iTunes Lite Guide

[snooz]

All the crap Apple makes you install with iTunes really started to irritate me so I went about hacking it up a bit. I set out to get rid of QuickTime all together and redirect all the folders (iPod for example) into the Program Files\iTunes folder.

I will show you how to do it on your own in a few simple steps and then you guys can run with it.

1) First off grap the latest version of iTunes from Apple.

2) Extract iTunesSetup.exe (I used 7-zip) and it will give you the following folders and files:

.data

.rdata

.rsrc

.text

CERTIFICATE

Go into .rsrc | RCDATA and extract CABINET. It will give you the following files:

AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi

AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi

Bonjour.msi

iTunes.msi

MobileMe.msi

QuickTime.msi

SetupAdmin.exe

Get rid of the MSI's you don't want to install. I got rid of AppleSoftwareUpdate.msi, Bonjour.msi, MobileMe.msi, QuickTime and SetupAdmin.exe.

3) Next create a Install.cmd to automate the install, this can be used for future versions.

msiexec /i AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi /l*v %TEMP%\AppleMobileDeviceSupport.log /qb

If you want to change the folder location for Apple Mobile Device Support you can use the INSTALLDIR= switch seen below. Doing this gave me some strange behavior so I left it default.

msiexec /i QuickTime.msi INSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\iTunes\QuickTime" /l*v %TEMP%\QuickTime.log /qb

If you need QuickTime you can use the above command line. You can also use INSTALLDIR= to move the QuickTime folder inside the iTunes Program Files folder.

For those of you who hate QuickTime as much as I do this is how you get around installing it.

Download this http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KWIWSJR8

This is a package I put together that includes required registry and files for iTunes to function (They are the latest version) without installing. I do not think you need to get updated QuickTime files when a new version of iTunes comes out. I did not try to skinny up the file or registry locations I simply used trial and error to find out the required bulk locations. We could probably get rid of some stuff and get down to the bare essentials.

Copy the QuickTime folder anywhere you want. In my case it is located at D:\Apps\iPhone\QuickTime. Edit QuickTime.reg accordingly by changing D:\\Apps\\iPhone\\QuickTime to wherever you decided to put it. Move the QuickTime.reg in the same location as your MSI's.

Add the following line to your Install.cmd:

reg import QuickTime.reg

msiexec /i iTunes.msi IPODINSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\iTunes\iPod" /l*v %TEMP%\iTunes.log /qb

You can use IPODINSTALLDIR= to redirect the iPod folder into Program Files.

net stop "iPod Service"

net stop "Apple Mobile Device"

net start "iPod Service"

net start "Apple Mobile Device"

After the install I had to restart the services for my iPhone to be detected. This is to avoid rebooting.

After all this is done my Install.cmd looks like this:

msiexec /i AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi /l*v %TEMP%\AppleMobileDeviceSupport.log /qb

reg import QuickTime.reg

msiexec /i iTunes.msi IPODINSTALLDIR="C:\Program Files\iTunes\iPod" /l*v %TEMP%\iTunes.log /qb

net stop "iPod Service"

net stop "Apple Mobile Device"

net start "iPod Service"

net start "Apple Mobile Device"

When a new iTunes release comes out, extract the MSI's of your choice and all you have to do is run Install.cmd to upgrade.

I tested this on two machines and it worked perfect.

Edited September 6, 2009 by snooz

[snooz]

I went through the registry key and QuickTime folder and got it real skinny. Basically deleted each key and file one by one then opened iTunes to make sure it still worked.

Looks like we only need one registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Apple Computer, Inc.\QuickTime]

"QTSysDir"="D:\\Apps\\iPhone\\QuickTime\\QTSystem\\"

I shrunk the QuickTime folder down to 17.7 MB from 73.9 MB.

All we need is QTSystem which was inspired based off the only required reg location.

Inside QTSystem we need:

CFCharacterSetBitmaps.bitmap

CFUniCharPropertyDatabase.data

CFUnicodeData-L.mapping

QuickTime.qts

QuickTime.Resources

QuickTimeAudioSupport.qtx

QuickTimeAudioSupport.Resources

QuickTimeImage.qtx

QuickTimeImage.Resources

The folders are...

QuickTime.Resources

QuickTimeAudioSupport.Resources

QuickTimeImage.Resources

Inside are a bunch of language folders and I got rid of all of them except English.

Here is the skinny download:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YS5RVP7T

Enjoy

Edited September 6, 2009 by snooz

[snooz]

My skinny package broke pictures in iTunes Store. To get them working again copy CoreVideo.Resources folder and CoreVideo.qtx into QTSystem.

You can get them from http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KWIWSJR8

Let me know if anything else is broken.

Edited September 6, 2009 by snooz

[Guest]

I need to clean out as much of that crap off my sisters PC as possible. So you're saying all she really needs to run iTunes is installing iTunes.msi?

Her kids just have iPods.

Edited September 6, 2009 by -X-

[snooz]

I need to clean out as much of that crap off my sisters PC as possible. So you're saying all she really needs to run iTunes is installing iTunes.msi?

Her kids just have iPods.

That's right. You just need to make some quicktime files available for itunes to open but you don't have to install quicktime. I provided the files you will need.

[Guest]

OK so you need some QT components. I was a bit confused because you posted multiple links. To see if I have this right...

The 1st link is the bigger package.

The 2nd link is a trimmed down package but you need to download the 1st link to extract a few things and add them to the trimmed package.

Correct?

I went searching and read that you can just install QT Lite. The installer is only 9.5 megs. Don't know how big it is extracted.

[snooz]

OK so you need some QT components. I was a bit confused because you posted multiple links. To see if I have this right...

The 1st link is the bigger package.

The 2nd link is a trimmed down package but you need to download the 1st link to extract a few things and add them to the trimmed package.

Correct?

I went searching and read that you can just install QT Lite. The installer is only 9.5 megs. Don't know how big it is extracted.

Yep you got it. I hate QuickTime so I tried everything to avoid installing it.

[ajua]

There is no need for that.

If you ways want, you can wait for tomorrow when I will release an updated iTunes switchless installer without Quicktime and other stuff as usual.

I will updated my blog and the thread here when I'm ready.

[snooz]

There is no need for that.

If you ways want, you can wait for tomorrow when I will release an updated iTunes switchless installer without Quicktime and other stuff as usual.

I will updated my blog and the thread here when I'm ready.

You still install QuickTime, this way you don't have too.

[ajua]

You still install QuickTime, this way you don't have too.

No, QuickTime is not installed.

The only thing needed is QuickTime Alternative which provides not only functionality to iTunes.

By the way, the releases are ready. Get them on the links in my signature.

[Grope For Luna]

I hate to break it to you, but Quicktime Alternative is still Quicktime. It doesn't have the QuickTime Player (<1MB ?) or the language files but everything else is basically the same.

What's the big fuss anyway? You don't have to use quicktime if you don't want.

[ajua]

I hate to break it to you, but Quicktime Alternative is still Quicktime. It doesn't have the QuickTime Player (<1MB ?) or the language files but everything else is basically the same.

What's the big fuss anyway? You don't have to use quicktime if you don't want.

Ok, I know that but I thought that many of use use QuickTime Alternative to watch streaming videos and to play mov files locally.

I just offered and alternative with already-made installers. Its a matter of choice for everyone.

[eksasol]

I want to note about QTSystem folder which is iTunes 9 also required a file called QTCF.dll, it is located in QTSystem, yet iTunes 9 won't be able to find it unless its placed in iTunes folder itself (atleast thats how I got it to launch).

I hate to break it to you, but Quicktime Alternative is still Quicktime. It doesn't have the QuickTime Player (<1MB ?) or the language files but everything else is basically the same.

What's the big fuss anyway? You don't have to use quicktime if you don't want.

There is also QuickTimeAlternativeLite which is smaller and is what I use. Currently though, as I am writing QTAlt version 2.9.2 only has QuickTime 7.6.2, but iTunes 9 required 7.6.4. Ofcourse iTunes now require AppleApplicationSupport as well. This software is kept getting bigger and bigger. Edited September 15, 2009 by eksasol

[Z33ky]

3) Next create a Install.cmd to automate the install, this can be used for future versions.

msiexec /i AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi /l*v %TEMP%\AppleMobileDeviceSupport.log /qb

How does one create an install.cmd and then apply it to the .exe? All I want to install is iTunes and nothing else and thanks for the tutorial!

Edited November 9, 2009 by Z33ky

[Sduibek]

First of all, thank you for posting this. This is awesome

I did notice that the newest version of iTunes doesn't have a .CAB file or any of the folders you mentioned, I just see all the of .exe files. Anyway I ran the two autmoated .msi install lines you provided which worked just fine, and copied over the needed QuickTime files (I also have QT Lite installed) -- however starting iTunes.exe i'm getting an error:

[iTunes.exe - Unable To Locate Component]

This application has failed to start because WebKit.dll was not found.