Welcome screen keeps coming up every time iTunes is opened

Press WinLogoKey+R then enter %appdata%\Apple Computer\iTunes and click OK. Rename the file iTunesPrefs.xml as say OldiTunesPrefs.xml and launch iTunes. Close and reopen. Does it open normally now?

If that hasn't resolved it try Fix unexpected quits or launch issues in iTunes for Windows - Apple Support.

tt2

Please see my post here: iTunes starts with the Welcome screen every time which I made before I was able to locate this thread. My issue is about the same, I get the Welcome screen every time, also including the Share the Details window and the EULA, but the most difficult part is that the settings I make under the Preferences (encoding, syncing, etc) are not retained thus every time I bring up iTunes I have to reconfigure it from scratch. I have reinstalled iTunes twice as I mentioned on the thread above above, to no avail. The iTunes Library itself appear uncorrupted, all the music, album art, etc. works well except I am no longer able to sync my iPad or iPhones to it. I went to the folder tt2 mentioned above, %AppData%Local\Apple Computer\iTunes and then renamed the iTunesPrefs.xml file as OldiTunesPrefs but upon reboot and restarting iTunes, a new one is not created which I believe was the intent. I then opened the link on the post above and followed the steps that were indicated, specifically to create a new library, iTunes2 (empty but nonetheless). When opening this new library the same occurs even after repeated re-openings.

Any help would be most appreciated....

What antivirus package are you running? McAfee in particular has been known to cause problems with iTunes preference files.

See also Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows. It is possible that running the same kind of permissions repair on the Apple Computer folders in any of the following locations might help:

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\LocalLow

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Roaming

Double-checking I see that there are two copies of iTunesPrefs.xml, one in each of:

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes

Might be worth renaming the second one if you only did one.

One last thing to try is to right-click on the iTunes application and click run as administrator. I've a vague feeling I read about this elsewhere and IIRC it seems to only need to be done once.

tt2

Hi tt2, thanks for the quick reply. ✅

I am running McAfee, what do you suggest? Deactivating it while downloading iTunes again?

The link above just takes me back to this same thread somehow, but nonetheless, I know enough about computers to be dangerous!!

I checked the security permissions under the 3 folders above, all set the same, all permissions are Allowed except Special Permissions (same on all 3)

I checked the two locations you mentioned. I have no iTunesPrefs.xml under Local\Apple Computer\iTunes

I do have one under Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes and have now renamed it OldiTunesPrefs. What else should I do with it? Anything?

I went to my iTunes application under Program Files\iTunes\ and ran it as an administrator (I am the only user on this computer and set as such). I set up preferences, etc. and then logged out of iTunes. Went back in and it still presents me with the Welcome to iTunes screen and of course then all the prefs are now reset as default.

Did a PC reboot after the above. Went back in to Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes. The renamed file OldiTunesPrefs is still there (as it should). There is no new iTunesPrefs file. Ran iTunes app as Administrator again, starts as new with Welcome. Accepted EULA, Agree, Agree, Set up Preferences again, closed iTunes, went back, ran as Admin and #$% same Software License Agreement, etc. etc.

I am at a total loss... What should I do now? Any help would be much appreciated....

elcpu

Temporarily shut down McAfee, launch iTunes, set things the way you want, close iTunes, give it time to close fully, open it again. If your preferences have been saved you'll know McAfee is the issue. You may be able to implement some folder exclusions to stop McAfee interfering with iTunes file activity in those folders. Personally I run Microsoft Security Essentials and have never had any problems with it.

tt2

WOW!!! Shut down McAfee as you wisely suggested. Rebooted the PC to be sure, McAfee and Windows came up with the expected warnings which I ignored. Verified that McAfee was still OFF and it was. Launched iTunes and I did not even have to set up preferences the first time, they were there to begin with as I had them days ago. iTunes came up perfectly well. Rebooted the PC again, and sure enough iTunes is still OK. All settings are as I want, can sync my iPad and iPhone to it, etc. etc. My Alfred Brendel / Schubert Album, now playing happily on tunes, likes it as well, and even my MacBookPro which I am typing on at the moment has a smile on his face.

One minor problem still persists, iTunes keeps reminding me with every restart that my iCloud session has expired and I need to enter my PW again, I do so but only to be presented with the same on the next restart. I have signed out of my account and now seems to have stop. Other ideas? or is this normal behavior if I remain signed in?

Moral of the Story:

1. While McAfee had been working without issues, I was getting tired of it, a little too bloated IMO, and too pesky reminding me to turn on extensions I did not want. After I finish this email, I will be biding McAfee adieu. Will use Security Essentials as you recommended. I have S.E. on an old, experimenting type of PC and like it. I also use MalwareBytes and like it as well, so far never an issue.

2. This reminds me of the importance of backups, I have an iTunes Library backup on an external drive and was thinking of a complete reset and moving that library to a fresh install but thanks to you, not needed now. As I mentioned to Demo a while back, I do not wear suspenders and belts at the same time but I do as much regarding backups!! He does the same.

3. I am going to wait an hour or two to make sure all continues ok (although I have little doubt) and will mark my OP thread as solved. I would give you 100 points if could!!!

Cheers,

elcpu

Signing out of cloud and back in again now that preferences can be read/saved properly should hopefully lick the iCloud issue. See Backup your iTunes for Windows library with SyncToy for my recommended backup strategy.

tt2

tt2 wrote:

Temporarily shut down McAfee, launch iTunes, set things the way you want, close iTunes, give it time to close fully, open it again. If your preferences have been saved you'll know McAfee is the issue. You may be able to implement some folder exclusions to stop McAfee interfering with iTunes file activity in those folders.

While McAfee was clearly the offender in my case, my wife has exactly the same PC (bought at the same time), up-to-date W7 and iTunes, the same McAfee software which is included with our ISP service, and somehow she is not having the same issue. I realize that no two computers and certainly no two systems are ever alike but I am left a little puzzled as to why. Any theories?

When iTunes updates one of its files it writes out a new temporary copy, deletes the original, and then renames the temp. copy to replace it. AV programs work by intercepting all file operations and deciding whether or not to allow them. I suspect in some cases the way that McAfee holds up the process causes iTunes to silently fail to complete its task. I don't know if the speed of the check is a factor, but I do know it has affected some McAfee users randomly for at least a year. McAfee ought to have been able to do something about it in that time. 😕

tt2

I understand, now that you explained it. McAfee lost a customer today, not that they care since AT&T (my ISP) is the one that pays them. I now have Microsoft Security Essentials installed - went smoothly with no issues. MalwareBytes is now doing its thing and iTunes is happy as a lark.

I could not thank you enough for your assistance today. I would have never thought to look at McAfee and would still be pursuing endless windmills. I guess those 60,000 points are for a reason!!

Cheers...... 🙂

elcpu

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2

Feedback: iTunes is happy still (I don't expect any more issues). I knew that McAfee was a resources hog but I did not realize how much of a hog it actually was. My W7 PC is now super fast, I am amazed as to the huge difference it made going from McA%$# to Microsoft Security Essentials. Excel and Word now load in a flash and even Photoshop, quite a large program. I had read a couple of years ago that MSE was a lightweight but my wife and I do not visit the type of sites more prone to risk (although one can get a virus from anywhere, I realize). I am now trying to talk my wife into ditching McAfee as well.

Cheers....

elcpu

🙂

tt2

tt2,

It looks like I was able to "pay it forward" to another fellow Apple user. Norton was the culprit this time so they are on my bad list as well.... Thought you would want to know about another instance of AV interference.

Re: iPhone 5S does not appear in Windows 8.1 Explorer

elcpu

It looks like I was able to "pay it forward"...

Perfect. 🙂

I've seen several threads recently where it seems Norton has been blocking non-iOS devices from syncing. Preventing access to the camera roll looks like another strike against it.

tt2