For those who want to give up on iTunes and try an alternative to manage iPods and iPhones inc. 0S 3 and 3GS, there is a freeware available here:
http://www.copytrans.net/copytransmanager.php

When you finally get through the installation minefield you get the congratulations message from Apple. This installation process has added a whole new aspect to do an installation by making it a challenge. If you complete it successfully you feel a sense of achievement and deserve to be congratulated.

David
(:<>)

Payments, income, sales analysis, inventories, bank accounts, etc.The multidivision options of this program make it easier for sales contracts and international transactions (imports and exports). The price of the original sale of each article automatically becomes the division for the client about to receive said article.
[url=http://www.mkvtomp4converter.com]MKV to MP4 Converter/url

Itunes sucks under windows, i think its their plan of converting users to mac os, they wanna get you hooked on itunes then they force you to buy a mac... i am getting my mac after this laptop becomes old tho, but i don't think that their marketing strategies are fair... but oh well...

To complex for me, it's better to use CopyTrans Manager http://www.copytrans.net/copytransmanager.php

For anyone searching for ongoing fixes, iTunes 9 and Windows Vista 64-bit still have communications problems, but as of this writing, there's no official fix. None that works, anyway.

I was able to fix the communications problem - and I'm hoping this helps other people with thinking about ways to reset when there are issues (and maybe a tip to Microsoft and Apple to pick up the phone and call each other sometime).

I don't know for all versions, but here's the system/setup I was having problems with:
iPhone 3G software version 3.1
iTunes latest two versions (current 9.0, also previous version before I tried upgrading)
Windows Vista 64-bit

I've been able to connect my phone to iTunes and download pictures in Windows, but after a recent Windows Update, OR a recent iTunes upgrade, OR a recent Norton 360 update (I didn't know which was the killer) I could no longer see the iPhone in Windows OR iTunes. Nothing could. I couldn't transfer music, couldn't transfer photos.

I did both a RESTORE on the iPhone and UPGRADED iTunes this week to version 9.0 and finally got a solid connection between iTunes and the iPhone. That is the first (current) fix.

But still couldn't "see" it in Windows Vista Explorer.

After reading and reading and reading, and finding no workable solution (I tried: shutting off User Control, shutting down the Windows and Norton Firewalls, tried uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes, and performed those steps in many configurations), I also tried resinstalling the drivers through Control Panel (but it kept finding some generic "Windows Camera Driver" or some such), looking on my computer for usbaapl.sys (not there), I started looking on the web for it (but I'm always nervous about downloading drivers unless from the specific vendor's site), I finally did a search for "usbaapl" - and FOUND a driver in c:\windows\system32\drivers\ called "usbaapl64.sys".

On a fluke, I first created a COPY of the file, and renamed the copy "usbaapl.sys" (since that file did NOT exist on my machine previously).

Voila. I can now see the phone in Windows Vista Explorer.

Someone at Apple isn't talking to someone at Microsoft, I think. Microsoft Vista x64 (with all current updates) is still looking for usbaapl.sys - iTunes is now shipping with usbaapl64.sys.

Hello,
everytime i try to install itunes i get this error message when it says Publishing Product Information. the message reads like this: An error occurred during the installation of assembly'Microsoft.VC80.CRT,publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b", type="win32',version="8.0.50727.762",processorArchitecture="x86". Please refer to Help and Support for more information. HRESULT:0x80073712. somebody HELPPPPPPPPPP