The “iTunes Won’t Work &/or Won’t Install” First Aid Kit

Question

Offered as a general compilation of Installation and Run solutions for iTunes. Read and understand this post completely before deciding on the strategy that applies to your specific situation.
You may first want to try a “Repair Install” (read below how to ‘prepare’ your computer prior to starting):
- Start menu -> Settings -> Control Panels -> Add or Remove Programs
- Select iTunes, Select Change/Remove button, Select "Repair", Click OK.
If that does not work, then select some or all of the below and adapt it to your situation:
If you run Norton Internet Security:
b noir, "itunes 4.9 download has failed and I cannot access itunes" #1, 06:33pm Aug 14, 2005 CDT
Windows Install Cleanup program (could help removing messy installs):
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301
Getting help with iPod and iTunes for Windows Installation errors
(For: Error 1607; Error 1608; Error 1628; Error 1628; Error 1406; Error 1324; Error 1606; Error 1327; Error 1335)
Another Possible Solution to Error 1406:
http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6142-0.html?forumID=31&threadID=46127&messageID=642 456
Try using the "Clean" method for uninstalling/reinstalling iTunes. See Da Gohpa's link, toonz' link, as well as all the related links and activities provided below
General Advice for Installing Programs: toonz, "Itunes 4.9 for Windows Foul Up" #4, 07:23pm Jul 11, 2005 CDT
b Uninstalling iTunes will not erase your music files,
or the two meta-data files iTunes uses to store your music info files (iTunes Library.itl & iTunes Music Library.xml). However, it is
i always
a prudent idea to have backups of your music files on some external source (CD, DVD or External Hard Drive).
b COMPUTER PREPARATION for REPAIRING, INSTALLING or UNINSTALLING
Prior to Repairing, Installing or Uninstalling ANY software package, close ALL running programs. In addition, you
b should
i temporarily
disable any TSR (Terminate & Stay Resident) programs like firewalls, virus scanners, spy sweepers and the like. You will need to disable them both before uninstalling ANY software and/or before installing ANY software. Most of these TSR programs have System Tray Icons (usually located in the lower-right corner of your XP screen), that allow for an ‘exit’ or ‘quit’ or ‘shutdown’. Usually a single right-click on the icon will bring up a selection menu.
These TSR programs can impede installation of some software or create conflicts later on during operation (or lack of operation) Some anecdotal reports suggest that iTunes 4.8 & 4.9 are affected. Based on the amount of success by folks here who have tried the Clean Install, this seems to be a good solution for a variety of iTunes operational ‘glitches’
Please note that your TSR programs will all restart upon reboot. You will not be left unprotected. This also means that you need to remember to disable them when reinstalling iTunes after rebooting.
You should only install or uninstall one software program at a time – then reboot the computer. Remember to again close all running applications and TSR programs before installing (or uninstalling) the next program.
b Da Gopha, "iTfW: stepwise clean uninstallation of iTunes", 09:51am Apr 5, 2005 CDT
b Also,
for iTunes to work in the XP environment, you will need to turn off the 'Fast User Switching' even if no one else is using the computer (best to check this, as well).
==>Start/Control Panel/User Accounts/Change the way users log on and off/ ==> remove the check mark from FUS.
See: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93764 and http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93395
Many thanks to all those who knowingly or unknowingly contributed

Answer 1

hi Buegie!
I endorse my dear Da Gopha's comments. here are a few other things that i've come across lately.
(1) I've noticed something peculiar in our favorite "itunes installation errors" reference about the two entries for
b 1628 ...
one of them leads to the InstallShield 1628 advice and the other leads to the InstallShield
b 1608
advice. I'm not sure precisely what to make of this.
i've recently started linking people directly to the InstallShield 1628 advice:
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=Q110740
(2) here's a link (thank you CoJeff!) to InstallShield's advice on the 1603 (useful in those rare cases of a "standalone" 1603):
http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=Q111019
(3) here's a link to the InstallShield FAQ, including their Tips and Pointers on "best installation practices" (useful as an addendum to toonz's advice when the little beasts start going all recalcitrant on us, and useful when dealing with the "undocumented" errors):
http://consumer.installshield.com/faq.asp#ts
love, b
ps: i'm just heading off to link a poor gentleman with a "recalcitrant 1406" to the alternate advice on the beast. thank you!