ITunes installation errors and Apple Mobile Device Errors

Question

First I will explain how I got to where I am now. I had the an iTunes 7 version, don't know the specific, and I have an ipod touch. I had been ignoring the iTunes 8 upgradge things upon open of iTunes, cause i had absolutely no need for it and syncing music to my ipod was still working, and i dont care for itunes besides being able to use my ipod. Then the iphone os 3.0 came out and i wanted to download/pay for it, and when i attempted to do this i was promptly instructed that I needed iTunes 8. I closed itunes and reopened so i could just tell the prompt that i wanted to upgrade, then bonjour opened and i selected the itunes/quicktime package, it gave me an error saying i needed to download manually, so i turned off automatic install. I then downloaded again, it opened a folder with iTunes.msi among other things, I double clicked itunes.msi and it proceeded to install. I then had iTunes 8 installed, opened it up, and with my ipod touch connected, it told me I needed upgraded apple mobile device and i had to uninstall both apple mobile device and itunes to do this. so i uninstall itunes through add/remove programs, and attempted to uninstall apple mobile device and everytime i did this it would not complete and gave me "Fatal Error" prompt. I then tried to reinstall iTunes and it would not install, kept giving me an error and told me to try again. I searched google for answers and the best anyone could say was delete missing files and try again, so i can CCleaner and got rid of registrys etc, and still would not allow me to uninstall apple mobile device. i reinstalled itunes and it actually worked this time, and then i plug in my ipod touch and it tells me i need the upgraded apple mobile device again, and that i need to uninstall apple mobile device and itunes to do this. If i could get rid of apple mobile device altogether maybe i wouldnt have this problem, but it simply wont let me. Any help with this? and sorry this was so long, i figured someone would need to know what happened to know how to fix it.

Answer 1

It sounds as though using the Microsoft Installer cleanup utility is worth a go.
I will give you a method for removal of iTunes and related programs with clean up, I think you have already done the removal, but just in case you missed anything out.
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Download a fresh copy of iTunes and the stand alone version of Quicktime (the one without iTunes)
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
Save the files on your PC.
Download and install Microsoft Installer cleanup utility, there are instructions on the page as well as the download. Note that what you download is the installer not the program – you have to run it to install the program. The installer doesn't give any message to confirm the installation.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/
(To run the program – All Programs>>Windows Install)
Now use the following method to remove iTunes and its components:
XP
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1925
Vista
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923
*If you hit a problem with one of the uninstalls don't worry*, carry on with the deleting of files and folders as directed in the method.
When you get to deleting Quicktime files in the system32 folder as advised in the method, you can delete any file or folder with Quicktime in the name.
Restart your PC.
Run the Microsoft Installer Cleanup Utility. (Start > All Programs > Windows Install Clean Up)
Remove any references you find to the programs you removed - strictly speaking you only need to worry about those programs where the uninstall failed.
If you don’t see an entry for one of the programs that did not uninstall, look out for blank entries or numeric entries that look like version numbers e.g. 7.x for Quicktime or 1.x for Bonjour.
restart your PC
Install the stand alone Quicktime and check that it works.
If it does, install iTunes.