With a larger footprint in the mobile device arena occupied by Apple, and updates needed for new iOS-based devices, we have fielded many calls and resolved many issues over the last few weeks. This includes issues encountered by PC users with iPads, iPhones and iPods used with their Windows-based machines. One of the most common issues that has arisen since the launch of iOS 5 and iTunes 10.5 has been connectivity issues on Windows machines. The problem most commonly seen is the failure of Apple Mobile Device Service to launch. This alert pops up when one properly connects an iOS device to a machine running any version of Windows. The steps to resolve the problem can be simple and straight forward; it may also require removing iTunes form your Windows machine, then downloading and reinstalling iTunes.
If your are using a PC and have an issue regarding AMDS (Apple Mobile Device Service), the first step is to restart the service. In Windows XP, click on Start and in the menu provided click on Control Panel. In Control Panel select Administrative Tools and then select Services. In the next window that appears, first verify that AMDS is in the list. As the list is sorted alphabetically by default, it should be one of the first services listed. Click on Apple Mobile Device and to the left click on Restart the Service. After restarting the service, simply plug in the iOS device and see if the issue has been resolved.
If those steps have not resolved the issue, then you may need to uninstall all components related to the entire iTunes system: iTunes, QuickTime, Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour and Apple Application Support. It is suggested that all components are removed and in the order listed above; to not remove all components may result in no changes in behavior on your machine.
For Windows Vista and 7, you restart the Mobile Device Service by first clicking on the Windows start button. In the search field, type ‘services.’ In the Programs section in the search results, select Services to see the list of services running. Like in XP you will have an alphabetical listing of all services running on the machine. You will have the opportunity to restart the service from this window. After restarting the service, plug in your iOS device and see if the problem has been resolved. If this does not resolve the issues with connectivity regarding your iOS device and iTunes on your Windows Vista or 7 machine, then you’ll then need to uninstall all the same components as listed above and reinstall iTunes on your machine.
In both cases, removing the applications should not lead to the loss of music and iTunes content on your machine, but you should always back up before removing or installing new software on any machine.