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The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware

By | September 9, 2010, 6:37pm PDT

Summary: iTunes 10 might be brand new, but little has changed in Cupertino. Apple still gives Windows users a single installer that clutters your hard disk with a bunch of unnecessary components, some of which can be harmful to your system’s security and reliability. I show you how to take control of the iTunes 10 installer so you get exactly what you want and nothing more.

One of the most popular posts I wrote in 2008 was a set of step-by-step instructions to help you do what Apple doesn’t want you to do with iTunes for Windows (see Slimming down the bloated iTunes installer). Now that iTunes 10 has been released, it’s apparent that nothing has changed in Cupertino. Apple still gives its customers a monolithic iTunes setup program with absolutely no options to pick and choose based on your specific needs.

Why is that important? When you run the iTunes setup program, it unpacks six Windows Installer packages and a master setup program, which then installs nearly 300MB of program and support files, a kernel-mode CD/DVD-burning driver, multiple system services, and a bunch of browser plugins. It configures two “helper” programs to start automatically every time you start your PC, giving you no easy way to disable them. It installs a network service that many iTunes users don’t need and that has been associated with security and reliability issues.

And you wonder why I dislike iTunes with a passion that burns like the fire of a thousand suns?

That’s where this post comes in. It contains detailed, up-to-date instructions for cracking open that gigantic iTunes installer and installing just the pieces you want and need. I’ve also updated my advice for individual scenarios so that you can make intelligent choices instead of simply settling for Apple’s defaults.

To get started, you need a copy of the iTunes Windows installer, which comes in x86 and x64 versions and is available via this download page. You also need a third-party file extraction utility. WinZip and WinRAR work fine, but I recommend the free and extraordinarily versatile IZArc utility. Use the File, Open menu to extract files from iTunesSetup.exe (or, on x64 Windows machines, iTunes64Setup.exe). This screen shows the contents of the 64-bit iTunes 10 installer.

Extract those files to a local or network folder and you can run them individually, using command-line switches to control their behavior. On the next page, I describe what is in each of those installer packages.

Page 2: What’s in each package?  –>

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Topics

Apple QuickTime, Apple Inc., Microsoft Windows, Apple iTunes, SCREEN Bonjour, Apple Software Update, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Ed Bott

Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications.

Disclosure

Ed Bott

Ed Bott is a freelance technical journalist and book author. All work that Ed does is on a contractual basis.

Since 1994, Ed has written more than 25 books about Microsoft Windows and Office. Along with various co-authors, Ed is completely responsible for the content of the books he writes. As a key part of his contractual relationship with publishers, he gives them permission to print and distribute the content he writes and to pay him a royalty based on the actual sales of those books. Ed's books are currently distributed by Que Publishing (a division of Pearson Education) and by Microsoft Press.

On occasion, Ed accepts consulting assignments. In recent years, he has worked as an expert witness in cases where his experience and knowledge of Microsoft and Microsoft Windows have been useful. In each such case, his compensation is on an hourly basis, and he is hired as a witness, not an advocate.

Ed does not own stock or have any other financial interest in Microsoft or any other software company. He owns 500 shares of stock in EMC Corporation, which was purchased before the company's acquisition of VMWare. In addition, he owns 350 shares of stock in Intel Corporation, purchased more than two years ago. All stocks are held in retirement accounts for long-term growth.

Ed does not accept gifts from companies he covers. All hardware products he writes about are purchased with his own funds or are review units covered under formal loan agreements and are returned after the review is complete.

Biography

Ed Bott

Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. He's served as editor of the U.S. edition of PC Computing and managing editor of PC World; both publications had monthly paid circulation in excess of 1 million during his tenure. He is the author of more than 25 books on Microsoft Windows and Office, including the recently released Windows 7 Inside Out.

Talkback Most Recent of 200 Talkback(s)

  • RE: The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware
    Thanks for the article. Apple does some great things sometimes like the iPhone but then they produce some absolute rubbish as well, like iTunes. Big company I suppose.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    craigvn@...
    9th Sep 2010
  • RE: The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware
    @craigvn@... Really it comes down to this... great hardware company, pathetic software company.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    GoodThings2Life
    10th Sep 2010
  • RE: The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware
    @GoodThings2Life

    Well, they assume that they 'know the best' for people using their OS and software programs. If they didn't, then they would allow people to buy and sell Hackintosh's no problem, while simply saying that they do not support anything but [list of Apple computers] and if you buy a Hackintosh? Whine to the person who sold it to you.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Lerianis10
    10th Sep 2010

  • ZDNet Blogger

    Look again
    @Lerianis10
    they assume that they 'know the best' for people using their OS and software programs"

    This post is about the Windows version of iTunes. That is not "their OS." (And it shows.)
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Ed Bott
    10th Sep 2010
  • Ed, why use iTunes at all?
    @GoodThings2Life ... if you don't like it, and generally dislike Apple products in general, why aren't you using Zune and Zunetunes, or whatever it's called?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    HollywoodDog
    10th Sep 2010
  • @HollywoodDog: Because WP7 isn't ready yet
    While the best smartphone out there today is iPhone 4, Apple forces you to use iTunes. So while I like the iPhone 4 (previous iPhones really, really sucked bad), most of us really hate iTunes.

    Zune software, on the other hand, is truly a fantastic media manager. Even Apple thought so since they keep copying UI and functionality from Zune.

    For me, it will be a race between Apple improving iTunes and MS improving WP7. Whoever can do that first will get my business.

    I hope that answers your question.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    NonZealot
    10th Sep 2010
    • Flagged
  • I was asking Ed why he was using iTunes
    @GoodThings2Life ... I've never used and will never use any Zune software, so I don't know about your allegations of 'copying', but I suspect you're just making that up.
    In any case, if anyone doesn't like any piece of the Apple world, there's an alternative. So I don't understand the need to complain.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    HollywoodDog
    10th Sep 2010
    • Flagged
  • What a tool...
    @NonZealot

    Zune software, on the other hand, is truly a fantastic media manager. Even Apple thought so since they keep copying UI and functionality from Zune."

    Just what UI and functionality has Apple copied from the loser device known as Zune???

    iPod and iPhones don't "squirt"... And in contrast, people like them and actually buy them... If Zune was as awesome as you think it is, it would sell.

    "most of us really hate iTunes"
    Define "us"... Are you talking about you and your other 13 personalities? Cus if we are talking about the world, it doesn't appear to be as hated as you and your personas think (or fail to think)... Heck, Even Ed Bott had to write a blog about installing it in pieces only to conclude that you might as well install it all.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    i8thecat
    10th Sep 2010
    • Flagged
  • @Hollywood: Haha, love the assumption!
    I've never used and will never use any Zune software

    Got it, so you are talking from a position of complete and utter ignorance.

    I don't know about your allegations of 'copying', but I suspect you're just making that up.

    Since you've already admitted that you are utterly ignorant about the competition, let me educate you. Ping is poor copy of Zune's social capabilities, devoid of most of the useful aspects of Zune's social capabilities.

    The other big thing in iTunes 10 was the album list view which is nearly a pixel by pixel copy of Zune's album view.

    if anyone doesn't like any piece of the Apple world, there's an alternative. So I don't understand the need to complain.

    Yup, makes me wonder why you Apple zealots complain so much about Windows since Mac OS has always been an alternative. I take it that all Windows complaining will suddenly cease now that we are employing a single standard around complaining?

    Cue the double standards...
    ZDNet Gravatar
    NonZealot
    10th Sep 2010
    • Flagged
  • @Hollywood
    What has Apple copied from Zune?

    FM Radio: The Zune wasn't the first PMP to have an FM radio but Apple never thought it was important enough to add built-in support for it in it's iPods until Microsoft spent years toting about it on Zune.

    FM Tagging: Same exact concept. If the station was broadcasting the information on the current song you could tag it and purchase it from their music store later.

    Ping: Like NonZealot, their take on the Zune Social but without everything that makes Zune Social great like play counts, Xbox Live integration, browser version.

    Album view: Now that is a carbon copy of something that has been around in Windows Media Player since version 11. They try to make it seem intuitive because it only does it when there are five songs from the same album. In media player it shows the art even if there is one song, which makes more since for consistency.

    Genius Mixes: iTunes 8 and Zune 4.0 introduced Genius and SmartDJ, respectively. Genius only produced playlist based on the music you had in your library while SmartDJ generates them based on music you played in the past (it keeps track) and the music related and adds song from your collection and whats available in the Marketplace. When iTunes 9 released it introduced Genius Mixes which pretty much does what SmartDJ does. Except you have to purchase the music that you don't have in iTunes while with Zune if you have a Zune Pass it will just stream what you don't have in your collection, or you can download them.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    WixosTrix
    10th Sep 2010
  • iTunes has implemented new features
    @GoodThings2Life ... and since the world of music players and apps is a finite one, some of the features are kind of similar.
    I think that to assert this constitutes "copying" isn't right. Ping isn't the same as Zune's social capabilities, which as I understand it center around devices connecting to one another and "squirting" (hey baby, let me squirt you with song), which Zune has not implemented.
    They did add FM receiver, which I think is rather silly. The only time I can imagine using that is in the gym to listen to the TV or something, but I am not going to spend money buying an FM receiver.
    Considering that Zune utterly failed, Apple isn't 'copying' out of a desire to keep customers and not lose them to Zune.
    In any case, a collection of features which Microsoft fans seem to think is great in the Zune case, now apparently constitute 'bloat' in Apple's.
    Why do I complain about Windows? Because it's forced on me by the company I work for. Nobody forces Apple on anyone. Consumers demand its products.
    The jerky and arrogant IT administrator forces Windows on me.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    HollywoodDog
    10th Sep 2010
  • RE: The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware
    @i8thecat - Well "us" would be quite a few people.
    iTunes is horrible slow, takes forever to build the library, it's interface is garbage, it's buggy has heck. The ONLY reason it is popular is CrApple FORCES you to use the software. And as far as your - as usual - goofball comments against Zune, my daughter has had a 80Gig Zune for 4 years and it works, the battery is great and while old still holds up. She has had two iPods - battery was garbage and there were issues. She gave up and went to a Zune and has been switching other people over. She wants the HD, but her's works and is having a hardtime switching. The Zune software is pretty nice clean, simple and fast. Something iTunes cannot say. So you continue your immature rants, but your standing on tooth picks for support.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    ItsTheBottomLine
    11th Sep 2010
  • HollywoodDog. Ther must be a reason as to why your company
    Chose Microsoft over Apple. Did it ever occur to you that as a colective whole they have a better understanding of the opereating system vs your single opinion?

    And if a company forced their employees to muttle thru with OS X, would they be allowed to complain about it, or do you believe it should only be a "one way street" (using one of your human metaphors)?

    plain
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Mister Spock
    11th Sep 2010
  • ItsTheBottomLine... Spewing lies again???
    "Well "us" would be quite a few people.
    iTunes is horrible slow, takes forever to build the library, it's interface is garbage, it's buggy has heck."

    I have iTunes running on well over 100 windows PCs (crappy Dell Optiplex PCs)... Guess what??? No issues.. None of that slowing you claim is Apple's fault... Nothing buggy, it's fast, snappy, and works great. iTunes isn't the issue here... That problem sits in your chair dude.

    "And as far as your - as usual - goofball comments Zune, my daughter has had a 80Gig Zune for 4 years and it works, the against battery is great and while old still holds up."

    Now why are you going to tell blatent lies??? The first gen Zune isn't even 4 years old yet and you are talking about a 2nd gen that was released a year later than that...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zune

    The Bottom Line is that you are a liar AND you don't have a clue about how to manage a windows PC... Dude... If anyone NEEDS a Mac, it's you.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    i8thecat
    14th Sep 2010
  • Not even great hardware... over priced hypeware!
    @GoodThings2Life ... apple just shows what can be achieved with robot consumers blindly buying what ever oozes off the end of the assembly line.

    The apple Kookaid is a very powerful brew!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Reality Bites
    20th Sep 2010
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