Ipodservice failed to start.

hmmmm. if you had iTunes installed before, it's plausible that the ipodservice program machinery was broken in that install ... and that's interfering with the attempts to upgrade (resulting in you effectively not having an ipod service.)

so perhaps let's try a complete uninstall of your existing itunes and QuickTime. (that should clear away any broken program files that are bollixing up the upgrade.)

use the technique from the the following document:

Removing iTunes and QuickTime for Windows

does an itunes install go through properly after doing that?

I am trying to install iTunes and I continue to get the following error: "Service 'iPodService' (iPodService) failed to start. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to start system service."

that can happen sometimes if the itunes installer is having a hard time shutting down either itunes or quicktime (or applications using quicktime) prior to the install. so let's try a "download, restart, then install strategy."

leave your ipod unplugged.

download and save a copy of the itunes installer to your hard drive. (do not run the install on line, and do not start the install by clicking on the iTunesSetup.exe (installer) file just yet.)

iTunes 7.1.1.5 Installer

shut down running applications and restart the PC.

do not open any other applications prior to attempting the iTunes install. switch off antivirus and antispyware applications prior to the install.

now start the install by doubleclicking the iTunesSetup.exe file.

does the install go through properly this time?

okay. let's check to see if anything can start the ipodservice on the PC at the moment. we'll see if we can start the service in your Services.msc.

go "Start > run", type Services.msc and hit enter.

find the iPod Service in the list of services. does it say that it is stopped? if so, right-click on the service and select "restart".

does the service start or do you get an error message?

if you get an error message, what does it say? (include error message numbers if you're getting any.)

that's a bit disconcerting. is this the very first time that you've installed iTunes on this PC?

is there an iPod Service appearing in your Services this time around?

it certainly seems to be the nub of the issue.

okay, let's try yet another itunes install, this time after a selective startup on the PC, as per the following document:

Using MSCONFIG to troubleshoot conflicts in Windows

(after the selective startup, don't launch any other applications prior to the attempt at the itunes install.)

does it go through then, or do you get the same error message?