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Help! I am unable to download iTunes bc Windows XP support has ended!

T

TH55

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 5, 2011
3,328
152
I am getting the error that I require service pack 3 on Windows XP, and when I attempted to do this I learned there is no longer support for XP. What are my options? What is the most recent version of iTunes that is supported by Windows XP version 5.1, service pack 2?
 
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TH55 said:
I am getting the error that I require service pack 3 on Windows XP, and when I attempted to do this I learned there is no longer support for XP. What are my options? What is the most recent version of iTunes that is supported by Windows XP version 5.1, service pack 2?
Click to expand...

You can (and should) still download the existing updates for Windows XP. Service Pack 2 has been out of support for years already so you will need to download Service Pack 3 first. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24
 
chrfr said:
You can (and should) still download the existing updates for Windows XP. Service Pack 2 has been out of support for years already so you will need to download Service Pack 3 first. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24
Click to expand...

Oh crap I didn't realize I could. I tried to and it recommended going to Microsoft Update which said support was ended. Big surprise they want you to buy their latest product rather than simply update your perfectly working old one. Thanks!

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Applejuiced said:
Go to windows updates and install sp3 then.
After it's done install the latest iTunes.
Click to expand...

Great, thanks
 
TH55 said:
Oh crap I didn't realize I could. I tried to and it recommended going to Microsoft Update which said support was ended. Big surprise they want you to buy their latest product rather than simply update your perfectly working old one. Thanks!

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Great, thanks
Click to expand...
You do realize they supported that OS for years and years after 3 brand new versions of the OS has been released. Things can't be supported indefinitely.

That said, in your case, there isn't an issue at all except you apparently running without quite a few of the latest updates that have been released long ago--it seems like you aren't even updating when updates are available (and for a long time too), yet want to complain about them stopping updates at some point way way down the line after the lifetime of the OS.
 
C DM said:
You do realize they supported that OS for years and years after 3 brand new versions of the OS has been released. Things can't be supported indefinitely.

That said, in your case, there isn't an issue at all except you apparently running without quite a few of the latest updates that have been released long ago--it seems like you aren't even updating when updates are available (and for a long time too), yet want to complain about them stopping updates at some point way way down the line after the lifetime of the OS.
Click to expand...

Up until this point not updating hasn't effected me
 
TH55 said:
Up until this point not updating hasn't effected me
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So why are you complaining about it no longer being updated if you don't care about it and were years behind on the available updates?

And, yeah, sure, ignore the security updates. You likely wouldn't even know you were affected by something and your computer could already be part of some botnet used to spread more garbage around it.
 
TH55 said:
Up until this point not updating hasn't effected me
Click to expand...

parseckadet said:
Said the ostrich.
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C DM said:
So why are you complaining about it no longer being updated if you don't care about it and were years behind on the available updates?

And, yeah, sure, ignore the security updates. You likely wouldn't even know you were affected by something and your computer could already be part of some botnet used to spread more garbage around it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. From installation, it takes roughly 90 seconds for a newly built XP machine on the internet to be exploited. Because of how far out of date the OP's machine is, it would exploited faster than it would take for the service pack to be downloaded. There is nothing 'perfectly running' about that at all, especially if you can't keep your data secure; this is without even mentioning that they are running an OS that is 11 years old.

Ostrich and head in the sand, indeed.

BL.
 
I can't sync my iPhone 5 on my PowerMac or PowerBooks. Apple won't support me on Leopard anymore. :(

Something about that whole Intel transition from PowerPC thing which happened about eight years ago. :D

/sarcasm :)
 
C DM said:
So why are you complaining about it no longer being updated if you don't care about it and were years behind on the available updates?

And, yeah, sure, ignore the security updates. You likely wouldn't even know you were affected by something and your computer could already be part of some botnet used to spread more garbage around it.
Click to expand...
Because I needed it to install iTunes! Didn't you read my op?
 
TH55 said:
Because I needed it to install iTunes! Didn't you read my op?
Click to expand...
And none of that applied to that. You were (way) behind on updating your computer, it had nothing to do with whether or not XP is still supported or not or anything of the sort.
 
TH55 said:
I am getting the error that I require service pack 3 on Windows XP, and when I attempted to do this I learned there is no longer support for XP. What are my options? What is the most recent version of iTunes that is supported by Windows XP version 5.1, service pack 2?
Click to expand...

Service Pack 3 was released April 21, 2008.

You have really allowed your system to go without updates for over six years???
 
bradl said:
Agreed. From installation, it takes roughly 90 seconds for a newly built XP machine on the internet to be exploited. Because of how far out of date the OP's machine is, it would exploited faster than it would take for the service pack to be downloaded. There is nothing 'perfectly running' about that at all, especially if you can't keep your data secure; this is without even mentioning that they are running an OS that is 11 years old.

Ostrich and head in the sand, indeed.

BL.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with the security issues.

But there wasn't/isn't anything wrong with using a 11 year old OS when it works. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's useless. Heck, Office 2003 is still working fine for me. No need to upgrade, the newer version are bloated.

And what's wrong with Duke Nukem, Quake, Doom, Team Fortress 2, they are great games!
 
Jalopybox said:
I agree 100% with the security issues.

But there wasn't/isn't anything wrong with using a 11 year old OS when it works.
Click to expand...

Except that, it's starting to not work. It's only a matter of time before current software will stop working on Windows XP.

Also, being insecure and unpatched, in my book, absolutely counts as "not working," particularly when hackers have a very real interest in finding those vulnerabilities and gaining at the expense of those users still using that OS for their daily computing.

Just because it's old doesn't mean it's useless. Heck, Office 2003 is still working fine for me. No need to upgrade, the newer version are bloated.
Click to expand...

While I can totally understand that there are edge cases and specific reasons why some people might want to hang on to using an older OS for a while, 12+ years is really starting to stretch it.

And actually, Office 2003 is kind of poster child for why people should upgrade, at least to Office 2007. In addition to 2003 having its own software vulnerabilities, it uses legacy office file formats. The rest of the world is moving to the Open Office XML specification, which was introduced in Office 2007. I'd be very surprised if within the past 7 years, you haven't received at least a few office documents you've had trouble opening.

And what's wrong with Duke Nukem, Quake, Doom, Team Fortress 2, they are great games!
Click to expand...

Yes they are, and you don't need XP to run them.
 
scaredpoet said:
Except that, it's starting to not work. It's only a matter of time before current software will stop working on Windows XP.

Also, being insecure and unpatched, in my book, absolutely counts as "not working," particularly when hackers have a very real interest in finding those vulnerabilities and gaining at the expense of those users still using that OS for their daily computing.



While I can totally understand that there are edge cases and specific reasons why some people might want to hang on to using an older OS for a while, 12+ years is really starting to stretch it.

And actually, Office 2003 is kind of poster child for why people should upgrade, at least to Office 2007. In addition to 2003 having its own software vulnerabilities, it uses legacy office file formats. The rest of the world is moving to the Open Office XML specification, which was introduced in Office 2007. I'd be very surprised if within the past 7 years, you haven't received at least a few office documents you've had trouble opening.



Yes they are, and you don't need XP to run them.
Click to expand...

But up until a few months ago it was patched and working. My point is just because it's old doesn't mean it's useless or inherently bad. First world societies are really caught up on newer, better, etc. There is a reason it's still the second most used OS in the world.

As far as Office 2003, there have been 2 office files in 10+ years I could not open-have the compatibility pack installed-and those 2 files couldn't be opened with newer Office versions as well, corrupted.
 
Jalopybox said:
But up until a few months ago it was patched and working. My point is just because it's old doesn't mean it's useless or inherently bad. First world societies are really caught up on newer, better, etc. There is a reason it's still the second most used OS in the world.

As far as Office 2003, there have been 2 office files in 10+ years I could not open-have the compatibility pack installed-and those 2 files couldn't be opened with newer Office versions as well, corrupted.
Click to expand...
If all the released security fixes are there and patched, then yes, nothing wrong with it, otherwise, just that by itself makes it bad in practically all cases.
 
C DM said:
If all the released security fixes are there and patched, then yes, nothing wrong with it, otherwise, just that by itself makes it bad in practically all cases.
Click to expand...

I agree. It's one way to force the upgrade....
 
Jalopybox said:
os. .
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Well, this is the first month that XP stopped getting updates, so until this month there was no need to update to any other OS to get the security patches. And at this point XP has been supported for years and years after Microsoft stopped even selling it, let alone since it actually came out.
 
Jalopybox said:
But up until a few months ago it was patched and working.
Click to expand...

Yes, and we've known for several years that a specific date would come that Microsoft would stop supporting this operating system with patches. that date has now passed.


My point is just because it's old doesn't mean it's useless or inherently bad. First world societies are really caught up on newer, better, etc.
Click to expand...

While I can understand such a point, I think in this case it's not consumerism that's driving the march ahead. It has been well know for a long time now that there are inherent limitations and flaws in the Windows XP architecture. For several years now, the resolution to those flaws has been to use a newer operating system that has those issues mitigated.

You're right that "old" doesn't necessarily mean "bad." But in Windows XP's case, it was "bad" long before it was "old." And there is a limit to how long a vendor can reasonably continue to patch holes in a bad architecture. We're past that limit now. It's time to move on.


There is a reason it's still the second most used OS in the world.
Click to expand...

I would chalk that up to Microsoft doing a very poor job of offering and promoting better alternatives, and because users are fearful of switching to different, more modern platforms... NOT because XP is such a good architecture given the current computing climate.

As far as Office 2003, there have been 2 office files in 10+ years I could not open-have the compatibility pack installed-and those 2 files couldn't be opened with newer Office versions as well, corrupted.
Click to expand...

Welp, I can tell you with certainty that you will see more issues crop up over time. Bellyaching over why you should be allowed to continue to use such a "good" OS well pat its prime, is only going to fall on deaf ears. The decision has been made by Microsoft. You can acknowledge that now, or have a really hard time of it later. The choice is entirely yours.
 
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