I'm having trouble upgrading to ITunes v12.0.1 with Win 7. Download progress bar stalls and eventually cancels itself. Have tried Tools -- Download Only, but same result. Have been using iTunes for 3 years without difficulty

Question

I'm having trouble upgrading to ITunes v12.0.1 with
Win 7. Download progress bar stalls and eventually cancels itself. Have tried
Tools --> Download Only, but same result. Have been using iTunes for 3+
years without difficulty; I have lots of ram, hard drive and speed.
Thanks for your input

Answer 1

One step listed in the link to "helpful" info, was (when Iooked 30 seconds ago), to search for and download the newest version of iTunes. I'm running iTunes on Win 7 machine and was prompted to update today, 10.22.2014, and did so without a problem. Having said that, however, it looks as though the latest iTunes (12.0.1.26) is finally doing what the last version refused to do, which is to actually fully populate all my playlists on my 6, but there is a hitch: 12.0.1.26 will NOT allow you to show the sidebar unless you click on "playlists," that is, you cannot keep it open all the time.
And, when plugging the 6 into the computer, the phone icon shows up but clicking on it does nada. What does work, for some strange reason, is clicking on the tiny icon (just under the "Store" menu link at top screen) which looks much like a tiny barrel, someone's idea of external drives, I suppose. The phone then comes up, with the list of stuff on the phone just under it where the sidebar used to be. Sync is now restricted to the lower right of the screen.
Apparently, you will also need to update your iPhone's software as well; some friends with the 4 and 4s, however, had troubles with them after upgrading. The message from Silicon Valley (I can see Apple from my backyard, ha ha) is apparently, "keep upgrading," folks, get rid of those old phones.