Apple Software Update for Windows crashes or returns incorrect/incompatible updates

Unfortunately I have already tried a repair install as well and that has not solved the problem.

Andre

I do not currently have an Apple device, computer or otherwise, to receive Apple support. If someone that is interested in following up with this case that does have access to the above linked AppleCare support, I would be more than willing to feed information and logs for the purpose of resolving this issue. To start, here is the basic crash information provided:

Problem signature:

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH

Application Name: SoftwareUpdate.exe

Application Version: 2.1.3.127

Application Timestamp: 4de6dd5a

Fault Module Name: OLEAUT32.dll

Fault Module Version: 6.0.6002.19216

Fault Module Timestamp: 5441bd96

Exception Code: c0000005

Exception Offset: 000049d6

OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.768.3

Locale ID: 1033

Additional Information 1: fd00

Additional Information 2: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160

Additional Information 3: fd00

Additional Information 4: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160

iTunes has not been compatible with the Windows Vista Data Execution Prevention (DEP) framework since version 11.2 and along with its related components has seemed to get less reliable on Vista over time. I am not quite sure why Apple decided to completely revise the background task execution model beyond iTunes 11.1.5, it has resulted in unnecessary incompatibility with Windows Vista, and in cases, Windows 7 while all other programs designed for Windows NT 6+ run without error.

To be more complete, I have scanned system files (scannow) on the Vista x64 machine and they are all intact and without corruption. I also maintain a fully updated Windows environment. The hard disk containing the OS and Software Update/iTunes is also free of disk errors (chkdsk). Windows updates that most closely preceded the inconsistent crashing and update suggestions were: .NET Framework 4.5.2 and several Vista x64 Security Updates (KB3022777, KB3019215, KB3021674).

I have also confirmed that the OLEAUT32.dll is in the correct location and properly registered.

A complete uninstall and reinstall of iTunes and related components has not resolved the issue. Today I did another complete uninstall of iTunes 12.01 and related components and installed the latest 64-bit version of iTunes (12.1). The Software Update issue still persists. I have no trouble whatsoever installing updates for individual components using installer (.msi) files or installer packages, but the Software Update application is crashing or failing to diagnose updates correctly.

Both the previous build and current build of iTunes install and run properly, the well documented DEP incompatibility and crash upon exit notwithstanding.

No dice on the folder deletion and browser cache clear solution.

I think I have isolated a likely cause. As part of a batch of Windows Updates, which I installed on December 3, 2014, a Security Update (KB3006226) replaced system file oleaut32.dll with a new version (version date: 10/17/14) of the file. It also updated one or two more files relating to the OLE registration in the Windows operating system, and seemed to do so for many versions of Windows including: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.2, Windows Vista, and Server, etc. Under the OLE registration heading in the System Information program I find entries for many programs such as Excel, Word, a few science tools I use, etc, but no entry for Apple Software Update. I wonder if ASU, not having been updated itself in quite some time, is programmed to invoke a particular version of oleaut32.dll or is otherwise incompatible with the new version? The issues with ASU seemed to follow this update.

@turingtest2: Do you have any connections to Apple devs or support that would look into this issue?

Have any other Windows users, particularly those still using Vista, noticed this behavior and crash dialogue while using ASU?

Thanks much! I will follow up with the bug reporting and we shall see if a workaround or solution can be found. It is true that Windows supports the use of multiple versions of the same common library simultaneously, but not within the same directory of course! Also, programs must be written to look for a particular library in a particular location. In the case of ASU it seems to look for the version that is located in C:\Windows\system32. I tried extracting the original oleaut32.dll from my recovery disks and placing it within the program file folder for ASU to no avail. I was also unable to properly register the older version of oleaut32.dll within the system32 folder after removing the new version, it just over-wrote the version number to that of the new version, so the error persisted even still. Not sure if Apple or Microsoft will have much incentive to release a bug fix for such an old platform, Vista, unless oleaut32.dll was similarly updated on newer versions of Windows as well. Ahh well...

Touche. I just checked my winsxs folder and have 12 versions of oleaut32.dll myself. I wonder if the ASU manifest is written to use the latest version of the file, whatever that may be, and now it's incompatible? Anyhow, these are intriguing lines from the wiki:

"On Windows Vista and later, sxstrace.exe can help to diagnose failures in the starting of applications due to SxS misconfiguration.

If a user wishes to override manifest-specified assemblies (for example, in the case of security patches applied to a library), a publisher configuration file can globally redirect assemblies. Digital signatures can ensure that the legitimacy of such redirection."

I feel for security purposes doing the later would not be a good idea. But I'll see if running the program proves diagnostic.

No. Unfortunately the latest version of the .dll installed in February hasn't solved the issue. Furthermore, ASU crashes and returns the new .dll version as the fault module, so ASU is probably written to access the latest version or the version in the sys32 directory or whatnot.

And alas, the full 64-bit edition of iTunes has not fixed the crashing or DEP compatibility issues of its predecessors. All bad news today :/.