It seems apple is as sneaky as every other software vendor when it comes to loading supposed "updates" on your machine and not telling you.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=536I’m reading lots of complaints about the new iTunes 8 update causing horrific problems on Windows machines, including widespread reports of STOP errors, aka the Blue Screen of Death. Assuming that the underlying hardware is working correctly, STOP errors can only be caused by kernel-level drivers or system services. A poorly written program can crash itself but not the entire system. So how can a supposedly simple software update cause a fatal crash?
Maybe because this isn’t a simple software update. Once again, Apple is using its automatic update process to deliver massive amounts of new software to users, including a device driver that has a long and checkered history of causing the Blue Screen Of Death to appear. And it’s delivering this massive payload without even a pretense of proper disclosure and without asking consent from its users.
A pile of software, including the troubled MobileMe service, is also being installed and enabled at startup on Windows machines, even where the user has no MobileMe account and, for that matter, no mobile device.
So we move on after taking note that it was a member of the public who spotted Apples supposed 80Meg "upgrade" was the cause of the trouble ... Apple are quick to fix the issue....
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=543The issue is documented in support article TS2280, “iTunes 8: If Windows Vista displays a blue screen error message when connecting iPhone or iPod,” which tersely describes the symptoms:
After installing iTunes 8 for Windows, some users may see a blue screen error message when connecting iPhone or iPod to a Windows Vista computer. In some cases, the computer may immediately restart when connecting iPhone or iPod to the computer.
The recommended solution is to first uninstall Apple Mobile Device Support and iTunes, and then download and install the most recent version of iTunes. (Delete any previously downloaded versions.)
From the evidence, it’s pretty clear that Apple ditched its new driver code and simply rolled back to the older version. Here are the side-by-side properties of the two files:
So whilst its clear Apple took action rapidly to fix the problem they created, what is still of concern to many is why the full extent of the new installation wasnt made clear to folks before they allowed the install, using consumers as beta testers is fine if you inform them of such activity but this was labelled as a standard release and folks trusting in Apple where rewarded with system crashes.
Word to the wise, dont be in a rush to "upgrade" or whatever they call the next tweak.
