CV TECH TALK

Quick Time and iTunes for XPSP2 and Vista

My experience with trying to install Kodak Easy Share Software last night (for the first time since the advent of my new hard drive) and this morning has given newfound strength in one of my favorite sayings:

IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT!

Of course, EasyShare requires Quick Time (videos on my wife's digital camera, a Kodak, are saved in .mov format). So, I made the mistake of making sure my Quick Time and iTunes are up to date. The latest versions are iTunes 7.5 and Quick Time 7.3. However, these updates are not too friendly with Windows Vista, nor are they friendly with Windows XP/Service Pack 2, which I am running. iTunes 7.5 simply gives you the old boot (iTunes has encountered a problem and needs to close). Quick Time 7.3 boots you in a different way - via the infamous "buffer overrun".

A little cruising through Apple's support forums proved that I was not alone. I found, first, a few Vista users with the similar problem, and then a few of those who said, "I get that problem too, and I have XP Service Pack Deux". Apparently Apple has yet to develop a fix or patch for it (though I can picture some fellow Catholic podcasters saying "You should have bought a Mac"). A couple of people replied with outside links to "beat the buffer overrun".

My wife gave me a better solution - use the older version. So, she gave me the link to older versions of Quick Time. You pick the one you want to revert to. Then she gave me the link to older versions of iTunes. I haven't reverted my iTunes yet. I did, however, revert my Quick Time to 7.1 (if you do this, always make sure you uninstall the newest version COMPLETELY first), and it works like a charm. I'll take care of iTunes soon. But first, I have to finish this nice videocast I'm concocting.

Oh - here are the links for those XPSP2/Vista users who need a fix:

Quick Time: http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=quicktime
iTunes: http://oldapps.com/itunes.htm

I'll say it again - IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT!

Peace,
BMP