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Welcome to Techsurvivors => Tech => Topic started by: kcourt on March 17, 2010, 10:24:54 AM

Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 17, 2010, 10:24:54 AM: I have a new problem. Three days ago, iTunes started to open up unexpectedly and start playing the first song in the songlist. I would close it down, and in a few minutes, it would open again. This has keep doing it ever since. Finally, in desperation, I changed it to open up in the Apple store so it would not play.

I have gone to prefs and cannot find anything to check - anyone have a clue what to do?

for your help in advance.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 17, 2010, 10:34:32 AM: Perhaps you have some app that has been set to play a song instead of some System Sound?

Calendar/timer alert sound?

What other apps are you using when this happens?
Anything consistent about your activities (at the computer, anyway) when this happens? Are you crossing your legs differently? Is you mouth open? Are your elbows resting on the desk?!

Perhaps iTunes is just lonely. Have you used the app much, lately?
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 17, 2010, 12:31:05 PM: Not that it helps a whole lot, but you're not alone:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?m...9&#10765009
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?m...7&#10768207

Kathy - do you have external speakers attached to your Mac? After trying just about everything short of a clean install, the original poster on this thread finally figured out that it was his speakers causing the problem (page 5 on the 6 pages!):

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?t...0&tstart=45
Title: iTunes
Post by: gunug on March 17, 2010, 01:06:53 PM: My old 7nn MHz G4 did this until I upgraded versions of iTunes on it and then it stopped doing it. The substitute behavior was to no longer automatically play music when I click on it from the desktop or a folder. I think I fixed that by poking about in the preferences area for iTunes. Good luck! My greatest fear is my iTunes library will come to a crashing halt someday and I won't be properly backed up. This is why I'm trying to see whether the iTuneFS thing will work (see the thing I posted about MACFuse)!
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 17, 2010, 01:42:16 PM: John, are you not doing regular backups with SuperDuper/CCC or Time Machine? If you are, I wouldn't worry - I don't see anything in MacFuse that would remove the need for complete backups.

Kathy - which version of iTunes are you using? I assumed 9.0x - if it's not, then let us know.
Title: iTunes
Post by: kbeartx on March 17, 2010, 06:18:11 PM: QUOTE(Paddy @ Mar 17 2010, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
which version of iTunes are you using? I assumed 9.0x - if it's not, then let us know.

FWIW, after reading various and sundry complaints at the Apple iTunes support forums, I have made it a point to refrain from upgrading for quite a while now.

I'm using version 8.01, and I will continue to do so until/unless it stops working smoothly.

Kb
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 17, 2010, 07:17:26 PM: Apparently your opinion of iTunes 9 is widely shared, Kenny.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10371925-263.html
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?t...26&tstart=0

However, I'm not sure that this is Kathy's issue, as I've yet to see anyone suggest that iTunes 9 is the cause of this particular problem.
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 17, 2010, 09:26:07 PM: I have external speakers, but have had them for years (JBL Creatures). I see this problem happening in many different situations - sometimes I am on the internet, sometimes I am using a word processor, while other times I am doing spreadsheets, and sometimes playing solitaire.

I have used iTunes since it first came out and this is the first time I have had a problem.

I am using iTunes 9 -

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 17, 2010, 10:10:34 PM: What was the last date you installed anything?

Or added a song to iTunes?
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 17, 2010, 11:05:37 PM: I haven't downloaded a song for several weeks and haven't installed anything since downloading iTunes9 whenever it came up on Software Update.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 18, 2010, 01:00:58 AM: Kathy, try disconnecting the speakers - it's an easy thing to try. Ya never know. I think the poster in the very long thread I linked to had also had his speakers for a long time without trouble.
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 18, 2010, 10:30:36 AM: I have done that now. Can I reconnect or will that make iTunes open up again?
A very frustrating problem - I love my speakers, and without them, the voices and music are very dull.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 18, 2010, 12:47:06 PM: See if the iTunes problem reappears with the speakers disconnected. How often does it do it on average? If you think you've given it sufficient time and iTunes has not opened on its own, then try reconnecting and see what happens.

If it is the speakers, then there may be something wrong with them perhaps? I don't know. I don't think anyone has gone any further than identifying speakers as the culprit and then, I presume finding new ones?

I have my Mac attached to a mini-stereo system (audio out to the auxiliary input, using an adapter cable) which works very well.
Title: iTunes
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 18, 2010, 01:28:03 PM: It could even be a slightly corroded jack or plug. Intermittently sending/lowering power/impedance/aura on the line out. The Mac's circuits interpreting that as a CD insertion and so iTunes pops open and starts playing the first thing it finds. Strange, I know, but you must remember, your computer does have a brain of its own! Jury's still out if that constitutes a "mind." Just unplugging/replugging a few times is usually enough to 'clean' off any junque. If this problem persists, you might consider cleaning the prefs for what happens when an audio CD in mounted.
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 18, 2010, 05:34:11 PM: I think unplugging and replugging the external speakers has worked. I did it late this morning and have now been using my computer for about 2 hours - so far, no iTunes popping up.

everyone - again you solved an "unsolvable" problem for me.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Paddy on March 18, 2010, 06:38:51 PM: So Jim's theory re: corrosion may be correct! Either that or one of the plugs was a little loose or something.

We'll keep our fingers crossed!
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 18, 2010, 10:10:14 PM: Everything is still OK - problem solved. I LOVE TS.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 18, 2010, 10:12:31 PM: How many times have I unplugged/replugged something into our audio board at church and failed to make the final, complete connection? Although, I'm getting pretty quick at recognizing the reason for no sound...

BTW, kathy, do you have a cat?
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 19, 2010, 05:10:02 PM: QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Mar 18 2010, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
BTW, kathy, do you have a cat?

No - I don't like cats. Dogs are my pets of choice. Currently, I have no animals, but I often "dog sit" for my daughter's schnoodle, Clarice.

Kathy
Title: iTunes
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 19, 2010, 06:04:44 PM: hmmnnn...I believe dogs also like to "play" with cables... Or, maybe your "guests" just like your music and figured out had to play it?

BTW, I used to very much dislike cats, also. Until I found out how easy they are to have around (notice I didn't say "own"). Give them a box, a little food and water and they do all the rest themselves! No taking out for "constitutionals," no carrying around little packages of "gifts" that dogs leave for your neighbors, etc. Cats don't even ever need to go outside for anything! They even live a little longer by not cleaning those abundant chemicals out there! That's right, they even give themselves a bath! And, I've yet to hear ours wake anyone up by barking! OTOH, she does wake me up, if she thinks I'm not getting up soon enough...
Title: iTunes
Post by: kcourt on March 19, 2010, 09:56:53 PM: A lot of my friends are cat owners - I just think dogs know how to love a lot better, and they are more loyal than cats.

As for Clarice, she never goes into my computer room.

Kathy