Latest Apple iTunes downloads gone pear-shaped!

[Bob Crabtree]

Had inordinate problems over the last five days or so with new versions of iTunes (32-bit and 64-bit) that I've downloaded (automagically or manually).

First off was a 64-bit manual download of V9.2.1.4 intended for an all-new install on a Win 7 PC.

The download turned out (or so it appears) to have been corrupt (and that was the same for three successful downloads saved in different places on the Win 7 PC.

On Friday, though, that version appeared to have been replaced on Apple's site without any announcement I could see. The newer version was V9.2.1.5 and that worked worked just fine.

Today, I've had almost identical problems with two different 32-bit installs.

First there was a 32-bit automatic update on a Win XP PC from 9.2.0.61 to 9.2.1 (no further info given) - so I'm thinking it's probably a broken version of 9.2.1.4.

Also today, I downloaded manually a 32-bit V9.2.1.4 for Vista on another PC and this failed to install. However, when I got iTunes to update automatically, that went on okay and installed V9.2.1.5.

In the interim, I'd downloaded another 32-bit version of 9.2.1 (further info unspecified before the download) on the Win XP machine and this turned out to have no identifiers when I looked at the properties.

A whole of weird stuff going down with iTunes, me thinks!

[kalniel]

I find it best to leave Apple to it! The software's all designed for people who don't fiddle so probably works best left to it's own devices.. just keep backups!

[Bob Crabtree]

Two problems with that:

1/ You can't automatically do a clean install and that, of course, is what kippered me first time round with the 64-bit version I downloaded

2/ That presumes that you want yet another program running in the background to monitor the need for updates - in my view there are already too many of those.

Bob

[kalniel]

Fair enough, though modern machines should have enough ram and cores to deal with a lot of background stuff these days.

[Bob Crabtree]

Trouble is, a large percentage of the many PCs that pass through my hands are not modern and, consequently, do not have a surfeit or RAM nor multi-core CPUs.

Bob

Fair enough, though modern machines should have enough ram and cores to deal with a lot of background stuff these days.

[lodore]

Trouble is, a large percentage of the many PCs that pass through my hands are not modern and, consequently, do not have a surfeit or RAM nor multi-core CPUs.

Bob

The other fact just because modern computers have the resources to run that background crap doesnt mean we want to waste the resources.
other media players dont need multiple processes or services.

[Bob Crabtree]

Fair point - though, in fact, if you look, some others do install update checkers (I'm think here of Real but I don't think that it's alone).

In my view, the checker shouldn't start up with Windows, it should only run while the app is running or, better still, ask the user whether he/she wants to check for updates.

Bob

[Bob Crabtree]

Oh, and don't get me started on the crapware that now seems to be installed by default with almost ever update you install - most notably, Adobe does it but is just one of many.

[lodore]

Fair point - though, in fact, if you look, some others do install update checkers (I'm think here of Real but I don't think that it's alone).

In my view, the checker shouldn't start up with Windows, it should only run while the app is running or, better still, ask the user whether he/she wants to check for updates.

Bob

I agree whats the point in starting a process at every boot that is only gonna check for updates once a month? the task scheduler could be used to run the file once a month.
even microsoft runs the keyboard and mouse monthly update checker at everyboot.
its puzzles me why windows/Microsoft update isnt used to check for updates to the microsoft keyboard and mouse software.

I agree with the crapware bundled with software as well.
with every installer you have to used the custom install and look at have to untick a few boxes to avoid ask toolbar,googlechrome etc etc.

[Funkstar]

This is why I love the possibility of a Windows market place for apps in Windows 8.

A single source of updates would be a god send (somehow I doubt Apple would use this system though)

[lodore]

This is why I love the possibility of a Windows market place for apps in Windows 8.

A single source of updates would be a god send (somehow I doubt Apple would use this system though)

it would make things alot simpler.
After trying out ubuntu and then going back to windows you relise what a nightmare it is downloading updates for each application manually.

im sure apple will work out a way to use the microsoft app store to somehow install all the apple applications by just selecting one...