Can't open fresh install of iTunes (fresh install of Windows 7)

Question

Hi everyone,
Well this problem has my head spinning. I'm an IT troubleshooter so I've done a lot of various trailing already which I detail below.
Basically, we're looking at a brand new computer with a new installation Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I have installed the latest iTunes 64-bit however when I double click the icon it never opens. No error given.
Upon checking the Event Viewer I can see two corresponding Application Allerts:
1/
Faulting application name: iTunes.exe, version: 12.1.0.71, time stamp: 0x54c76235
Faulting module name: iTunes.dll, version: 12.1.0.71, time stamp: 0x54c7621b
Exception code: 0xc000001d
2/
Windows cannot access the file  for one of the following reasons: there is a problem with the network connection, the disk that the file is stored on, or the storage drivers installed on this computer; or the disk is missing. Windows closed the program iTunes because of this error.
Upon research, a few people report error 2, however their error message always correctly identifies a file name (i.e., "Windows cannot access the file foobar.dll for one of the following reasons...."), and they are able to troubleshoot from there. As this error has a blank space for the filename I'm not so lucky.
I have tried:
* Starting iTunes in Safe Mode (no change)
* Starting iTunes with a new library (holding shift) (no change)
* Creating a new Windows profile and starting iTunes there (same problem) (both accounts have Admin rights)
* Uninstalling iTunes and all other bundled Apple applications as per (Remove and reinstall iTunes and related software components for Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 - Apple Support)
* Downloading a fresh installation package and re-installing
* chkdsk /f
* sfc /scannow
* Repeating the above with the antivirus application uninstalled
* Repeating the above and running the installation file by specifically right-clicking and choosing to Run as Administrator
* Running iTunes by specifically right-clicking and choosing to Run as Administrator
* Repeating the above and installing to default location on C: (an Intel SSD)
* Repeating the above and installing to D: (a Western Digital HDD)
* Installed Quicktime and tested if this opens - it does. (Someone, somewhere suggested seeing if this worked).
* Following the advice here (iTunes for Windows doesn't open after upgrading in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 - Apple Support)
          I can confirm that with the above, I can delete the file and when I attempt to launch iTunes again the file is recreated but iTunes still doesn't open
There is ultimately an iTunes library that I'd like to re-import back in, but for now I've kept this out of the way until such time that I can open iTunes with a blank library.
I'd like to think my troubleshooting has been fairly exhaustive so far, but would also like even more to have a solution. If anyone can suggest anything it'd be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Gavin

Answer 1

I was having a similar problem and searched this forum for 2 days trying to find the solution...and couldn't!
I decided to solve try a few things myself.
I turned the SpyWare off first then . . .
1 . I opened the Register Editor, by typing in "Regedit" in the run application for XP or start search for Vista.
2 . I searched all of the files, around six of them, and deleted ALL quicktime and itunes folders.
3 . I then went into the Program Files on the hard drive C:\ and deleted the files iPod, iTunes and QuickTime.
4 . After that I went back to C:\ and went into Windows and deleted a file named QuickTime VR and all other QuickTime and iTunes files.
5 . Restarted the computer
6 . Reinstalled ONLY QuickTime 7.4 from the website
7 . Reinstalled iTunes 7.6 from the website and it worked!
Hope this works, it was a nightmare to figure out and a hassle to do but it does work....for me at least!
Good Luck!