Removing and Reinstalling iTunes and the Related Software on Windows

The final step in getting iTunes to recognize the iPad or iPhone is to remove iTunes and all its related software from your PC, and then reinstall it.

Close all the programs you're running-you'll need to reboot the PC afterward- and then follow these steps to remove the software:

1. Choose Start | Control Panel to open a Windows Explorer window showing Control Panel.
2. Switch to Category view if the window is using a different view:
   • Windows 7 or Windows Vista Click the View drop-down list, and then click Category.
   • Windows XP Click the Switch To Category View link in the upper-left corner of the Control Panel window.
3. Open the Programs And Features window or the Add Or Remove Programs window like this:
   • Windows 7 or Windows Vista Under the Programs heading, click the Uninstall A Program link.
   • Windows XP Click the Add Or Remove Programs link.
4. Click iTunes in the list of programs, and then click the appropriate button.
5. Windows 7 or Windows Vista Click the Uninstall button above the list of programs.
6. Windows XP Click the Remove button in the program's listing.
7. In the confirmation dialog box that appears, click the Yes button.
8. When Windows prompts you to restart it, click the No button.
9. Repeat Steps 4, 5, and 6 to remove the following programs in turn:
   • Any iPod Updater programs
   • QuickTime
   • Apple Software Update
   • Apple Mobile Device Support
   • Bonjour
   • Apple Application Support
10. Accept the final invitation to restart Windows. (If you automatically clicked the No button in that dialog box, restart Windows from the Start menu as normal.)
11. When Windows restarts, log in as usual.
12. Choose Start | Computer to open a Computer window on Windows 7 or Windows Vista, or choose Start | My Computer to open a My Computer window on Windows XP.
13. Double-click your PC's system drive (for example, C:) to display its contents.
14. Double-click the Program Files folder to display its contents.
15. Select the following folders and delete them:
    • iTunes
    • iPod
    • QuickTime
    • Bonjour
    • Common Files\Apple
16. Go back to the system drive folder (for example, C:), and then double-click the Windows folder to display its contents.
17. Double-click the System32 folder to display its contents.
18. Delete the QuickTime file and the QuickTimeVR file.
19. Close the Windows Explorer window.
20. Right-click the Recycle Bin on the Desktop, and then choose Empty Recycle Bin.
21. Click the Yes button in the confirmation dialog box.

Now open your browser and go to www.apple.com/itunes/download/. Download the iTunes distribution file for Windows, and then follow through the prompts to install it. Restart Windows if the installation prompts you to, and then try connecting the iPad or iPhone again.