iTunes dead?

[Penman]

I went to launch iTunes and got a pop-up about my library file being invalid. All my music is still where it should be but iTunes refused to open.

I deleted iTunes and then downloaded another copy to reinstall. Now the installer won't install (it says 'install size 0 bytes' and grey's out the options to select iTunes or the iPod driver).

Restarting the machine and using software update also didn't work.

What's going on and how can I get iTunes back. Can anyone save me a trip to the Mac store?

PB 17" rev A
Panther 10.3.3
Lacie external 250GB (where files are stored)
iTunes 4.2 (but now it's been uninstalled so there's no iTunes on the box at all).

Thanks,

 

[Horrortaxi]

Make sure your old iTunes library and preference file are gone, then repair permissions, reinstall iTunes, and import your library. That should do it.

 

[Counterfit]

All you had to do was replace or remove the library file
This is why I have a scheduled backup of that and my preferences every night.

I suppose repairing permissions should help you install the new copy. If not, get Pacifist on VersionTracker or MacUpdate and install from your Jaguar/Panther/ Software Install/Restore discs.

 

[Mav451]

That is something very interesting about the OSX system. With all the years I've been using '98/XP, I wonder and I guess the reason why Windows does not employ a similar, consolidated format for holding preference files.

One folder I guess that would be the CLOSEST to the ".plist" Library folder would be the "App Data" folder in Windows.

Typing %AppData%, gets you there, and in the folder contains several application folders. Most notably, the user.js and preference files for Firefox are stored here (and hence my experience with this folder).

I wonder if Windows will ever get the increased convenience of preferences being stored in an entire, singular file (vs. folder with MANY files).

*oh, I fergot. How did I learn about Library/Preferences? Crashing safari This means clearing BOTH the safari.plist and its copy. What a great way to learn about preferences no?

 

[Penman]

Thanks.

Make sure your old iTunes library and preference file are gone, then repair permissions, reinstall iTunes, and import your library. That should do it.

MacRumors does it again. Much appreciated. As an old Windows guy the ease of the preferences file is still beyond my comprehension. I wish Panther shipped with manuals...

 

[Horrortaxi]

MacRumors does it again. Much appreciated. As an old Windows guy the ease of the preferences file is still beyond my comprehension. I wish Panther shipped with manuals...

I never read manuals anymore.

Just let your Mac be a Mac and stop thinking in Windows. When you said you reinstalled iTunes I knew you were thinking in Windows. Stop that, it's not healthy.

If it ever happens again, you can delete your library file and reimport your stuff. You'll lose playlists and ratings though, and that's a pain. As somebody else said, backups are your friend.

 

[Penman]

Damn...

I never read manuals anymore.

Just let your Mac be a Mac and stop thinking in Windows. When you said you reinstalled iTunes I knew you were thinking in Windows. Stop that, it's not healthy.

If it ever happens again, you can delete your library file and reimport your stuff. You'll lose playlists and ratings though, and that's a pain. As somebody else said, backups are your friend.

Spoke to soon. Deletes the preference files - the installer still won't let me reinstall iTunes. What gives? I repaired permissions, restarted, the works...

 

[HexMonkey]

As Counterfit said, try using Pacifist. Download it and use it to open the installer, and then copy the iTunes application to your hard disk.

 

[Penman]

Finally!

As Counterfit said, try using Pacifist. Download it and use it to open the installer, and then copy the iTunes application to your hard disk.

Pacifist works. Thanks for the info. Very nice little application. I'm not sure what it's doing exactly but it does it really well.

Cheers,

 

[King Cobra]

Panther ships with an informative manual. It tells you what the Finder is, how to insert a CD into your optical drive, how to turn on your computer, how to launch an application, what the login panel is, how to quit an application, how to shut down your computer, and how to restart it again. And that's all there is to using Panther.