Apple does it again - iTunes plugin crashes Outlook 2007

, posted: 5-JUL-2007 16:00

So, Apple's Software Update tells me there's a new version of iTunes with QuickTime available - 7.3 and 7.1.6 respectively. With some trepidation due to bad past experience, I let Software Update do its thing and restart the Windows XP SP2 system; yes, installing two media players from Apple requires a reboot. I expect there's a new driver of some kind installed, maybe for the DRM?

When the system comes up, I get this error message however:

Microsoft Office Outlook error message
Curious - at this stage, I haven't even fired up Outlook. I click on Send Error Report, being a good g33kboy and happy to send MS all my vital dat4Z, and then get this error message:
Longest Outlook Error dialog in the world!
Yowch! The dialog is actually 1,173 pixels wide. Enough already, Microsoft... doesn't need to be that wide.

What's the "'outlook sync addin' addin" then? Bit of Googling reveals that it's for the iPhone, very probably to pick up Outlook contacts and import them.

Now... did Apple tell me this crash-in was being installed? No. No, it didn't. There was no warning at all, and I'm glad it's possible to disable it but this is really crap software design AGAIN Apple.








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Comment by freitasm, on 5-JUL-2007 16:45

And that's why I don't install iTunes and I dread the thought of installing QuickTime.


Comment by antoniosk, on 5-JUL-2007 18:18

It crashes Outlook2003 as well.

No matter...from the supplier of the iRACK I'm still privileged...


Comment by rscole86, on 5-JUL-2007 19:29

Hmm, thats weird as I put itunes on the office PC at work so as to help fix a customers ipod.

And Outlook works fine for us, there was a warning when installing it that I had to close Outlook before installing, or if I did not then outlook would not work until I restarted it.

So it must be as you say it is for the iphone to sync, as I never closed Outlook and I could send a receive emails fine.


Author's note by juha, on 5-JUL-2007 19:35

Could be related to my using ActiveSync as well - think it starts up an invisible instance of Outlook.


Comment by tallPete, on 5-JUL-2007 20:00

Hmm, I run Vista, iTunes 7.3, Quicktime obviously, Office 2003 and I have an iPod that I have synced a few times over 7.3 - no crashes. Looks like it could be only on XPSP2.


Comment by Matthew Brandabur, on 6-JUL-2007 05:16

on XP, i have noticed that outlook causes iTunes to crash...


Comment by anon, on 6-JUL-2007 08:14

I have outlook 2007, itunes 7.3 or whatever and I haven't noticed this addin, I don't use active sync for my phone tho since its vista, its windows mobile device centre but relatively the same. Anyways no problems, had to close outlook to install it, but I didn't experience the problems that you did.


Author's note by juha, on 6-JUL-2007 08:27

I will try with Vista in a while and see what happens.


Comment by revbobuk, on 6-JUL-2007 19:10

Exactly the same thing happened for me. Reboot, and Outlook crashes and invites me to remove the plug-in. I'm running XPSP2, and Outlook 2003. I also feel that the issues here are: Why does Apple install an Outlook plug-in without asking; and (is it just me or) is Apple deliberately trying to mess up the Windows functionality in order to encourage people towards MacOS? After all, many people in this situation will see 'Outlook crashes' as an MS issue, rather than an Apple one. iTunes is a well-disguised Trojan!


Comment by Tony, on 7-JUL-2007 15:37

For what it's worth, I've seen posts about this problem for Outlook 2003 as well as 2007.

I installed iTunes 7.3 since it's necessary to activate my shiny new iPhone (as well as to synchronize contacts/calendar/photos/etc with it), and I'm also running Outlook 2007.

OL2007 ran fine for a week, then today it suddenly started the bizarre behavior that you describe.

The solution, at least for me, was to close Outlook and iTunes. I also had to kill all of the "ghost" OUTLOOK.EXE processes that iTunesHelper seems to start.

Then, from Add/Remove programs, I did a "repair" on on iTunes to re-register all the DLLs and verify the registry settings, etc.

Then I rebooted (it *IS* windows, after all...)

So far that seems to have done the trick. Outlook was crashing about every 15 minutes or so before, and I've been going for over 2 hours without a crash.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this has solved the problem, as I'd really like to keep syncing my iPhone with Outlook while we're all waiting on a patch from Apple/MS/both...


Author's note by juha, on 7-JUL-2007 16:35

Right... tried on Vista32. Only issue: Outlook complains of the PST file being used by another application. The iTunes installer locked it.

Reboot, and all's copacetic.


Comment by Chuck, on 15-JUL-2007 03:17

I just googled and found your page - Apple really doesn't listen to consumers, just what Steve Jobs wants.

I don't have an iPod or an iPhone and will never own one, yet iTunes (which I used to like) insists that software for those products are automatically installed - nonsense.

At least "most" other programs I install allow for "advanced" or "custom" installations that avoid this crap.

Steve, are you listening?


Comment by Kai, on 16-JUL-2007 12:50

I experienced problems opening windows immediately after downloading the newest version of Itunes which is 7.3 with Quicktime. In order for changes to take effect you have to shut down and restart.I did that and noticed immediately that windows would not open. I had to restart in safe mode and trouble shoot, change a few settings in order to get back in. Now I can open windows and I was able to uninstall quick time. However when I go to control panel and try to uninstall Itunes, my pc wont allow me to, keeps saying error (possibly with the itunes package) occurred. How can I get this off my pc?


Comment by jimbohank, on 19-JUL-2007 06:06

Having this same issue with a clients PC running XPSP2 and Outlook 2002. itunes 7.3 crashes Outlook and Outlook 2002 crashes anything below 7.3. This is rediculouse!


Comment by bengance, on 30-JUL-2007 16:36

I have this problem with Outlook 2007 on Vista 32 and Itunes 7.3.1.3. I had this earlier and fixed it. Updated itunes this morning and had the problem again. Err.

Anyways,TrustCenter disable add-in. and it was fixed. Someone should ask before they start throwing their add-ons to where they don't belong.


Comment by Keith Menzie, on 22-SEP-2007 06:57

Running Windows XP professional
512 MB Ram
The latest itunes (7.4.2.4)
and the Latest Quicktime (7.2)
I have bought an audiobook (it comes on 5 disks)
Opened itunes and started the process of downloading the first disk ( after joining all the tracks) about three quarters way through my computer freezes.
I have remove/re installed itunes and Quicktime, added more ram. Shut down all programmes running in the background. No luck. Occassionally, Spybot and ad aware freeze during scanning.
Please, please someone help/advise I am no expert and don't know what to do next.
Again, please,thanks. Keith


Comment by cc2747, on 12-NOV-2007 12:45

It's crashing my Outlook 2003, I have uninstalled EVERYTHING: itunes, updater, mobiel updater device, everything, even uninstalled and reinstalled office and nothing works, outlook is still crashing! Any ideas???


Comment by Leo, on 24-NOV-2007 09:38

My outlook e-mail addresses are not displayed on the itunes to sync with my iphone... Anyone know what can I do?


Comment by Ryan, on 6-OCT-2008 07:24

I had this problem today. iTunes plugin crashed Outlook 2K7 in mid-draft, and somehow, it managed to mangle the draft as well. Absolutely infuriating. Apple isn't exactly winning hearts and minds on Windows with iTunes.


Comment by Adeel Ahmed, on 17-OCT-2008 03:29

My work around for this problem is simple - i don't run itunes simultaneously with Outlook. simple, elegant, and impractical.


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