How to revert to iTunes 4.9 and QuickTime 7

Question

Hello all—
I used the Automatic Software Update yesterday and downloaded iTunes 5.0 and QuickTime 7.0.2 and now not a single program will work on my iMac G5 (using 10.3.9)!!!
I know there are other posts related to iTunes 5.0, but I can seem to find an answer to these questions:
Is there a way to revert back to the old versions?
Any one have advice on how to solve this problem?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Interesting.
Normally, if you have corrupt preferences of your 'third-party' (non-Apple) applications, they would have no effect on computer startup issues, as those preferences are not looked at until the program which owns them is invoked. Though perhaps this issue is with some of the Finder and Apple OS preferences being corrupted, which could cause problems with startup.
FYI, Crashes of a program may indeed corrupt its own preferences, and sometimes its own data files too. As your experience with Mail corrupting its own preferences, and Carrie Ann's with their tech move-the-Mail-folder recommendation shows.
But if the crashing or other bad behavior of the Apple applications (Mail, QT or iTunes) is writing bad data onto other, non-Apple programs' preference files, that would be extemely unusual program behavior. (The Mac OS was designed to protect memory, and be less likely to 'hose' other data...)
As you note, Bster, I do see that Apple has just posted a QuickTime (QT) 702 to 701 downgrader file. THis is highly irregular -- not sure what is happening with their Quality Assurance (QA) process these days...
But it does imply that they know something is not quite right with QT 702 and its interactions with other programs.
As a counterpoint note, I am running QT 7.0.2 on my iMac G5 and have not experienced any trouble with it. (I haven't noticed any particular or big improvement with the 702 over the 701 either.) The difference may be that I have stayed at iTunes 4.x and did not upgrade it to 5.0 (actually, my iTunes is 4.7.1 - a few versions behind). And I do not use Apple Mail application (I use the MS Entourage for email - though it is not a perfect solution either).
As well, regarding my setup, I always run repair permissions both before and after any of my significant Apple software updates, and I usually seem to encounter fewer sotware install problems than get reported in the forums.
(I mention this just to illustrate that sometimes software problems arise not due solely to an application or application update itself, but because it was installed onto a machine that had a few minor disk errors or permission errors existing on it before/during the update process. I hope this makes sense.)
Thus the general recommendation to always repair disk and repair permissions both before and after significant OS and application updates. And to not run other memory or disk intensive programs at the same time you are running the update.
So based on my personal computer setup, which so far is running fine with QT 702, it might imply a strange set of interactions between QT 702, iTunes 5 and possibly Mail -- but this is just a guess. It is a very curious situation that has come up with this.
One general recommendation: when you are on the tech support call, ask them to explain WHY a particular action is being recommended, and what it's other effects might be. This to increase your own understanding of the process, and to alert them that you are a wise user, so that they do not issue overly simplified procedures. Empower The User. ;^)
Best. BY