I can't update my ITUNES on my PC.

I select Help and Check for updates and the return response indicates. "the Itunes server could not be contacted." My internet connection is ok. When I go to the ITUNES download section I can only download a new version. If I download the new version and remove my old version will it also erase all of the songs I have in the current version of Itunes.

I am on Windows vista.