Unable to Install iTunes

[cmb62]

Hi,

After solving my problem with QuickTime, I am back with the original problem of installing iTunes. I have Vista Home Premium 64 Bit SP2 and cannot install iTunes.
Today I downloaded the newest version from Apple's web site. Installation proceeds normally for awhile then I get the error below (it appears in box labeled " iTunes + QuickTime".

Could not open key:
UNKNOWN\Components\DA42BV89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8\7E577B2224C654E801A9E52375DB49. Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.

I navigated to the key (substituting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18 for UNKNOWN above) and found 3 instances of the key. 1 had data, 2 were empty. I deleted the 2 empty iterations. I had read about running regedit as an administrator and trying to change the permissions so that the owner was "adminstrators" instead of "system" but was unable to change the ownership (maybe because I have not uninstalled the older version of QuickTime that I used to get things working). Anyway I would like to install the 64 bit version of iTunes now but need to get past this problem. Additional info: I noticed that iTunes 64 bit selected as the install directory C:\Program Files (x86) instead of C:\Program Files. I have tried installing in each of these directories with the same results.

My system state is now that everything with iTunes in uninstalled with the exception of QuickTime 7.3.1 which I use to run a program that I use often.

I am ready to try installing iTunes again if anyone can help.

Thanks in advance.

Charley

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Didja try in Safe mode, "Run as administrator?" That always does the trick for me.

 

[cmb62]

Hi ,
Thanks for the reply. I get "The Windows Installer Service is not accessible in Safe Mode" when I try Safe Mode, Run as Administrator.

Thanks,

Charley

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh! Those busters! lol, okay. I'mma go read up on dependent registry entries by Apple ITunes and Quicktime softwares. It might be a while. Nice computer, btw, those specs are making me salivate, albeit slightly.

 

[cmb62]

Thanks- I'm pretty happy with it except when I run into these kind of issues (as well as the occasional freezes and BSOD!).

Thanks for the help!

Charley

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Why are you running 7.3.1? Do you have to? Does a newer version safely run the program you use often?

EDIT: never mind. I see the thread you posted earlier.

There are ITunes Alternatives like CopyTrans and Songbird.

There's also this interesting thing right here. It's a hacked ITunes install, sans any of the running services and without Quicktime installation, though if you read here you see that you still need Quicktime Alt to successfully run the program. The authors do not say if that ITunes custom install runs with Quicktime 7.3, though if it's hacked off of ITunes 9.0, it's gotta be integration-ready with Apple Quicktime software, unless the guy hacked that Itunes custom install for Quicktime Alt exclusivity.

I'd go to the comments section here and ask the author, ajua, if his install works if you have real and stable Quicktime version installed instead of Quicktime alt.

 

[kristain]

Try to install the program by right clicking on the executable and select Run as Administrator.
Run the command prompt as administrator, Select Start and within the start search type cmd and right click on cmd and Run as Administrator > Once command prompt opens
type net user administrator /activate:yes
Then, logoff and log on with Administrator. Proceed with the installation of application " Itunes"

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Click here if you are unable to get solution.

Cmb has Vista, not 7.

That being said, you still could try kristain's solution. That hidden administrator account is the super-account. It has no default password.

Once you're done and if you're successful, log out, log back in to your regular account, open up a command prompt as an administrator, and deactivate the account again with a timely command of net user administrator /active:no

Definitely uninstall that 7.3.1 version of Quicktime before you try this, though, and make sure all Apple ITunes services are uninstalled: Bonjour; IPod Service, and Apple Mobile Device/IPod Service. You can detect these services in your computer through typing msconfig in your "Start Search" Start Menu text bar, selecting the "Services" tab, and listing the running Services by "Manufacturer."
If these services are still running or Apple Quicktime or ITunes is still in your populated list of "Programs and Features" installed programs, consult the Apple ITunes support page.

 

[cmb62]

Thanks Kristain & Pauliewalnuts-

I'll try your suggestions tonight when I get home from work.

Charley

 

[hariharan]

Did you get the 64 Bit version or 32 Bit version.

get the 64 Bit one and try it out.

 

[cmb62]

Hi Hariharan,

I tried the 64 bit version. Interestingly it chose the default directory of C:\Program Files (x86) (where the 32 bit programs are installed) instead of the directory C:\Program Files where I beleive the 64 bit programs are installed. Either way, I tried both directories with the same result.

Thanks,

Charley

 

[cmb62]

Hi Hariharan,

I used the 64 bit version. Apple detected that I use a 64 bit machine and only offered me that version.

Thanks,

Charley

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Apparently, ITunes is a 32-bit program that uses 64-bit drivers when it can (see superuser.com question thread). This is why you actually get ITunes folders in both Program Files and Program Files (x86) when you install ITunes. Notice all of the programs except two, the Mini Player and the ITunes updater, are in the (x86) folder. All the drivers for the mini-player are 64-bit and in the 64-bit native app folder, Program Files.

 

[cmb62]

Hi all,

SUCCESS ! I tried a modified version of the Kristain/Pauliewalnuts suggestions and got it to work.

Here is what I did.

1) Uninstalled EVERY BIT of iTunes/iPod/Bonjour/Apple Updater and QuickTime. First I used REVO Uninstaller to get rid of all I kind find, then I used Windows Add/Remove to get the rest. I then deleted the directories I could find (QuickTime directory was still there for example). I ran JV Power Tools Registry Cleaner to get anything that was left.
2) I'm not sure this part was necessary but I ran regedit as an Administrator, navigated to the key that gave me the originally gave me the "Could Not Open Key" message (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\
S-1-5-18\Components\DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8\7E577B2224C654E801A9E52375DB49 . I found 3 of these : DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8 and deleted the 2 that had no data. I fought the remaining one trying to get the permissions changed so that Administrator was the owner instead of System but could never get it to change. I decided to delete the entries 7E577B2224C654E801A9E52375DB49 etc. and deleted all that I could.
3) I tried Kristain's suggestion of running CMD as an administrator and entered
" net user administrator /active:yes " (no quotes and active instead of activate as Kristain suggested). Then I logged off (CTRL/ALT/DEL), logged back on as the administrator and right clicked the iTunes install file and selected Run as Administrator. The program installed and at the end I got a message that APPLE was unable to install or run (something-sorry, didn't note this error) and that uninstalling/reinstalling iTunes might help. While still in Administrator account I uninstalled iTunes (which showed up for the first time in Install/Remove) and reinstalled it (again using "Run as Administrator") and iTunes completely installed this time. I then logged off , logged back into my regular account, opened cmd as administrator and entered net user administrator /active:no .

Thanks to all who responded , especially Kristain and Pauliewalnuts! I appreciate all of your help!

Charley

 

[dare978devil]

Hi Charley,

Thanks for your post, but I simply cannot get iTunes to install on Vista64. I ran through your entire post, but whenever I install it, either by logging onto the Administrator account or using my normal account, I end up with the same error message. I use the actual Administrator account so infrequently, it put up a message saying "Building Desktop" when I logged onto it. The desktop was almost completely clean, with no Apple software at all.

I ran through all your steps, but it still fails every time with "Could not open key. UNKNOWN\components [long key name]. If I find that key in my registry and then change permissions so that my name is explicitly listed as the owner with full rights, the install simply fails at another registry key. Over and over again.

Any other ideas? I am about ready to give up. The only conclusion I can draw is that iTunes is not really compatible with Vista64, Apple simply put out an ugly kludge with a 64-bit front end. It works for a few people, but there are a great number of hits when I google my error message. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
DD.

 

[hariharan]

Guess then It really doesnt work.

If I come across a solution I will let you know

 

[cmb62]

Hi DD,

Sorry to hear about the trouble you are having. I know it is very frustrating.

Try this: First, make sure that you have the error message key. If you don't have it, install iTunes again so that you can get the error message key and take a screen shot of it or write it down.

Next, dowload a fresh copy of the iTunes installer. I believe the newest one is only about 3 or 4 days old (version 9.1.1.12 is the newest I believe). Uninstall iTunes, Quicktime, Bonjour, iPod and Apple Updater if you haven't already. I like Revo Uninstaller but use whatever works for you. Manually delete anything that the
uninstaller software doesn't get. Run a registry cleaner to clean up things a bit.
Navigate to the key in the error message and delete it (or them if there is more than one). You may have to delete the key one value at a time but try to get rid of the whole thing. Reboot. When your system comes back up, turn off everything you can (anti-virus, anti-spyware, Windows Sidebar -which you can get back later by entering sidebar in the RUN box-and anything else you can get rid of). Install the new version of iTunes and note any error messages (screen shots would be great).
If you get a message along the lines of something failed, try reinstalling again (I can't remember the exact message) go ahead and try installing it again (don't bother deleting anything or navigating to the registry). This is where it finally worked for me. Hopefully it will for you too!

If it doesn't work, please reply back to this thread and let us all know. There are some really sharp people here and I'm sure that one of them will come up with the solution.

Best of luck!

Charley

 

[dare978devil]

Hi Charley,

Thanks for the reply. The precise error message I was getting was :

"Could not open key. Unknown\Components DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8
Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel."

It seems this problem is pretty common installing Apple software on Vista64. If you google "iTunes DA42BC89BF25F5BD0AF18C3B9B1A1EE8", you get more than 300 hits. All of them that I have read concern 64-bit Windows operating systems, either Vista64 or Win7-64. There are some which claim solutions, but nothing which consistently solves the problem for all users. I found the registry entry listed above, and changed the owner to my Vista login name, and also added my username to the rights field with full rights. I thought that had resolved it, because when I installed iTunes again, the key listed was different. So I updated that one thinking I had gotten a bit farther in the install procedure. And on and on. After 7 installs, I figured out that all Apple entries in my registry were expandable (little triangle next to them). So I went down the list, and changed them all to my Vista username, and then reinstalled (it was very tedious, it took over an hour). Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that iTunes is making up new keys because it kept coming up with new ones I had not updated with each reinstall. I have finally given up on getting iTunes installed on Vista.

My computer is dual-boot. I rarely use XP any longer, but kept it in case I ever had boot problems when I installed Vista. I installed iTunes on XP, which allowed me to get to my iPod which was the entire reason I was trying to get iTunes installed. For Vista, I'll just stick with Puretracks which has been working just fine and anytime I need to transfer something to my ipod, I'll just boot into XP.

Thanks,
DD.

 

[cmb62]

Hi DD,

What a pain! I think I spent about 20 hours over 2 differnt weekends trying to
get iTunes to work before I succeeded (with great advise from people on the forum). It looks like I was lucky also as, like you said, there doesn't seem to be a universal fix.

I'm glad you got it to work with XP.

Take care!

Charley

 

[CodiKitty]

i am having a similar problem in that it gives me the error message "This publisher has been blocked from running software on your machine." I've gone in and done what its told me to do with ActiveX controls and I am still getting the error message. Any suggestions?