Many of my co-workers and friends have been having trouble setting up iTunes on Windows Vista 64-bit. So I thought I would put together a quick reference sheet that will make it easier, since Apple hasn’t quite got their act together yet.
Background on Windows 64-bit
In the 64-bit versions of Windows there are two locations for programs to be stored by default.
- Program Files – All the 64-bit applications that can run with out any assistance from the 32-bit emulator.
- Program Files (x86) – All the 32-bit applications that need the 32-bit emulator to help then run under the 64-bit versions Windows.
Problem
When installing the latest version of iTunes (7.0.2) on Windows Vista 64-bit the install of the QuickTime software completes successfully, however when the iTunes software tries to install the application it produces an error message saying that it cannot find the QuickTime installation.
This is happening because QuickTime software is getting installed in the Program Files (x86) since it is not a 64-bit application. And the iTunes application specifically looks for it in the Program Files directory. I don’t know why the Apple iTunes programmers thought hard coding a path was a good idea, because they definitely could have looked up the install directory in the Windows Registry. As every programmer knows and has been slapped on the wrist by a more experienced programmer you should never hard code possible variations to your program. Especially if it is a hard drive path, because a non-standard install of QuickTime would lead to the same problem.
Solution
Basically the solution is very easy and involves a new feature in Windows Vista called a symbolic link.
- Open up the Command Prompt as an Administrator (Go to All Programs > Accessories and Right Click on Command Prompt and then choose Run as administrator)
- Create a QuickTime folder in both Program Files (x86)
mkdir "c:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime" - Now we create a symbolic link to the Program Files directory
mklink /d "c:\Program Files\QuickTime" "c:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime" - Now install iTunes as you normally would by double clicking on the install program.
If all the steps were followed from above you will have no problem getting iTunes to install correctly on Windows Vista 64-bit.
Update: If you are still having trouble you are probably experiencing the VB Script issue, where Apple wants you to run in an unsecured mode to install iTunes. I have outlined the steps to install iTunes in the following article.
Update (2007-7-12): I have been getting many thanks for this article as well as my other iTunes articles relating to Vista. If you would really like to do something for me, please visit one of the sponsors to the right or the left. They are how I support this site and keep it running.
Update (2008-1-21): One of the commenter’s below, found out that if you download iTunes from your Internet Explorer 64-bit version you get a version of iTunes that is 64-bit compatible. Now if Apple would only notify its users of this. Or fix their downloading software, or even the iTunes installer, to better detect Windows Vista 64-bit everybody would be in perfect shape. This is still a problem that could be easily avoided by Apple.
64-bit, Apple, iTunes, Microsoft, Windows Vista
can u pliz gave the page of iTunes (7.0.2) so i can get it easy pliz
I have tried to install Itunes on 32 bit vista with no success ” Itunes was not installed correctly, Please reinstall error 7″ does anyone have a fix for this?
Thanks
Hi Good day;
my name is Rome, I have had installed itunes on my windows vista home basic 32 bit, and i didnt have problems installing it at first but i installed the ADvanced pc twaeker software which clean up pc and delete unwanted stuff down there then one day, i opened my itunes then i got a message saying “itunes could not find the cd or dvd ……” something like that, so i thought uninstalling it and reinstalling would help but when i re install it, the computer prompted to restart the computer after installing but when i opened it, it says “pls wait while windows configure itunes” then in a while it says “preparing to install” but when i try to open it, still thesame process again and again, its not opening anything. Pls help, pls
Rome
I don’t know if this applies to my problem or not. I run my laptop at the school where I work and we have a proxy server. After I upgraded to itunes 9, itunes no longer brought up the “connect to” box so that I can connect itunes to the internet, so I can no longer use the itunes store on my laptop. I can’t find any settings for how to make sure to connect to the internet, so I really don’t know what to do now. I didn’t know if I should try the advice above or if this did not apply. Any help would be great.
For those trying to use or install Itunes 8.2 on Windows 7, please
1. unistall firt quicktime or any other apple application in your system THEN INSTALL ITUNES 8.2
2. download itunes 8.2 with the new Internet Explorer 64 bit
I spent so much time trying to make it work, and someone posted a solution here which I tryed and worked now, I have an unlocked iphone and I needed to install this itunes 8.2 software otherwise if I use the new itunes software i can mess up my Iphone,
GOOD LUCK!
Hello Nick,
I have Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit and have just tried your suggestion but it failed. I uninstalled an older version of iTunes, downloaded 8.2, then installed 8.2 as normal, but when I try to open the program I get the message “The file ‘iTunes Library.itl’ cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes”. Any other ideas please?
I may have just solved my accessing iTunes problem in Vista 64bit as recently posted.
I tried the suggestion on this wiki link below and I’ve now got into iTunes. Hooray. I’m checking to see if the actual program works or if I have administrator rights issues that some people have experienced.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_I_fix_this_issue._ITunes_Library.itl_cannot_be_read_because_it_was_created_by_a_newer_version_of_iTunes
I have windows vista 64 bit, I downloaded the new itunes for 64bit and it will not let me import my CDs. It actually rips a minute of one song, and then it says not avaliable for the others. Please help if anyone knows what is wrong.
I have tried to install the latest version of iTunes so I can get my new iTouch working. I am running Vista in 64 bit. It starts to install then I get the following message:
Could not Open Key
UNKNOWN\COMPONENTS\DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1AEE8 13F552355DF871F046A8F8628412056EF,
Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel
It is on my Laptop so I guess I am the support personnel. Any help would be great.
Thanks
Sean
I tried to download iTunes 9, Vista, it gets to the install cycle and I get the following error:
An error occurred during the installation of assembly”Microsoft.VC80.CRT, version=”8.0.50727.4053”, type=”win32” publicKey Token=”1fc8b3b9a1c8e3b”, process or Architecture = “x86”. Please refer to Help and Support for more information. HRESULT: 0x8007054F.
I would appreciate ANY novice oriented advice on how to correct…many thanks
ok, so I did everything you said to do, but it still had problems. so I uninstalled everything, and rebooted the comp. then after beginning the process of installing iTunes, i noticed that iTunes creates its own (x86) file as well as the quicktime. so I created a symbolic link for the itunes file as well.
aka:
mklink /d “c:program files\itunes” “c:\program files (x86)\itunes”
‘enter’
code should respond with:
symbolic link created for “bla bla bla”
DONE!
make sure you do BOTH the quicktime AND the iTunes symbolic link.
I didnt even need to make the beginning file cuz the installer does it for me. and everything seems to have worked great. might be handy for those not able to get the quicktime symbolic link to work.
thanks for everything, I dont know anything about code. but with your help I was able to modify it to work for my needs.