Why does iTunes delete my itunesprefs.xml?

Not seeing any issues here and I have McAfee Total Protection installed on Vista Ult SP2 and Windows 7 Ult SP1 both x64, both also have iTunes 11.1.2.31.

I'm not saying that there isn't anything the A/V companies can do but I trust that Apple is also looking into what changes they've made that would cause more than one A/V to react badly in some cases and not in others?

It wouldn't be the first time that people expect A/V companies to patch something that may not be their doing in the first place.

Does someone remember how the problem was solved last time? Was it just after an iTunes update or after a McAfee update?

It was a McAfee update that resolved the issue last time. It appears that the recurrence started with the Security Center update on 10/17/2013. This isn't to say that McAfee is entirely at fault, but there should be an effort by both companies to get to the bottom of this.

This appears to be the version that coincides with the issue:

SecurityCenter

Version: 12.8

Build 12.8.856

10/17/2013

racerx

It would appear that McAfee are expected to patch their product to deal with some bad coding by Apple, yet again. Are AVG customers still having the problem too?

At the risk of sounding like an apologist for Apple, if their code works properly in the absence of McAfee (or AVG, or Sony's VAIO Content Folder Watcher of old) then you have to ask which program is at fault. For me if software X interferes with the normal operation of software Y then X needs patching to stop it happening. Y shouldn't need to develop a workaround to shield itself from unwanted interference from X.

tt2

Well I will broach the subject yet again at our Conference Call with McAfee on Monday (I'm an Admin at McAfee forums) but I wouldn't hold ones breath.

If more than one A/V was doing this then obviously there's some suspect coding somewhere, written by Apple.....whose presence in these threads is extremely rare I've noted.

In recent months AVG had a habit, for some, of disrupting the update of the main iTunes Library.itl file in a way which would make the entire library disappear. Sony's VCFW software has done something similar in the past. McAfee has been interfering with a different file. What I find telling in both the AV cases is that even when they were supposed to be excluded from monitoring the folders in question the problems persisted. Since the problems are often intermittent, and don't appear to affect all users of the same sets of software, there may well be other factors involved. However changing AV seems to reliably remove the issue, so it remains the principle suspect.

Apple don't really engage in the forums, though there is a team that attempts to suggest relevant knowlege base articles to posts that haven't drawn attention from anyone else...

tt2

Well they are going to have to engage in something as I see lots of spam posts on the main board, which incidentally do not have a 'Report Abuse' button to go with them, strange.

I will bring this up with McAfee, but instead of ditching software, the best way of getting change is for the customers to contact Technical Support and complain because staff only rarely look in on their forums. It's free after all and available by phone or online chat. I am but one voice but I will try.

You need to reach level 1 to report abuse, until then you can raise attention in Using Apple Support Communities.

Apple have both feedback and bug reporting routes, but it may take many voices before an issue becomes noticed.

tt2

I am level 1, and so is the spammer.

Regarding the subject of this thread, I am stirring the pot wherever possible in my capacity as an Admin/Mod at McAfee Forums. Of course being only a volunteer there means my queries have to wait in line, but I'm hoping someone will sit up and take notice.

Edit: the spam appears to be slowly disappearing, so there is life somewhere.

Apologies, I meant level 2. Show me the spam and I will report it.

I stir the pot too with Apple from time to time, but it seems I have a very small spoon, and they have a very big pot! 😉

tt2

turingtest2 wrote:

Apologies, I meant level 2. Show me the spam and I will report it.

I stir the pot too with Apple from time to time, but it seems I have a very small spoon, and they have a very big pot! 😉

tt2

It appears that someone was awake and has now deleted it. I know exactly what you mean about small spoons in big pots...I'm pretty-well used to it here and at McAfee, and other places too....I retired from a large corporation in 2001 where I often ignored procedures as the only way of getting things done (but never safety ones).

Thanks. 😁

Just posting to ensure everyone that we are pushing for another fix over at McAfee. The trouble is, every time iTunes updates, it breaks the fix for some installations and not others, which leads me to believe that Apple needs to take a serious look at how they are doing their coding. It should be an easy matter to make code that doesn't fall foul of McAfee's Real-Time Scanner (& Norton, AVG et alia).

I trust people have been giving Apple soime direct input on this? If someone could point me to the link to do so, I will do it myself.

You can send comments and suggestions to iTunes Feedback or sign up for a free Apple Developer Connection account and make use of Apple Bug Reporter.

tt2

Thank you.