How to Fix a Corrupt iTunes File

Usually, you can use an Apple iPod Touch and iTunes on a Windows operating system and not run into any problems whatsoever. But, there may be a time when you try to open iTunes and it says, “iTunes.exe is a corrupt and unreadable file.” And while this may send you into panic, don’t! It’s quite easy to fix a corrupt iTunes file, even if it can be a bit time-consuming. Here’s what you do.

First, you’ll need to download and install the latest version of iTunes. Then you’ll need to open the new version and connect your iPod to your computer. When your iPod appears in the left-hand side of iTunes, click on it and you’ll see a summary of your device on the right-hand side. It’s here that you’ll see “Restore.” After clicking on this option, you’ll see three different options: Use Same Version, Use Newest Version, and “Restore and Update.” Here you can choose whichever option you want. Once you’ve done that, click “Restore.”

This is where the time-consuming part comes into play. You’ll need to be very patient and leave your computer hooked up to your iPod during the entire time that your iPod is being restored. You should see a progress bar that will let you know how far along you are, and in the second half an Apple logo will also appear. This will let you know that the restore is almost complete.

Once the restore is done, you will then need to rename your iPod Touch and choose your syncing options. You can do this through the iTunes Setup screen. However, once you’ve renamed your iPod Touch, it will be completely empty due to the restore process. But as soon as you sync your iPod Touch again, it will put all of your music back on your device.

Fixing a corrupt iTunes file does require a little bit of time and legwork. Fortunately, even with that though, it’s still very simple to do and certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t use your iTunes or your iPod Touch anymore!