ITunes closed on XP Pro by DEP (Solution Found)

Question

I posted about this before, but I can not find the thread.  So I'll repost my problem and the solution I found.
Two updates ago, I went to start iTunes and it would be closed by DEP - Data Execution Prevention.
The last update did not resolve the issue.
I uninstalled and reinstalled both QuickTime and iTunes.  No luck.
We had a recent power failure.  My CMOS battery is bad, and so power failures result in resetting all kinds of fun stuff on my computer, including the date and time.  This, in turn, messes up the internet.  But I did not notice the date-time reset, and assumed it was my NIC.  So I disabled the onboard NIC and installed a new NIC, which required a driver due to the heavy customization done with my version of XP by the computer manufacturer.
Before I got the new NIC working, I tried iTunes and it worked!  Therefore, it had something to do with iTunes and the internet.
I got the new NIC working, and the internet was still problematic.  But iTunes still worked.
Then I noticed the date-time reset, and fixed that.  The internet was working again!  Yippee!
So then I tried iTunes and ... DEP shut down once again!  GHAH!
I set the date back, just to see if it would start with a bad date.  Sure enough, iTunes started with only a minor gripe.
I set the date back to normal.  Checked to see if started iTunes could play my music, then my streaming music.  Both checked out fine.
I then showed my spouse how starting iTunes with the correct date and time inevitably lead to DEP shut down.
Then, thinking this might be a problem on all XP Pro machines, I tried it on her machine.  Her machine handled it just fine, correct date and all.
So then I set the date back on my computer, started iTunes, and brought the date back to normal, and checked to see if I could access the store.  And I can!
So whatever's causing the DEP shut down is connected to logging in to the iTunes store.  And that's it.  And it only applies when the date's correct.  When the date's not correct, it will log in just fine - albeit complaining about "expired security certificates."
Unless or until someone can find the actual problem, I wanted to post this to let others know there is a work around!
Of course, with this much information, someone, somewhere, might, just might, know what's going on and be able to tell me exactly how to fix it.

Answer 1

You can 'clone' the current iTunes Library from the XP Pro PC to the XP PC. This will keep all the Playlists and the metadata stored in the Library (Ratings, Play Counts, Last Played).
As your music files are stored on the ExHD, just make sure that you install the ExHD on the new PC with the music files as the same drive letter and path that they currently are in the old PC.
Then, copy the old PC's 'iTunes Library.itl' database file into the new PC's 'iTunes' folder. You will replace the newly created 'iTunes Library.itl' file that is there, with the one from the old PC. Open iTunes, and your Library will be exactly the same as before (providing you set it up correctly).
The iTunes music information (meta-data) is stored in two places: the actual individual song files themselves, and the iTunes Library database file (‘iTunes Library.itl’). There is a corresponding XML file that is created by iTunes, but not directly used. See: What are the iTunes Library files?.
Song attributes stored directly in each music file are as follows: Artist, Album, Song Title, Year, Comments, Compilation tag, Lyrics, Genre , Grouping, Composer, BPM, Album Artwork, Bit Rate & Kind (Both not tags - inherent to the file itself).
Song attributes stored in the iTunes Library database file only are: Playlists, Ratings, Play Count, Last Played, Date Added, Date Modified, Equalizer, Volume Adjustment.
Shouldn't be too difficult. You seem to have a start on the concept already.
While you're at it, make legacy copies of the ITL file for archiving and backup. This will come in handy (along with the backup music files) when you need to recreate your Library.
Post back if you have questions.