would be a good idea to run a full disk check, which unfortunately is quite slow. Windows may not be able to delete a damaged file.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

Does that come up clean or were there errors and if so were they fixed?

When you uninstall all the iTunes related programs, do the uninstalls go through without any errors?

After you uninstall all the iTunes related programs, try restarting your PC before trying to delete the files and folders, hopefully this will make sure that none of the background programs are still running when you do the deleting. If a file is in use it can't be deleted.

If you are unable to delete a folder go into it and find out the file that can't be deleted, what is the error message. Sometimes a corrupt file can't be fixed by the disk check and we have to work round the problem in another way.

Things do not seem to be straight forward in your case so we have to try to work through this in a systematic way. We need a system free of malware and damged files and a properly completed unistall before trying another reinstall of iTunes.

If you google: missing iTunes.exe, you will see that it is a murky problem.