I recently came across a problem on a Windows 7 64bit laptop where Apple’s iTunes was failing to recognise a connected iPhone. It was giving a error that the wrong version of iTunes was installed and I should install the 64bit version of iTunes. As I had no idea how what had been performed up until this point I performed a full uninstall of iTunes. I then downloaded the latest version of iTunes 10.5.1 and ran through the installer. At one point during the install I noticed the install gave the message ‘Rolling back action’ and thought to myself this cannot be good.
At the end iTunes indicated it had a problem installing and I should try again. The weird thing is if you didn’t pay attention to the message you could quite easily click on ok and iTunes will work except it’ll fail to recognise any iPod, iPhone or iPad device. To help identify what actually failed to install I checked the windows services management console and found the Apple Mobile Device Service was missing. This makes sense because it’s that service which communicates with the iPhone. The question is why was the Apple Mobile Device Service (AMDS) failing to install?
To find out I needed to capture a log file of the install process. A bit of research helped me identify that the iTunes64Setup.exe contained 5 separate windows installer files:
AppleApplicationSupport.msi
AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi
AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi
Bonjour64.msi
iTunes64.msi
I needed to extract AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi from iTunes64Setup.exe so I could generate a install log. The solution is to install WinRAR which you can download here http://rarlab.com/download.htm. After extracting AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi to c:\temp (you can use any folder you like here) I opened a command prompt and issued these commands:
cd c:\temp
msiexec -i AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi -log AMDS.log
This will attempt to install the AMDS and generate an installation log c:\temp\AMDS.log. Looking through the log I found the install failed because the format of C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_dc2cbd989eec1514\netaapl64.inf was invalid. I opened the file in question and found it to be completely blank. I coulnd’t just delete the files in question because they are protected by the Windows operating system, and anyway the correct method to remove a driver package from the driver store is to use the pnputil.exe tool. However if the driver package didn’t complete installation in the first place then it may not work, but it was always worth a try.
To use pnputil I needed to run a command prompt as an administrator. I Clicked Start, All Programs, and Accessories, then right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator. From the command prompt type I typed in pnputil.exe -e. This produced a list of installed driver packages. Looking through the list I was looking for something like this:
Published name : oem30.inf Driver package provider : Apple Class : Network adapters Driver date and version : 07/12/2011 1.8.4.2 Signer name : Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher
This is the Apple network adapter driver. The important information here is the Published name oem30.inf. To uninstall the driver use the command pnputil -d oem30.inf (replace oem30.inf with the correct published name for your PC). After this try and the install again: msiexec -i AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi -log AMDS.log. If this fails or as in my case the driver package doesn’t show in the list of installed drivers you’ll need to take more drastic (and potentially dangerous to your PC’s health!) measures.
By default the files in the driver repository are read only and can only be modified by the Windows Operating System, and this is for a good reason. I needed to change the permissions on the driver package so I could delete the corrupt files. Caution proceed at your own risk, make a mistake here and your computer may stop working and a system restore or rebuild may be required.
The first thing I needed to do was to take ownership of the folder so I could change the permissions. From windows explorer I clicked on Folder and search options under the organize button. Next I clicked the view tab and clicked on Show hidden files, folders, and drives. By unticking hide extensions for known file types and unticking Hide protected operating system files I was able to view the files I needed to remove. From the windows explorer window I browsed to browse to C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\, which was now visible and right clicked the netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_dc2cbd989eec1514 folder and selected properties. I clicked the security tab and then the Advanced button. Under Advanced I clicked the Owner tab and then clicked the Edit button. From the change owner to: box I selected my username, and then ticked Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and clicked OK to set the changes.
Next I gave myself Full Control to the folder and files. Back on the Security tab I clicked the Edit button, and with Everyone highlighted in the Groups or user names I ticked full control in the Allow column. I clicked OK and accepted the warning message Windows presents about security and access problems. At this point I could delete the contents of the netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_dc2cbd989eec1514 folder.
I tried re-installing the Apple Mobile Device Service (AMDS) using msiexec -i AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi -log AMDS.log command and I no longer got the Rolling back action error. All that I had left to do now was install iTunes again and the iPhone was now recognized when I connected it to the PC.
Hello… I would like to pass on my gratitude for helping me fax a problem that has had me stumped and 3 Apple Tech’s and one senior tech for over a week. The problem I had with my installation was the netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_dc2cbd989eec1514 was not created during the install… I found the .inf file in another directory MATS, I created the netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_dc2cbd989eec151 directory and copied the .inf file to it. Installed AMDS with no rollback… installed itunes and success… had to reboot and start the AMDS service a few times before it would work… THANK YOU THANK YOU…
Thank you very much for your article on this issue. I was finally able to install amds without any error using “msiexec -i AppleApplicationSupport.msi -log amds2.log” after deleting the folders:
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\usbaapl.inf_6a7688fb
C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\usbaapl.inf_f7496421
I will now try to install itunes (fingers crossed)
regarding iTunes for windows 7 (64) not installing properly.
I unpacked the downloaded install file and decompressed using izarc
Ran the installer from from the folder with the iPhone plugged in.
worked OK
Thank you! I spent 2 days trying everything. Your solution worked. Shame on Apple.
Thanks again!
Wow!! You are amazing. After 5 hours trying to solve this – I am so grateful to your site.
My solution was during the install of the file, to copy and paste the files created in the mobile device support folder to a temp directory.
I was then able to use the pnputil.exe -i -a function to install the two drivers missing which were the netappl.inf file and the usbaapl.inf file.
I can’t thank you enough. All of the Apple and Microsoft support solutions did not work. Once I extracted using AMDS file using Winrar the installer popped up and it installed without a hitch! I had the USB driver installed properly, but the itunes installer would not install the AMDS service.
Thanks so much!
did everything you said. STILL got rollback error
i think i know why. i uninstalled itunes a little while back when it wasn’t syncing but was showing up in my computer as a storage device. at that time apple mobile decive support wasn’t being uninstalled so i removed it manually by deleting the folder. ever since then it won’t install at all.
i think the only solution is to fix the registry problem i created or to copy and paste the directory of the apple mobile device folder or something
Hi Ilya,
I would suggest trying to clean up the registry using ccleaner: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download. Check under services to make sure that the Apple Mobile Device is stopped before attempting the clean up. Alternatively you could try doing a repair rather than uninstall of the Apple Mobile Device Support. If that works then try the uninstall.
Cheers,
Matt.
Hello,
Thank you for the solution for this Mega problem. But in my system even the AppleApplicationSupport is not downloading properly there is an error in the middle of the download stating that the win32 is not correct. I am not a gizmo freak and i would like your help please!
OH MY GOD I’VE DONE IT.
ok i found the folder i trashed from the filerepository and after allowing permissions put it back. updated the apple driver in device manager from that folder. thats the CORRECT driver
also used registry files from another source to manually install apple mobile device support service. thank you for your help though
Need to add myself to the list of thankful folks. I’m pretty computer savy, and my problem wasn’t exactly the same as this, but the main assistance you provided was how to generate the log so i figure out exactly what was going wrong. Kudos!
Thanks a lot for idea with getting log install. its help me to understand where is the problem (i’ve cant reinstall AMDS after manual cleanup registry)
the problem was in registry in HKCR – there is a class with no name string in sourcelist folder. after added, installer says that no install package in the folder (old path in temp directory).
i rename this class and try again – installation was successful
I got to the end of your instructions and still had issues with rolling back. I took a few extra steps. I extracted usbaapl64.sys, usbaapl64.cat, usbaapl64.inf and usbaplrc.dll to a folder, then plugged in an iphone. Using Device Manager, I updated to the driver using the .inf above. Then I made a back up of AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi, and using Orca, removed the MsiDriverPackage table (right click>Drop Table), saved it and ran it. The Package installled with no rollback. Then I installed the remaining packages, saving itunes64.msi for last. Everything loaded. This was for itunes 10.7, windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and and iPhone 5. Might have been a few extra steps, but it kept me for having to poke at the registry keys. Oh, and thank you for at least leading me down the path to find this solution. I had a 2 day old iPhone 5 that was usless until I got this fixed.
You are awesome man.
After installing Apple Mobile drivers using msiexec, Windows was able to install the propers drivers.
This is awesome thanks. Using your method I was able to find the cause of the issue. The installer was looking for a folder that didnt exist. I had to change permissions and manually create the folder to resolve the issue.
6 hours of googling!
Thank you very much.This problem has bothered me for a few weeks,I have tried a lot of measures to fix it, but they don’t work at all, finally,I find your advise and it works.Thanks!
by the way,English is not my mothertongue, if I have some gramma mistake, please tell me, I want to improve my English very much. ^_^
I got it working using a slight variation of your method. When I logged the installer I got (among the huge wall of text) theese two:
: No matching devices found in INF “C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_bf785db627c6d127\netaapl64.inf” on the Machine.
DIFXAPP: INFO: No drivers installed. No devices found that match driver(s) contained in ‘C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_bf785db627c6d127\netaapl64.inf’.
And I went to C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ and found that indeed no folder and no files with that name was in the folder. I then had to unlock the “hidden administrator” usen on windows 7 by typing “net user administrator /active:yes” in the command promt. I then logged out and logged in using the now active account. I then gave myself access to create folders in the C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ folder and created “netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_bf785db627c6d127”. I then extracted the AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi using the command “msiexec /a AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\temp\installer”. Inside, in the C:\temp\installer\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\NetDrivers folder was the file I needed. I copyed the file netaapl64.inf to the C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netaapl64.inf_amd64_neutral_bf785db627c6d127 folder and ran the installer. Then everything worked! I could then run the itunes installer and both iTunes and syncing my iPhone works.
Yes! Alexander’s solution worked for me, too! I had the same problem, no “netaapl” directory was present. Thanks to all, great fix!
AWSOME!!!!!! this did the trick for me!!! thank you so much!
thank you very much, your solution is worked for me. 🙂
Many thanks Alexander. I have hunted everywhere and you have given me the solution. It worked for me for iTunes 12.3 / Windows 10.
The missing folder had a different name since it presumably relates to the processor, but I was able to get the correct name from the AppleMobileDeviceSupport install log.
3 years on, why haven’t Apple fixed this?
Many thanks to the OP, Alexander & JohnS. Reading all your posts gave me an idea on how to solve the problem.
Very importantly, use the OP’s method to create the log so that you know what’s missing and preventing the installer from working. After that, create the missing folder, and then extract the missing file as suggested by Alexander from the installer and you should be good to go.
As mentioned by many people here, yes, why hasn’t Apple fixed this problem after so many years??? Regardless, this post was a lifesaver. Really grateful. Thanks all.
Thanks a lot to everyone.
For my part, i was in the same situation as the author of that post and just replaced the concerned file “netaapl64.inf” by the one found thanks to “Alexander” process and the AMDS installed successfuly !!!
Thanks dudes and Merry Christmas ^^
thank u your help!
Oh thank you! I have spent over 4.5 hours on the phone to Apple over 3 separate calls and none of the technicians have been able to help me. Will try this straight away.
Hi, I just want to express my gratitude. I’ve been haunted by this error for half a year and thanks to your post it’s solved now. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Three days for nothing, with this manual, this help, the problem was solved in three minutes 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you!