How to make iTunes work in Windows XP x64.

Instead of the preface.

It was in the evening when, after numerous inhuman experiments, my 32-bit old WinXP woman finally died. I wanted to try something new (well, and with an eye to the fact that 4Gb RAM may appear on my machine soon), and I decided to install a 64-bit version of WinXP, since our office has the appropriate license.
The numerous pros and cons of a freshly installed Windows, which is called EXTREMELY, seemed insignificant when it turned out that the iTunes distribution for my freshly installed system simply does not exist ...

Diagnosis.

Apple, for all its loyalty to users of the “most popular operating system,” is not that it would not bother to release its media processor for x64, no, the Vista version is alive and well. Nevertheless, XP x64 is orphaned in this regard, all versions of the iTunes installer version offered on the Apple website categorically refuse to be installed on it. This means that my iPod and iPhone can be left without the support of a big brother. About all the tragedy of this fact, perhaps, once again it is not worth talking.
Of course, it makes sense for owners of ordinary iPods to look at alternative solutions for managing their gadgets: for example, Floola is a wonderful, functional product that deserves a separate review, which has only one drawback - the lack of support for the iPhone and iPod Touch. I, as the owner of the iPhone, have only one hope - the almighty Google ...
Fortunately, it turned out that I am not the first to encounter the problem of installing iTunes. There are several instructions on the Internet to overcome the mutual hostility of iTunes and WinXP x64. Unfortunately, they have 2 drawbacks: English;) and a slight obsolescence of the above methods of solution. So I decided to write a separate topic on this topic, in which I combined foreign methods and personal experience. Specifically make a reservation - I do not guarantee the performance of the proposed solution at 100%. Remember, this is an informal decision, so use it at your own risk.

Recipe.

So, for the preparation of 64-bit iTunes, we need:
1. Archiver 7-zip . However, the portable version will do .
2. Editor of the Orca msi package scenario tables.
3. The latest version of QuickTime .
4. 64-bit version of the iTunes distribution for Windows Vista.
5. (optional) Drivers for working with CDs from GEAR Software: it is assumed that iTunes uses a 32-bit version of these drivers for grabbing / burning a CD, and installing these drivers may allow you to activate CD functions in iTunes.

Procedure.

1. Install Orca and 7-zip. Using 7-zip, unpack the iTunes installer into a hotel directory:

So what do we see inside? In addition to iTunes itself, there is also a set of additional components for its work:

First, install the AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi package. During the installation process, the system will ask if we are sure that we want to install such untested components? Of course, sure! ;) Congratulations, we have just installed a set of drivers for our iPods-iPhones :)
')
2. A very simple step - install QuickTime. Remember, I asked you to download it separately? The fact is that QuickTime from our unpacked archive is not installed (for absolutely incomprehensible reasons). That is why the installation of QuickTime should be made from a separate distribution from the Apple site. It makes no sense to further describe the QT installation process - everything is as usual, we read the license agreement, agree with everything, click “next” to the bitter end.

So, now it seems that nothing will prevent us from installing iTunes, except for the limitation on the OS version introduced by Apple for some mysterious reasons. It is this restriction that prevents the iTunes installer from running on Windows versions below Vista. Let's beat this limitation.
3. Open the iTunes64.msi package in the Orca editor:

In foreign Internet, advisers are generally limited to the following advice:
"... find the VersionNT64 parameter in the LaunchCondition tab and set its value instead of> = 600 to> = 501 ..."

In my case it did not work, so I had to apply the 2nd method, a bit more complicated:

• Delete the “LaunchCondition” tab completely. To do this, right-click on it and select "Drop Table".
• Next, go to the “InstallUISequence” tab on the left, find in it the “LaunchConditions” parameter on the right. Remove the parameter by selecting “Drop Row” in the context menu.
• Select the "InstallExecuteSequence" tab on the left, also find in it the "LaunchConditions" parameter and delete it.
• Save the file and close it.

4. Now we can safely run iTunes64.msi and install the application. The main thing - uncheck the "Run application after installation" and in no case do not launch iTunes directly after installation! We still have something to do.

5. In order to avoid the message on incorrect installation every time you start iTunes, you need to install drivers from GEAR. The problem is that this package has recently been updated, and the old version was not found, while at the same time one of the files was removed from the new version, the presence of which is checked when iTunes starts up. The solution is the following - after installing the drivers, create the folder C: \ Windows \ Sysnative \ drivers in the c: \ windows folder (well, or wherever you have it installed), and in it create an empty file with the name GEARAspiWDM.sys .

6. So, we have already passed most of the way. The next stage is for iPhone owners.

• When you first connect the iPhone, the system seems to determine our device and even gives it some of its own drivers. We also need the iPhone to use drivers from Apple. To do this, open the Device Manager , find the iPhone in the “Imaging Devices” section (if you have Windows XP x64 with Russian MUI installed, you won’t be surprised at this confusion of languages ​​:)).
• Double-click the “Apple iPhone” property and select “Update Driver”.
• In the proposed dialogue, we consistently discard the search for a driver on the Internet, an automatic search, and “search in the indicated places”. We need the item "Do not search. I will choose the driver I need. ”Select it and click the“ Next ”button.
• We will be offered 2 options: "Digital Still Camera" and "Apple Mobile Device USB Driver". Select "Apple Mobile Device USB Driver" and click "Next."
• After the next frightening message about the unknown origin of the installed drivers, we still click “continue” and wait for the process to finish.

This installation iTunes can be considered complete, run the program and enjoy all its charms!

Finally, I’ll add - I highly recommend backing up contacts from the iPhone’s phone book, I had problems synchronizing with Outlook, and the phone book was saved thanks to the backup of Outlook databases from the old system.

PS Many thanks to the foreign comrade Yukichigai for the detailed manual .

Disclaimer: when writing this topic, the author did not set out to put in a negative light any software product, company or person. We kindly ask you not to look for reasons in this topic for Win vs Mac holivars. I just shared my experience;)