An easy fix for iTunes 10.5 (x64) that won’t install on Windows 7 64 bit

I just downloaded iTunes 10.5 and tried to install it on my Windows 7 64 bit machine. What I got was an error message that said:

There is a problem with this WIndows Installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run. Contact your support personnel or package vendor.

The fix that allowed 10.5 to install correctly was very simple. Simply go to Control Panel > Uninstall a Program. Right-click on “Apple Software Update” and choose “Repair.” After that, iTunes 10.5 (x64) should install with no problems at all. Apparently the Apple Updater can get messed up and cause the new version not to install. Imagine that.

If only all Windows errors were so easy to fix!

56 Comments

LSWinakur

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I spent two hours online at both the Microsoft and Apple/iTunes sites and all they did was blame each other. This was an excellent, quick, and easy fix. Thanks for being here.

Rick Herald

Thx worked great! sure was simple…after all the threads that gave me the wrong info! Thx again!

Bill Van Auken

Your are the man Jerry…I tried all types of fixes for the Windows Installer that I found on the web such as stopping and starting the Windows Installer, editing the the WOW64 registry key, etc. Not a windows installer problem after all. Thanks so much. Bill

Bridget

Thank you so much!! I have been trying to get this to update for weeks!!

Balt

Bingo. Thanks! Spent over half an hour trolling through message boards before stumbling upon your solution.

Paul Mahoney

How on Earth did you find this out? But I’m so glad you did! Cheers.

mason gilmore

it still did not work! i’ve followed your advice, probably 8 or 9 other ways to fix the problem and it still did not work. i am completely lost.

Dale

THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS! Multi-BILLION dollar companies (Microsoft and Apple) and their “geniuses” (MIT degree / Starbucks drinking, VEgan A$$HolEs) couldn’t come up with this, but YOU did! Hats off to you sir and THANK YOU for posting!!!! P.S. Apple… Perhaps you should LOOK here as well….

Erika

THANK YOU! Luckily, I did not spend as many hours as a lot of people – but yes, the Apple site was a nightmare – so glad I went off to find this site instead! Jerry is a hero!

Katharine

Thank you sooo much! This worked first time, and I had tried everything else to no avail!

eastervista

Wow, it actually worked. Simple and easy. Didn’t have to uninstall or lose my music files. I have been trying for several months to fix this problem. Wish I found your post long ago.

Alex

THANK YOU!! After searching for months on HP, Apple and numerous websites, i finally came across your site. I did the simple update to Apples and I was able to update iTunes.

HowardG

The gift that keeps on giving.

After trying EVERYTHING on my XP machine I could think of, and then some, to update iTunes I just tried your fix and it worked!!!!
I only tried to fix this problem for 2 months! I was also getting weird space errors…

Thank you Jerry! Sooooo very much.

Jesska

Arrgh this didn’t work for me either….. it’s very frustating. Does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks :)

PippaA

Thank you Jerry you’re a STAR!! I’ve been trying since october and finally managed :))

Jennifer

OMG……thank you….that was making me crazy. Easy fix…glad you posted because I couldn’t find it on apple or windows

Louis

Thats a great fix if you’ve already had Itunes installed, but what if 10.5 is your first Itunes download and it doesn’t let you past the “import your cd” portion (which is right at the beginning of the install) Just freezes up and nothing else.

Ben

This worked for me!!! Thank you so much. What a huge help. I’m bookmarking this page.

Anh

Do you have any ideas of what you have done, Sir ?!!!?!! YOU HAVE JUST BEAT ALL THE GENIOUS OUT THERE!!!!!! thank you so much, now i’m off with my updated ipod :)))

Robert

This unfortunately did not work for me. I don’t know if I’m missing something, but when I went into my control panel -> uninstall a program > and right clicked the apple software update, all that came up with “uninstall”. Please help! I’d like to put some damn music on my new iPhone and this is preventing me from doing so.

Thanks!

HDMI Guy

Thanks for this! I can report that this works on XP too and is betterthan all the advice on the Apple and Windows forums.

Steve

Sir!

Thank You. My newly, and successfully, installed iTune 10.5 now is importing 18,000 tunes from my new location for music storage. I couldn’t figure out a way to force iTunes to forget the old location except by a total removal of all Apple software and a reinstall. Then the install froze and no help seemed available. Until you.

Thank you again.

Mahmoud Ali

Your are Genius Jerry…I’ve trieing all types of fixes for the Windows Installer that I found on the web such as stopping and starting the Windows Installer,

I’ve lost all my I Phone files if you can guid me to restore them back specially my Adress Book. Thanks

jose vargas

thx u sooo much man i been messing with this for 2 hr already i havent updatded it since about 6 mounth ago im still on 4.3.3 on my iphone thx again

E-Man

You Rock! I spend an hour trying all kinds of nonsense. This was fast and east and IT WORKED!

Robin

Thank you soo much! I’ve been trying to fix this with various amounts of effort for several months with no avail until now. Easiest solution ever!

Eileen Murray

I COULD KISS YOUR FACE JERRY!!!!!
Thanks a jillion!

charlotte

I LOVE YOU. i have literally just spent 4 hours looking through websites and forums before i found this, you are a genius!:D

alan

I just installed itunes and clicking the icon will not runt it! This repair suggestion doesn’t work either.
What kind of a multi-billion dollar company can’t make a program that runs when you click the icon. Even Bill Gates doesn’t screw that up!

Anne

Am I the only one!? I have searched this many times D: nothing is working, not even this. it says “Please reinstall itunes Error 7 (Windows error 5)” Can someone PLEASE help me! I’ve tried reinstalling, uninstalling, running scans, going on websites and it seems no one has a solution D: Please help!!

Sidney

I tried so many things that didn’t but this simple solution made iTunes 10.7 install properly. Thank you

priyash

Thanx u soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much bro…..
it works , simple thing yet fucked my mind for many days …….
even apple couldnt help me tht easy

Damo

What a legend! Thanks so much for the advice! I’m now able to install v11.0.1.12 of iTunes on Win 7 x64. Absolute champ.

CMc

Thanks Jerry Travis. I’m just another webonaut. It worked to this late date 12/30/12 with Windows VISTA Ultimate. Easy Button – Press! “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you” – The customary entreatis, from what I can tell above. I stumbled through the blogs 45 minutes trying things, until I tumbled yours. Fantastic Trav!

Bryan

Thank you for posting this!!!!! I spent several hours trying to figure this out and couldn’t, this was the answer. Thanks for the help!!!!

Mary

What if there is no apple software update in the list?? I have spent the whole day trying to re-install itunes but it simply will not complete the download. How do I get Apple software update back on the list of programmes?
Thanks.

Jonah

Awesome , thankyou so so much ! without u i would still be unable to put tunes on my new iphone 5 ! thankyou so much again !!!! i am forever in your debt

Will

I have no version of apple itunes, yet when I got to download in chrome on a win 7 64 bit os it loads a thank you page, but doesn’t start the download, very annoying & searching google for itunes won’t download brings up other problems not at all like mine.
Anyone know how to fix this?

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