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iTunes Starting UP On It's Own

pasipple

pasipple

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 12, 2009
859
8
I've been using iTunes on my MacBook Pro for a year now and I'm currently at version 9.2 (62).

About a week ago...iTunes started...starting up on it's own? Never had any problem with this before. I've not made any recent upgrades to iTunes or anything else that I beleive would effect iTunes.

I have checked the obvious....

In my system setting>accounts>login items I do not have iTunes listed at all for starting up at login.

I do not have iTunes set for "open at login" in the dock.

I've done a search on Google and found a bunch of similar posts but I couldn't find any definite solutions.

This is getting very frustrating. Starts up a few times a day by itself.

Any suggestions? Thanks....
 
Just to rule out the obvious: you're not accidently pressing the "play" function key (umm F7 or so?)

Also, any new apps that you installed? New addons, etc?

Oh did you check the option where iTunes starts when your iPhone (assuming you haev one) is plugged in?

I know you have probably checked all of this, but just in case you overlooked any of the more obvious ideas before you go reinstalling the OS (which is what I would do when I get frustrated enough)
 
lucifiel said:
I know you have probably checked all of this, but just in case you overlooked any of the more obvious ideas before you go reinstalling the OS (which is what I would do when I get frustrated enough)
Click to expand...

Yeah, if you can't find any solutions you'll probably have to back up and reinstall your OS with the discs that came with your Mac. But you probably won't have to do that.
 
lucifiel said:
Just to rule out the obvious: you're not accidently pressing the "play" function key (umm F7 or so?)

Also, any new apps that you installed? New addons, etc?

Oh did you check the option where iTunes starts when your iPhone (assuming you haev one) is plugged in?

I know you have probably checked all of this, but just in case you overlooked any of the more obvious ideas before you go reinstalling the OS (which is what I would do when I get frustrated enough)
Click to expand...

No to any Function Keys...
No add-ons...I update my software every couple of days using MacUpdate....but nothing in regards to iTunes...
No startup with iPhone...

But I do appreciate the time to respond.

My best bet is some kind of a reinstall of iTunes I suppose....but I have spent hundreds of hours maintaining my music and movie collect on iTunes I don't want to risk losing any of it. High resolution cover art...ratings....etc....
 
R94N said:
Yeah, if you can't find any solutions you'll probably have to back up and reinstall your OS with the discs that came with your Mac. But you probably won't have to do that.
Click to expand...

Well that's a scary thing to do.

Does anyone know if there are any specific iTunes files that I could delete that may help...while still maintaining my data integrity?

Such as specific plist files, etc...
 
pasipple said:
My best bet is some kind of a reinstall of iTuns I suppose....but I have spent hundreds of hours maintaining my music and movie collect on iTunes I don't want to risk losing any of it. High resolution cover art...ratings....etc....
Click to expand...

If it does come to a reinstall, you can just back up your library to an external hard drive and reimport it after you reinstall everything.

I assume you have all your music consolidated? If not, do so and the back up process will be simple.

I'd wait a few days to see if other members can give a more helpful answer than I.
 
lucifiel said:
If it does come to a reinstall, you can just back up your library to an external hard drive and reimport it after you reinstall everything.

I assume you have all your music consolidated? If not, do so and the back up process will be simple.

I'd wait a few days to see if other members can give a more helpful answer than I.
Click to expand...

Yep...I'll wait for further solutions before I do anything that drastic. I do have my movie and music collection backed up.....DAMN IT....ITUNES JUST RELAUNCHED AS I WAS TYPING THIS REPLY....THAT'S REALLY REALLY ANNOYING. IT'S POSSESSED!!!!!

Anyway, backing up music and movies files is easy....what I'm really concerned with is the time I've spent importing movie data (genre, actors, etc.) and the hours spent importing high definition cover art for my movies and music. Not just the lousy quality you get with iTunes import cover art.

I have probably 600+ CDs I've copied to the Mac and 1000 movies....
 
Oh and I have unchecked "check for new software updates automatically" in Preferences within iTunes.

When I did some Google research...this was causing similar problems for some iTunes users.
 
lucifiel said:
If you backed it all up, why would you need to redo the meta data? That would ideally be backed up as well.
Click to expand...

I keep backups of my movie and music files on an external HD. I also do regular backups with Copy Clone of my entire Mac HD to a separate external drive.

I don't know what you mean by "redo the meta file"? I'm hopefully looking at a solution here where I can reinstall iTunes or wipe out just selective iTunes data files...something along hose lines.

There's got to be a simpler and less drastic solution than reinstalling the the operating system. GOD I hope!!!!!

No other ideas?
 
pasipple said:
No other ideas?
Click to expand...

Try renaming the iTunes app in the Applications folder. Then if an app complains that it can't find iTunes you'll know what the problem is. If it still launches try right clicking it and selecting "Compress iTunes", then delete the iTunes app while keeping the zipped app.
 
Intell said:
Try renaming the iTunes app in the Applications folder. Then if an app complains that it can't find iTunes you'll know what the problem is. If it still launches try right clicking it and selecting "Compress iTunes", then delete the iTunes app while keeping the zipped app.
Click to expand...

I'll try the renaming to see where that leads me....

I don't understand the compress zipped part of your suggest.

Thanks...
 
pasipple said:
I don't understand the compress zipped part of your suggest.
Click to expand...

The "Compress iTunes" option in the right click menu will make iTunes into a single file that cannot be run like an application. Once you delete or move the iTunes application to the trash, the thing that is always starting it will complain. To get iTunes back just double click the iTunes.zip that is created during the compress process.
 
Intell said:
The "Compress iTunes" option in the right click menu will make iTunes into a single file that cannot be run like an application. Once you delete or move the iTunes application to the trash, the thing that is always starting it will complain. To get iTunes back just double click the iTunes.zip that is created during the compress process.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry...where is the compress iTunes option? Right click menu? I don't see it by right clicking the icon.
 
pasipple said:
I'm sorry...where is the compress iTunes option? Right click menu? I don't see it by right clicking the icon.
Click to expand...

To right click on a Mac: Put your mouse cursor over the iTunes icon in the Applications folder. Then while holding down the Control key click the iTunes icon. This will bring up the right click menu. Near the top of this menu you'll see the "Compress" option.
 
And just so I'm clear....

The theory behind changing the name...is that another program is launching iTunes. And by changing the name...the program will launch 'Itunes"...not find it...then an error dialog box should pop up ...hopefully identifying the program?

That correct?

Intell said:
To right click on a Mac: Put your mouse cursor over the iTunes icon in the Applications folder. Then while holding down the Control key click the iTunes icon. This will bring up the right click menu. Near the top of this menu you'll see the "Compress" option.
Click to expand...

Thank you...
 
pasipple said:
And just so I'm clear....

The theory behind changing the name...is that another program is launching iTunes. And by changing the name...the program will launch 'Itunes"...not find it...then an error dialog box should pop up ...hopefully identifying the program?

That correct?
Click to expand...

Correct.
 
Anther thought: probably on the obvious list of things you've checked, but you don't have an iPod/iPhone/iPad connected do you? Because if you have it set to "launch iTunes automatically when connected" it could be as simple as wiggling a USB cable on accident.
 
DirtySocks85 said:
Anther thought: probably on the obvious list of things you've checked, but you don't have an iPod/iPhone/iPad connected do you? Because if you have it set to "launch iTunes automatically when connected" it could be as simple as wiggling a USB cable on accident.
Click to expand...

Nope....no auto launch...I believe I said that above...

Thanks...
 
pasipple said:
I've been using iTunes on my MacBook Pro for a year now and I'm currently at version 9.2 (62).

About a week ago...iTunes started...starting up on it's own? Never had any problem with this before. I've not made any recent upgrades to iTunes or anything else that I beleive would effect iTunes.

I have checked the obvious....

In my system setting>accounts>login items I do not have iTunes listed at all for starting up at login.

I do not have iTunes set for "open at login" in the dock.

I've done a search on Google and found a bunch of similar posts but I couldn't find any definite solutions.

This is getting very frustrating. Starts up a few times a day by itself.

Any suggestions? Thanks....
Click to expand...

Have you tried deleting the com.apple.iTunes.plist file?
You can find it here:
Code: 
~/Library/Preferences/
 
Have you looked at what Dashboard widgets you have open? Even the iTunes controller that Apple ships could be causing this behavior, as could some of the lyrics widgets.

Since they're not right in front of you, a lot of people forget about them. A good thing to check on, though.

jW
 
Mal said:
Have you looked at what Dashboard widgets you have open? Even the iTunes controller that Apple ships could be causing this behavior, as could some of the lyrics widgets.

Since they're not right in front of you, a lot of people forget about them. A good thing to check on, though.

jW
Click to expand...

I don't use the Dashboard widgets. But I suppose there could be something running. How do I check that. Just launch the Dashboard and delete all the widgets?

Thanks for the suggestion...

I don't even know how these Dashboard widgets work nor how to delete them. Most appear to be innocent enough...calendar, clock, weather, calculator. However there is a iStat Pro widget?, a safari widget of some sort, June Cloud?, and two "application update widgets?

I don't see any obvious way to delete these. I don't use them....

Got it.....

Did a simple Google search...hit the X in the lower left corner and deleted all but the calendar, clock, weather, and calculator

We'll see if that helps....

Thanks...
 
Well it's been about a day and a half and not single launch of iTunes by itself. Previously it was launching several times a day.

All I did was change the name of iTunes in the Application folder from "iTunes" to "iTunesXX".

There have been no dialog boxes yet from any programs searching for "iTunes". So baffling?
 
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