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iTunes 12.6.5.3 on MacOS Catalina 10.15

@bogdanw — Is there a less nuclear option, something I can kick the tires on first? Is this an uncommon or unknown issue for iTunes in general?
 
Why doesn’t Apple just write iTunes for Catalina, put it in the App Store, and give us all a choice? I’ve exercised my choice by refusing to upgrade from Mojave.

Anyone know the uptake rate for Catalina?

It’s people who want something shiny and new every 5 minutes who are destroying the planet. Of which the near-extinction of iTunes is a microcosm.

Do your bit. The best way to communicate to Apple that we neither want nor need a new OS with a few shiny distractions every 5 minutes is by not upgrading. But - like Facebook, which you keep using despite it being the Internet’s toilet wall - you will keep upgrading, losing functionality, losing 32 bit apps, and losing iTunes.

if you want to upgrade, upgrade. If you don’t, don’t. If you want to keep the choice, make it by trashing Catalina.

Love and Bugs, sorry, Hugs.
 
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itunesblues said:
@bogdanw — Is there a less nuclear option, something I can kick the tires on first? Is this an uncommon or unknown issue for iTunes in general?
Click to expand...
As far as I know, you are the first with this problem. I presume you saved the iTunes pkg created with the script and installing it again will not alter your library or the iTunes preferences file.
 
return2sendai said:
The best way to communicate to Apple that we neither want nor need a new OS with a few shiny distractions every 5 minutes is by not upgrading
Click to expand...
Agree, I didn't and I was not planning. But when I'll get this kind of messages for the apps I like/need, I might be forced to upgrade.
Sensei.jpg

twitter.jpg
 
@bogdanw how can i download Apple Arcade games in iTunes 12.6.5 and did you find a solution for the issue of app icons on Catalina

Thanks a lot for all your helps
Best regards and sorry for my bad English
 
efecanarar said:
@bogdanw how can i download Apple Arcade games in iTunes 12.6.5 and did you find a solution for the issue of app icons on Catalina
Click to expand...
No solution for the icons problem.
I don't have an Apple Arcade subscription, but you can test the following script to see if opens Sociable Soccer in iTunes. I understand it is an Apple Arcade exclusive app.
Code: 
tell application "/Applications/iTunes.app"
    activate
    open location "itmss://itunes.apple.com/app/id1468314130"
end tell
In my case, it returns the message "Item Not Available The item you've requested is not currently available in the United States store."
The script works if I try to open the developer's page in iTunes with open location "itmss://itunes.apple.com/developer/id1303667551" or another app, like Vainglory with open location "itmss://itunes.apple.com/app/id671464704"
 
Edit: It seems to work if unplugging and plugging it in.
It seems either the Catalina 10.15.3 update or iOS 13.3.1 killed the ability to reach the phone from iTunes this way.
 
From Apple's page I understand that: "Games that you play with an Apple Arcade subscription don't appear in your purchases. To redownload a game from Apple Arcade, search for the game and download it again."

Redownload apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books

Get help if you removed content from your device or you want to download content onto a new device.
support.apple.com
Even if they would have appeared, I think iTunes lost the ability to redownload purchased apps some times ago. Does anyone remember when?
This is what it used to be
 
Some times i can use the ability of redownload purchased items. When it happens, I can download Apple Arcade apps automatically.
In my old mac (iMac 21.5 mid 2011 with the latest update (security update 2020-001) of high Sierra and with iTunes 12.6.5
 
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bogdanw said:
UPDATE: Does NOT work in Catalina release, see the above post for updated scripts.

Instructions for getting iTunes 12.6.5.3 to work on MacOS Catalina 10.15
1. Disable System Integrity Protection (Reboot to Recovery, open Terminal, run csrutil disable, reboot)
2. Download iTunes 12.6.5.3 dmg from https://support.apple.com/HT208079 (direct link https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/i...-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A/iTunes12.6.5.dmg )
3. Use this script to create a package that can be installed on macOS Catalina
Code: 
display dialog "Please select iTunes 12.6 dmg file" buttons {"Ok"}
set theDMG to choose file with prompt "Please select iTunes 12.6 dmg file:" of type {"dmg"}
do shell script "hdiutil mount " & quoted form of POSIX path of theDMG
do shell script "pkgutil --expand /Volumes/iTunes/Install\\ iTunes.pkg ~/tmp"
do shell script "sed -i '' 's/18A1/14F2511/g' ~/tmp/Distribution"
do shell script "sed -i '' 's/gt/lt/g' ~/tmp/Distribution"
do shell script "pkgutil --flatten ~/tmp ~/Desktop/iTunes.pkg"
do shell script "hdiutil unmount /Volumes/iTunes/"
do shell script "rm -rf ~/tmp"

set question to display dialog "Install iTtunes?" buttons {"Yes", "No"} default button 1
set answer to button returned of question
if answer is equal to "Yes" then
    do shell script "open ~/Desktop/iTunes.pkg"
    return
end if
if answer is equal to "No" then
    display dialog "Modified iTunes.pkg saved on desktop" buttons {"Ok"}
    return
end if

When the message "This package is incompatible with this version of macOS." is displayed, click on "Install anyway"

4. Use this script to modify iTunes 12.6.5.3 to run on macOS 10.15
Code: 
do shell script "sed -i '' 's/12.6.5/13.6.5/g' /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist" with administrator privileges
or run in Terminal
Code: 
sudo sed -i '' 's/12.6.5/13.6.5/g' /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist

Notes:
- If iTunes hangs at the first start, force quit, disable Internet and start it again
- System Integrity Protection can be re-enabled: reboot into Recovery, open Terminal, run csrutil enable, reboot
Click to expand...


Hello there!

I tried everything you wrote, but I didn't get any option to install Itunes anyway, as the message "This package is incompatible with this version of macOS". What might be wrong?

/Andreas from Sweden
 
Andreas Rosén said:
Hello there!I tried everything you wrote, but I didn't get any option to install Itunes anyway, as the message "This package is incompatible with this version of macOS". What might be wrong?/Andreas from Sweden
Click to expand...
Hello, that script worked for the first Catalina beta version, the post has been updated to point to the script from post #91 that works in Catalina final releases.

Please try this shortened version:
Code: 
set theDMG to choose file with prompt "Please select iTunes dmg file:" of type {"dmg"}
do shell script "hdiutil mount " & quoted form of POSIX path of theDMG
do shell script "pkgutil --expand /Volumes/iTunes/Install\\ iTunes.pkg ~/tmp"
do shell script "hdiutil unmount /Volumes/iTunes/"
do shell script "cd ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg;" & "cat Payload | gunzip -dc |cpio -i;" & "ditto ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg/Applications/iTunes.app ~/tmp/iTunes.app;"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleGetInfoString -string 'iTunes 13.6.5.3' ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string 'iTunes 13.6.5.3' ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/version.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/version.plist"
do shell script "pkgbuild --component ~/tmp/iTunes.app --install-location /Applications ~/Desktop/iTunes13.6.5.pkg"
do shell script "rm -rf ~/tmp"
do shell script "open ~/Desktop/iTunes13.6.5.pkg"
The script will ask you to select the iTunes dmg (12.6 or 12.8), unpack and patch iTunes, repack it into iTunes13.6.5.pkg saved on your desktop and start its installation. I've tested the script in Catalina 10.15.3 with SIP enabled and it woked.
 
bogdanw said:
Hello, that script worked for the first Catalina beta version, the post has been updated to point to the script from post #91 that works in Catalina final releases.

Please try this shortened version:
Code: 
set theDMG to choose file with prompt "Please select iTunes dmg file:" of type {"dmg"}
do shell script "hdiutil mount " & quoted form of POSIX path of theDMG
do shell script "pkgutil --expand /Volumes/iTunes/Install\\ iTunes.pkg ~/tmp"
do shell script "hdiutil unmount /Volumes/iTunes/"
do shell script "cd ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg;" & "cat Payload | gunzip -dc |cpio -i;" & "ditto ~/tmp/iTunesX.pkg/Applications/iTunes.app ~/tmp/iTunes.app;"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleGetInfoString -string 'iTunes 13.6.5.3' ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/Info.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleVersion -string 'iTunes 13.6.5.3' ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/version.plist"
do shell script "plutil -replace CFBundleShortVersionString -string 13.6.5 ~/tmp/iTunes.app/Contents/version.plist"
do shell script "pkgbuild --component ~/tmp/iTunes.app --install-location /Applications ~/Desktop/iTunes13.6.5.pkg"
do shell script "rm -rf ~/tmp"
do shell script "open ~/Desktop/iTunes13.6.5.pkg"
The script will ask you to select the iTunes dmg (12.6 or 12.8), unpack and patch iTunes, repack it into iTunes13.6.5.pkg saved on your desktop and start its installation. I've tested the script in Catalina 10.15.3 with SIP enabled and it woked.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot! It worked! I'm so grateful to be able to arrange the apps on my iPhone again, a feature that Apple deleted from iTunes s few years ago.
Keep up the good work!
 
iTunes 12.9.5.5 and 10.15.4b2 I’ve lost the ability to talk to my iPad using iTunes. I get an error message and then a second error saying it can’t read my iPad and to restore it. It works fine in Finder.
 
ErikGrim said:
iTunes 12.9.5.5 and 10.15.4b2 I’ve lost the ability to talk to my iPad using iTunes. I get an error message and then a second error saying it can’t read my iPad and to restore it. It works fine in Finder.
Click to expand...
With iTunes 12.6 I get this message: "iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone “iPhone”. Go to the Summary tab in iPhone preferences and click Restore to restore this iPhone to factory settings." and some errors in Console - system.log from MobileDeviceUpdater, AMPDevicesAgent, com.apple.configurator.xpc.DeviceService and com.apple.BKAgentService.
I think Apple has to update the MobileDevice pkg.
 
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Man. Because of having a lot of iTunes-reliant mobile gear, I've left my mid-2012 MBP running Mojave but this thread is starting to make me even rethink updating my apple hardware when the mbp croaks. That would be a first for me, ditching Mac gear at all, never mind because of because of a Mac OS.

I sure hope Apple keeps supporting Mojave until whoever so hates iTunes departs the company and Catalina gets its own backwards-compatible iTunes.

Meanwhile I use iMazing so far when I have trouble with missing bits of iTunes in Mojave, like I couldn't figure out how to get my old custom-made ringtones onto newer mobile devices.
 
bogdanw said:
With iTunes 12.6 I get this message: "iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone “iPhone”. Go to the Summary tab in iPhone preferences and click Restore to restore this iPhone to factory settings." and some errors in Console - system.log from MobileDeviceUpdater, AMPDevicesAgent, com.apple.configurator.xpc.DeviceService and com.apple.BKAgentService.
I think Apple has to update the MobileDevice pkg.
Click to expand...


💡 iTunes and macOS Catalina 10.15.4
If you have installed iTunes on macOS Catalina with the method described in this thread, or through Retroactive 1.4 or earlier, and have updated to macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or later, you need to re-install iTunes with the latest version of Retroactive.

Re-installing iTunes with the latest version of Retroactive resolves error -42408, -45076, and 11571, so that you can continue to use Apple Music, iTunes Store, and App Store in iTunes. It also resolves an issue where iTunes cannot read the contents of a connected iOS or iPadOS device.

itunes_update.jpg


Technical note:
iTunes stopped working in macOS 10.15.4 because modifying the Info.plist of a system app is not supported, and invalidates the code signature of iTunes. Even if a modified version of iTunes has been ad-hoc signed, connecting to the iTunes Store or syncing devices will continue to fail because iTunes isn't signed by Apple.

The latest version of Retroactive wraps iTunes in a way that maintains its code signature and bundle integrity to resolve compatibility issues with macOS 10.15.4.
 
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