iTunes 8 does not open automatically when I connect iPhone 3G

Prior to installing iTunes 8 on Windows XP, iTunes would automatically open and start syncing when I connected my iPhone 3g. Since installing iTunes 8 when I connect the iPhone the window still opens regarding downloading photos, but iTunes does not open. I have to click the iTunes icon on my desktop to start it and then it will start to sync automatically after iTunes loads.

I have verified that ituneshelper.exe is running in the background. I also have verified the "Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected" is checked and that "Disable automtic syncing for iPhones and iPods" is not checked.

If I connect my 5G iPod, iTunes does does open automatically and start to sync.

Anyone have any ideas as to why this happens? Could it be a bug in iTunes 8? Could it be a new feature so that you can charge the phone through USB without starting iTunes?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I've been playing around with this issue some more and have discovered some interesting things but have not been able to resolve my issue.

I discovered that if I go into the task manager and stop the ituneshelper.exe process and then go to c:\program files\itunes directory and double click ituneshelper.exe to restart it, itunes will start automatically when I connect my iPhone. However, when I reboot my PC the issue resurfaces and connecting my iPhone does not start iTunes automatically.

I also discovered that when I look at iTuneshelper.exe in the task manager right after I start my PC the file takes up 8+MB of memory. After I end the process and restart ituneshelper.exe it takes up 9+MB of memory.

I've tried unistalling and re-installing iTunes, but unfortunately this has not helped.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? While its really more of an annoyance than a real problem since I am still able to connect and sync, I'm the kind of person who feels a need to resolve them rather then live with them!