iTunes will not recognize or play CDs in Windows 7 Ultimate

Hey all,

I have a Windows 7 PC running the latest version of iTunes (11.0.3.42).

Whenever I inset a CD to import into iTunes, the program doesn't see the CD at all. It doesn't offer to import the CD, it doesn't appear in the sidebar, it's not next to my other devices, nothing.

This only started happening after I updated to iTunes 11. I've tried uninstalling iTunes and re-installing it, and ensuring that the CD's format has iTunes as the default format. I can't even play the CD in iTunes! If I try to drag and drop the tracks from the CD into iTunes, I get a red prohibitory sign.

I've tried this with several CDs, all with the same results. I can import CDs into a friend's Mac running iTunes 11 without any issue.

What makes it even stranger is that CDs do open up in VLC and in Windows Media Player, without issue. For some reason, iTunes isn't recognizing any CDs, and it seems to "block" the disc when I try to play it in the program. I've made sure iTunes is the default player for all applicable audio files, and I even followed the instructions in this helpful iTunes KB article from Apple.

There was an upper filter in the registry, but even after removing that, and rebooting Windows, I had no luck.

I also ran the CD/DVD diagnostic tool in Help--->Run Diagnostics in iTunes, and everything checked out just fine.

I checked my iTunes preferences to ensure that "Ask to Import CD" is selected.

I've also tried different Autoplay settings, and turning Autoplay off completely, but it had no effect.

I did a repair install of iTunes, but that didn't seem to get it.

I checked a fresh iTunes library in the Guest account in Windows, but it didn't see it either. I'm not sure if a clean install of iTunes would really do the job, and I don't really want to do that either.

I've checked multiple audio discs, just so I could be sure that it wasn't a faulty CD, but it isn't.

iTunes reads the CDs without issue on another machine running Windows 7.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd be much obliged; I'm completely stumped!

I've done some more research, and it appears that the only way to fix this problem is to completely reinstall Windows or just deal with the problem, which is crazy, because you'd think there would be a fix for it. However, after completely uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes - which didn't fix the problem - I'm afraid there isn't a known working solution for this problem right now.

Diogones, My experience with Itunes is it seems to always cause problems with Windows. I have installed it several times off and on. Each time I have had issues with it not working correctly. Strangely enough, each time it has been a different issue, but serious enough I have had to uninstall it, and in a couple of cases reinstall Windows. Just like you, I have gone through all the troubleshooting steps, and even been to their forums, but never found a fix. I have come to the conclusion that it is a program designed for a mac and they tried to make it work in Windows also. They just need to do more work on it for Windows. I like the program and would like to use it, but I guess it is not meant to be, for me.

essenbe said:

Diogones, My experience with Itunes is it seems to always cause problems with Windows. I have installed it several times off and on. Each time I have had issues with it not working correctly. Strangely enough, each time it has been a different issue, but serious enough I have had to uninstall it, and in a couple of cases reinstall Windows. Just like you, I have gone through all the troubleshooting steps, and even been to their forums, but never found a fix. I have come to the conclusion that it is a program designed for a mac and they tried to make it work in Windows also. They just need to do more work on it for Windows. I like the program and would like to use it, but I guess it is not meant to be, for me.

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Thanks for your insight into this problem essenbe. I'm sure you've heard this a lot, but I love the avatar and sig!

Right, it does seem iTunes can be flaky on Windows, in your experience as well as mine. I mean, if you've even reinstalled Windows just for the sake of fixing iTunes, then you know it's bad. I'm sure a complete Windows 7 reinstall would fix my iTunes installation, as my setup is sort of strange. For instance, I found out the other day that iTunes stores the downloaded .ipsw files for iDevices in the %Userprofile%\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates directory. Well, when I entered that file path into the Run dialog box, it gave me the directory, but it was in a User folder that I had deleted some time ago. It could be that iTunes is still linking part of its files to that dead user folder.

Anyway, since I'm not going to reinstall Windows anytime in the near future, I'm not sure any fix (except maybe an iTunes update) will solve the problem. Sadly, I'm going to mark the thread as "solved" since that's all I've found.

Thanks for the compliment, but I can't take credit for the signature. Someone else did it. But, iTunes has always caused me problems and I've never been able to find a way to fix it. I think it's a conspiracy. Apple does not like Windows anyway.