Do you hate iTunes on Windows, but unfortunately need to install it because it’s necessary for the iPhone or iPod Touch? It really sucks since there is no choice when you install iTunes to stop it from installing all of its other “required” garbage: Apple Software Update, QuickTime, iTunesHelper, random bundled languages, MobileMe, Bonjour? Au revoir! Thankfully, there is a way around this mess! We gotta take the power back!
Keep reading and we’ll show you how!
There are two ways about this. Quick and easy, or manual.
Quick and Easy
iTunes switchless installer is maintained by auja who keeps an up to date repository of “switchless” apps which have already been altered and is ready for you to download and install. Just get it off his site auja Online.
Be forewarned that DeadBandit is not affiliated with auja. The method he/she uses to create the switchless install is unknown, but most likely identical or very similar to the method outlined further in this article. We don’t know if he is reputable, but he is providing a great tool to the community. Please exercise skepticism and caution before running this altered software. This is why DeadBandit advocates doing it for yourself, manually as you are then able to verify sources and tools to trust. It is also good to note that if he ever stops maintaining his site or for any reason should his site be made unavailable, there is a method for those who need it.
Manual
Prerequisites:
- Apple’s iTunes software (32bit / 64bit) 9.0.2.25 as of writing
- A (de)compression tool such as 7-zip
- An .msi installer editor such as InstEd or Orca (Microsoft software, may require you to install the SDK)
- QT Lite 3.1.0 as of writing
Method for creating Switchless Installer:
- After downloading iTunes, extract the .exe file using your (de)compression tool
- You should find the following files in the 64bit install (32bit version filenames will be similar minus “64″):
- SetupAdmin.exe
- AppleApplicationSupport.msi
- AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi
- AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi
- Bonjour64.msi
- iTunes64.msi
- MobileMe64.msi
- QuickTime.msi
- You may decide to install whatever .msi files you wish to get the functionality you require. To get basic functionality out of your iPhone, you only need 3 out of 8 .msi files (delete the rest of the files):
- AppleApplicationSupport.msi
- AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi
- iTunes64.msi
- You will need to use InstEd to modify the iTunes64.exe since the install will fail if the installer cannot find any part of the “required” components. Open InstEd, drag-n-drop iTunes64.exe into InstEd. Under the “Tables” tab, find “caPackage”, order the list by “Sequence” (just click the word Sequence to get the list in numerical order).
- You now know the order in which the components are installed based on this list. You will now want to remove the entries to the corresponding .msi which you do not wish to install (right click, remove row OR use the Delete key). If the sequence list is not continuous, you will want to make it so (click until you can edit the field and change the number).
- Under the “Tables” tab, find “LaunchCondition”, right click and “Drop Table”
- In InstEd, go to File, Save. You can exit this program.
Method for Installation:
- Install QT Lite
- Run iTunes64.exe (You may need to install AppleApplicationSuport.msi & AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi depending on what you chose in step 3 of the Method of Creating Switchless Installer)
Conclusion
This concludes the How-To. It seems really complicated and time consuming, but doing the install this way is really worth it in the end if you value minimalism on your systems. Unfortunately you will need to repeat the process each time you wish to update to the newest version. We really hope this article was helpful to those who just can’t stand the bloat but have to install iTunes to get some functionality from their iPhone. Please feel free to comment!
Notes
SetupAdmin.exe – This is the GUI installer portion which you see when you run iTunesSetup.exe.
AppleApplicationSupport.msi – The drag and drop feature to organize your apps within the iTunes interface (as opposed to on the device) for iPhone and iPod Touch.
AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi – email and contact syncing functionality with iPhone and iPod Touch devices.
AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi – Obnoxious updater program which constantly tries to update all the components of Apple. It will try to install other Apple related programs as well.
Bonjour64.msi – The file sharing service used to share your iTunes library across the network and AppleTV.
iTunes64.msi – The actual file which installs everything else including iTunes.
MobileMe64.msi – Apple’s email and contact cloud syncing subscription service.
Quicktime.msi – To playback all the digital media on your PC. This is normally a required install since iTunes is powered by Quicktime.
Related posts:
iTunes Switchless, No More Windows Bloat!
Do you hate iTunes on Windows, but unfortunately need to install it because it’s necessary for the iPhone or iPod Touch? It really sucks since there is no choice when you install iTunes to stop it from installing all of its other “required” garbage: Apple Software Update, QuickTime, iTunesHelper, random bundled languages, MobileMe, Bonjour? Au revoir! Thankfully, there is a way around this mess! We gotta take the power back!
Keep reading and we’ll show you how!
There are two ways about this. Quick and easy, or manual.
Quick and Easy
iTunes switchless installer is maintained by auja who keeps an up to date repository of “switchless” apps which have already been altered and is ready for you to download and install. Just get it off his site auja Online.
Be forewarned that DeadBandit is not affiliated with auja. The method he/she uses to create the switchless install is unknown, but most likely identical or very similar to the method outlined further in this article. We don’t know if he is reputable, but he is providing a great tool to the community. Please exercise skepticism and caution before running this altered software. This is why DeadBandit advocates doing it for yourself, manually as you are then able to verify sources and tools to trust. It is also good to note that if he ever stops maintaining his site or for any reason should his site be made unavailable, there is a method for those who need it.
Manual
Prerequisites:
Method for creating Switchless Installer:
Method for Installation:
Conclusion
This concludes the How-To. It seems really complicated and time consuming, but doing the install this way is really worth it in the end if you value minimalism on your systems. Unfortunately you will need to repeat the process each time you wish to update to the newest version. We really hope this article was helpful to those who just can’t stand the bloat but have to install iTunes to get some functionality from their iPhone. Please feel free to comment!
Notes
SetupAdmin.exe – This is the GUI installer portion which you see when you run iTunesSetup.exe.
AppleApplicationSupport.msi – The drag and drop feature to organize your apps within the iTunes interface (as opposed to on the device) for iPhone and iPod Touch.
AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi – email and contact syncing functionality with iPhone and iPod Touch devices.
AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi – Obnoxious updater program which constantly tries to update all the components of Apple. It will try to install other Apple related programs as well.
Bonjour64.msi – The file sharing service used to share your iTunes library across the network and AppleTV.
iTunes64.msi – The actual file which installs everything else including iTunes.
MobileMe64.msi – Apple’s email and contact cloud syncing subscription service.
Quicktime.msi – To playback all the digital media on your PC. This is normally a required install since iTunes is powered by Quicktime.
Related posts: