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How do I revert back to iTunes 10 on a Mac?

I see no benefit of the new one, and the loss of multiple windows is a deal breaker for me. Besides that, the search function is a pain compared to the old version.


There have been some posts in the community, but they were quite a while back, and I've seen several different methods explained. What is the fail safe step-by-step process?


I have over 12,000 songs in my library and don't want to bugger up iTunes so bad it won't work after the downgrade - which I consider an upgrade.

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Feb 25, 2013 6:00 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 25, 2013 2:46 PM

If you want to go back to iTunes 10 I am happy to show you the way.

I am happy to regard myself an expert now on how to downgrade iTunes 11 back to 10. Having found a straight forward and logical way of doing so I thought it my duty to share with others. I can't express what a relief it is to have version 10 back again. See the method below. Let me know how you got on.

You can jump to the method below but I feel I need to express my view on the experience I have had of using iTunes 11.

I have been a mac obsessed devoted fan all my life (I'm 46), never used a PC and got my first mac back in 1988. Until just the past few months I wouldn't hear anyone say anything derogatory about anything apple. However a few things are rocking my 'religious like' devotion. Most of all I have been dumfunded about issues of the recent iTunes evolution in version 11.

I am also obsessed with music, movies and music videos. It's not just a hobby - I am a DJ and Video DJ by proffesion. iTunes, since the very first release, has been the backbone to the way I organise and store all my digital media. I never had any need to seek an alterantive and have also enjoyed the intergration it provides with my iPhone and other things etc etc.

My libary is huge. I don't mean to brag but aside from my digital music collection of 40,000 + tracks, either purchassed from the iTunes store or imported from my CD colection, my music video collection is over 10,000. I am a proffeciant iTunes user and I often have reason to need to retag my files within iTunes or sometimes I use MetaX.

Until now I have never resisted installing any available apple updates and even feel some excitement in anticipation of improved features etc. iTunes version 11 has changed all that now. It is, without question, an inferior version to 10. Anyone who feels otherwize is probaly only using itunes in a basic way and for this reason I have always thought there was a market for a pro version of iTunes for people like me.

iTunes 11 simply doesn't work. I click to play a track, click again cos it hasn't started and click another time and only then do I get to hear the track play for the start three times. It takes ages to build links to external files, just as long as it takes to actually import them to the media folder. Tagging takes rediculous long the point yu would need to leave the job to be done over night. I could go on but you are probably reading this because you have aleady experienced your own issues concerning version 11.

Befoe following the method below, I tried to seek alternatives to iTunes all together. I briefly tried Double Twist and Song Bird amougst many other but it truth iTunes is better for my personal purposes.

The most dispointing thing about version 11 is the silence from Apple about the obvious problems. It is this specific fact that has agrivated me so much. Maybe I am romanticising, bt I can't help imagine that SJ would have never let version 11 go as far as actually being released.

Here are the Stages and Steps: For OS X only. (have no idea for PC users). Thank you to Bogoss on MacForums, whoever you are.

Stage 1.

Note: Any changes you have made to your music files since you used last used version 10 will be lost but any purchasses you have made in the time since can be downloaded again if you can't find those purchasses in your media folder. If recently made playlists are of particular importance you could export the lists to somewhere for later.

1. Back up your iTunes Folder(s) just incase

2. Download these apps 1. AppZapper from http://appzapper.com (the free version will do). 2. Pacifist fromhttp://www.charlessoft.com.

3. Download iTunes 10.7 (last version before 11). Check your download folder, it might still be there. You can also get it from : http://appldnld.apple.com/iTunes10/0...iTunes10.7.dmg

4. Using AppZapper simply uninstall itunes 11. Before you drag the iTunes icon from the Application folder to the window you will need to open the preferences of AppZapper and deselect the tick next to "Keep Apple applications safe"

5. Open the 10.7 dmg file, you will see the pkg file(usally you would double click it to install), but now, this time drag it out somewhere, eg desktop.

6. Open Pacifist

7 drag the pkg iTunes 10.7 file to pacifist and then click install from the menu bar

8, during installation, click replace everytime a window pops up.

9. installation finished, iTunes 10.7 is back!

10. Don't open it yet!!!!

Stage 2.

See this video that explains the pocess here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXKZ2IBNsIA

1. In FINDER - go to your iTunes Folder in the iTunes Folder.

2. Within it, open the folder called Previous iTunes Libraries.

3. Identify the most recent backup. It has the date at the end.

4. Duplicate it. Move it to the desktop.

5. Rename it as iTunes Library.itl. Basically remove the date from the file name.

6. Go back to your iTunes Folder and rename the file there which is already named iTunes Library.itl to iTunes Library.itl.old.

7. Now move the iTunes Library.itl file from your desktop to this location.

8. Now open iTunes 10.7. If it can't find your iTunes library, select choose library and navigate the application to the new iTunes Library.itl file you created.

9. Breath sigh of relief, you're done!

10. Copy this and post it to help others. Only come back to me to say Thanks, not for more support.

Danny

12 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Feb 25, 2013 2:46 PM in response to pgoodwin

If you want to go back to iTunes 10 I am happy to show you the way.

I am happy to regard myself an expert now on how to downgrade iTunes 11 back to 10. Having found a straight forward and logical way of doing so I thought it my duty to share with others. I can't express what a relief it is to have version 10 back again. See the method below. Let me know how you got on.

You can jump to the method below but I feel I need to express my view on the experience I have had of using iTunes 11.

I have been a mac obsessed devoted fan all my life (I'm 46), never used a PC and got my first mac back in 1988. Until just the past few months I wouldn't hear anyone say anything derogatory about anything apple. However a few things are rocking my 'religious like' devotion. Most of all I have been dumfunded about issues of the recent iTunes evolution in version 11.

I am also obsessed with music, movies and music videos. It's not just a hobby - I am a DJ and Video DJ by proffesion. iTunes, since the very first release, has been the backbone to the way I organise and store all my digital media. I never had any need to seek an alterantive and have also enjoyed the intergration it provides with my iPhone and other things etc etc.

My libary is huge. I don't mean to brag but aside from my digital music collection of 40,000 + tracks, either purchassed from the iTunes store or imported from my CD colection, my music video collection is over 10,000. I am a proffeciant iTunes user and I often have reason to need to retag my files within iTunes or sometimes I use MetaX.

Until now I have never resisted installing any available apple updates and even feel some excitement in anticipation of improved features etc. iTunes version 11 has changed all that now. It is, without question, an inferior version to 10. Anyone who feels otherwize is probaly only using itunes in a basic way and for this reason I have always thought there was a market for a pro version of iTunes for people like me.

iTunes 11 simply doesn't work. I click to play a track, click again cos it hasn't started and click another time and only then do I get to hear the track play for the start three times. It takes ages to build links to external files, just as long as it takes to actually import them to the media folder. Tagging takes rediculous long the point yu would need to leave the job to be done over night. I could go on but you are probably reading this because you have aleady experienced your own issues concerning version 11.

Befoe following the method below, I tried to seek alternatives to iTunes all together. I briefly tried Double Twist and Song Bird amougst many other but it truth iTunes is better for my personal purposes.

The most dispointing thing about version 11 is the silence from Apple about the obvious problems. It is this specific fact that has agrivated me so much. Maybe I am romanticising, bt I can't help imagine that SJ would have never let version 11 go as far as actually being released.

Here are the Stages and Steps: For OS X only. (have no idea for PC users). Thank you to Bogoss on MacForums, whoever you are.

Stage 1.

Note: Any changes you have made to your music files since you used last used version 10 will be lost but any purchasses you have made in the time since can be downloaded again if you can't find those purchasses in your media folder. If recently made playlists are of particular importance you could export the lists to somewhere for later.

1. Back up your iTunes Folder(s) just incase

2. Download these apps 1. AppZapper from http://appzapper.com (the free version will do). 2. Pacifist fromhttp://www.charlessoft.com.

3. Download iTunes 10.7 (last version before 11). Check your download folder, it might still be there. You can also get it from : http://appldnld.apple.com/iTunes10/0...iTunes10.7.dmg

4. Using AppZapper simply uninstall itunes 11. Before you drag the iTunes icon from the Application folder to the window you will need to open the preferences of AppZapper and deselect the tick next to "Keep Apple applications safe"

5. Open the 10.7 dmg file, you will see the pkg file(usally you would double click it to install), but now, this time drag it out somewhere, eg desktop.

6. Open Pacifist

7 drag the pkg iTunes 10.7 file to pacifist and then click install from the menu bar

8, during installation, click replace everytime a window pops up.

9. installation finished, iTunes 10.7 is back!

10. Don't open it yet!!!!

Stage 2.

See this video that explains the pocess here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXKZ2IBNsIA

1. In FINDER - go to your iTunes Folder in the iTunes Folder.

2. Within it, open the folder called Previous iTunes Libraries.

3. Identify the most recent backup. It has the date at the end.

4. Duplicate it. Move it to the desktop.

5. Rename it as iTunes Library.itl. Basically remove the date from the file name.

6. Go back to your iTunes Folder and rename the file there which is already named iTunes Library.itl to iTunes Library.itl.old.

7. Now move the iTunes Library.itl file from your desktop to this location.

8. Now open iTunes 10.7. If it can't find your iTunes library, select choose library and navigate the application to the new iTunes Library.itl file you created.

9. Breath sigh of relief, you're done!

10. Copy this and post it to help others. Only come back to me to say Thanks, not for more support.

Danny

Feb 25, 2013 7:37 PM in response to DanRolnick

Thanks. That sounds pretty straight forward.


I too have been a Mac user since 1988 and am very disturbed at this iTunes release. This app is not from the Apple I've known for so long. I also wish there was an iTunes Pro. I would gladly pay for it as long as it did what iTunes used to do.


There was such a media stink about the iOS Map app....which I find works fine for me. I can't believe there hasn't been more media stink about what happened to iTunes.

Mar 18, 2013 8:05 AM in response to DanRolnick

Pacifist says it does not recognize the " 0...iTunes10.7.dmg " file that downloads with your link above: http://appldnld.apple.com/iTunes10/0...iTunes10.7.dmg


It gives you the dialog box message: Pacifist was unable to open the file “iTunes10.7.dmg”. Please make sure this is a file type that Pacifist understands.



I'm using Pacifist 3.0.10 - brand new a couple of days ago

Mar 18, 2013 8:48 AM in response to pgoodwin

Thanks a lot Dan Rolnick.


Pacifist installs a lot of stuff. I answered "YES" to all of it and the result even changed some of my finder prefs, which surprised me....like the finder sidebar was gone, so were the toolbars in the finder and in Safari. Easy stuff to get back though with a few menu choices.


I haven't tried syncing my iPhone and iPad yet. I'll post back with results later.

Jun 23, 2013 2:23 AM in response to DanRolnick

Danny,


Thanks brother. I haven't put 11 on my system but was having a weak moment as I look at the little red dot that hovers over the app store icon in the dock. For what I assume will be perpetuity. I too have a HUGE library and lots of stuff I've created, session guitarist/musician.


I guess this also means I will never purchase the next version of a Mac OS. Now I guess I need to make mp3 to wma or ogg vorbis copies of everything and store then on a dedicated drive. what a pain the @$$. **** Apple what gives?


Later

Jun 23, 2013 11:52 AM in response to thomasfromhanover

When I upgraded to 10.8.3, I opted not to update iTunes. When you see the update notices, hit the "see details" button. It should give you a separate line item for iTunes, that you can choose not to install. You can also opt to not show you that again (the iTunes part of an update). When a new build of OS ( not just a security update for example) you'll have to opt out of iTunes again. When a completely new version comes out (10.9) I guess we'll have to wait and see if the option to not upgrade iTunes will be there. You could always install the new one and remove it per Dan Rolnick's procedure above.

How do I revert back to iTunes 10 on a Mac?

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