Playing iTunes = Death

Dear Internet:

The entire system freezes, screen goes black, keyboard is unresponsive. A four-times-larger than normal cursor appears on black screen, or sometimes it's a four-times-larger-than normal "processing" donut. Bluetooth devices and printers stay connected, but are non responsive. I don't know if any other software continues to run in background, but I know Outlook does not sync once the machine enters this state. Have to force power off and back on. (I don't know if that's "officially" a BSOD, since that cursor appears on screen.)

Happens when iTunes is playing MP3's and M4As. Does not happen when iTunes is idle. Does not happen when Media Monkey or Win Media Player are playing the same files.

Happens with iTunes installed via Windows Store and also via Apple's website. Running iTunes Version 12.12.9.4 and Windows Insider Preview 23H2 22631.2191. Surface Pro 8. All updates are updated.

I don't use iTunes everyday, but I first noticed this on or about August 8. It happens every time I play files in iTunes, about 30 minutes after they start playing (not exactly certain, don't know if it's consistent).

I'm *guessing* it's a conflict with Windows... Don't think iTunes has been updated.

V2 file is too large, so here's a link.

Thanks,



eta: I did put this in Windows Feedback as a bug.

The logs reported:

WHEA hardware errors
A manual crash
BSOD
Live Kernel Events



1) Increase the drive free space so that there is > 30 GB free space



2) Run:

a) https://www.tenforums.com/attachmen...-files-use-bsod-debugging-tuneup_plus_log.zip
or


b) https://www.tenforums.com/attachmen...od-debugging-gather_additional_dump_files.bat



3) Create a new retore point:




4) Read this link on Window Driver Verifier (WDV):



Learn the methods to recover from using the tool by booting into safe mode and running one or more of these commands:

verifier /reset

verifier /bootmode resetonbootfail


Make sure that these are completed before starting WDV:

tuneup plus results
new restore point


Start WDV with these settings:

a) test all non-Microoft drivers
b) test no Microoft drivers
c) start the testing with the 3 customized tests in the Ten Forums WDV link



If there is no immediate BSOD open administrative command prompt and copy and paste:

verifier /querysettings

Post a share link into the newest post using one drive, drop box, or google drive.


For any BSOD post a new V2 share link into the newest post using one drive, drop box, or google drive.


Plan to run WDV with various customized tests for 48 hrs or 24 hrs after the last BSOD.

If you're going to run Driver Verifier - which I would not recommend at the moment - then please follow this guide: BSOD - Driver Verifier Instructions

Please ensure that you read about how to disable Driver Verifier outside of Windows as well. The guide is based on recommendations from Microsoft and the cumulative knowledge and experience of several analysts.

Addendum: The guide has also been updated to consider changes made to Driver Verifier with the introduction of Windows 11.

Please follow the instructions as per post #2.

Thanks all. Hadn't realized I had quite so much junk on the HD - been moving/copying photo albums (I hate that Surface got rid of its micro-SD slot!). So I will try that easy fix first before working the rest of the steps.

More to come!

I recommend dumping iTunes and use CopyTrans Manager instead. It's much less invasive.

I also recommend foobar2000 as a player.

I've tried foobar and didn't dig it. I use iTunes to listen to music (duh) and manage playlists on iPods. Not iPhones or iPads, iPods. Looks like CTM only does photos.

(Curious - how is iTunes "invasive"?)

Alonzo Mosley said:

So I will try that easy fix first before working the rest of the steps.

Click to expand...

That recommendation was only to enable your system to have enough disk space to actually write dump files. If you continue to have any more crashes, then please upload the dump files by using the posting instructions.

When available update the progress with the steps in post #2.

Still offloading files. What's the controversy with WDV?

Alonzo Mosley said:

What's the controversy with WDV?

Click to expand...

There isn't one if you know how to use it properly, however, no one has actually seen your dump files yet so I personally don't see the justification of running it. The main issue though with Driver Verifier is the possibility of getting stuck in a boot loop.

x BlueRobot said:

There isn't one if you know how to use it properly, however, no one has actually seen your dump files yet so I personally don't see the justification of running it. The main issue though with Driver Verifier is the possibility of getting stuck in a boot loop.

Click to expand...

Yeah, reading these tutorials on it seems particularly gnarly.

I'm in that spot on the bell curve where I know a bit more / am more confident than everyone I know about these things... But when I sit with guys that run that kind of stuff, I'm wayyyyyyy on the far left of the curve..

It sounds like @x BlueRobot recommends running steps 1-3 in Post 2, and posting the results from Tuneup Plus first, before attempting WDV. Is that correct?

The steps in post #2 will enable troubleshooting the BSOD.

Please perform the steps in sequence.


WDV is an effective and efficient method to find misbehaving drivers.

The tool is especially useful in this thread.

Alonzo Mosley said:

It sounds like @x BlueRobot recommends running steps 1-3 in Post 2, and posting the results from Tuneup Plus first, before attempting WDV. Is that correct?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I would rather wait for additional information and some dump files once new crashes have occurred, in order to make more of an informed decision.

zbook said:

The tool is especially useful in this thread.

Click to expand...

In what way? We haven't actually analysed any dump files yet, it might not even be required or even be useful, since Driver Verifier is only designed to test for certain problems. It isn't a catch-all super debugging tool like you make it out to be.

x BlueRobot said:

We haven't actually analysed any dump files yet, it might not even be required or even be useful, since Driver Verifier is only designed to test for certain problems.

Click to expand...

See the V2 log files.

zbook said:

See the V2 log files.

Click to expand...

I did but there isn't any dump files which are justifiably the most important file which we need to see when debugging potential BSOD issues.

Mom, Dad, stop arguing! Gawd!

Here's the TuneUp report and the LiveKernel reports.

I won't be able to have my machine on for more than a few hours at a time for the next few weeks. So as far as WDV... Wait until I can leave it up and running?

Since I can pretty much trigger the crash by playing iTunes for ~30 minutes, I might not need the full 24-48 hours to let WDV cook?

First scannow:




Second scannow:




Please make a new restore point.

WDV can be started with the 3 customized test settings in the Ten Forums tutorial.
(test all non-Microsoft drivers)
(test no Microsoft drivers)

If there is no immediate BSOD then open administrative command prompt and copy and paste:

verifier /querysettings

Post a share link into this thread using one drive, drop box, or google drive.

For any BSOD post a new V2 share link into the newest post.

Alonzo Mosley said:

I won't be able to have my machine on for more than a few hours at a time for the next few weeks. So as far as WDV... Wait until I can leave it up and running?

Since I can pretty much trigger the crash by playing iTunes for ~30 minutes, I might not need the full 24-48 hours to let WDV cook?

Click to expand...

WDV can be used for very brief periods.

When possible start the tool with the 3 customized test settings.

If there are no BSOD the test settings will be modified.



The V2 log collector had reported 15 BSOD with no dump file created.