Apple Mobile Device Support
This article will be focusing on how to remove Apple Mobile Device Support that comes with the installation of iTunes on XP.
Apple Mobile Device Support is a sofware that is used to provide interface between your computer and apple devices, mainly the new iPhone. However, if you're only using the iTunes as a tool to help you transfer your music files to your iPod, then you won't need the Apple Mobile Device Support, which is a waste of hard disk when you installed something of no use on your system.
This article will be a compilation from various sources that I've come upon in my pursuit to remove the offending software from my system.
How to remove Apple Mobile Device Support
[From the iTunes website, with slight modification to suit my needs]
1. Quit iTunes or any Apple related applications.
2. Start -> Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs
3. Choose Apple Mobile Device Support from the list and click on the Remove/Unistall button.
4. Chose yes for any confirmation question regarding the removal of Apple Mobile Device Support.
5. Restart your computer
6. Delete the Mobile Device support folder in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple
Problems during the removal of Apple Mobile Device Support?
If you failed to remove the software and receive this message instead:
"Cannot delete iPodService.exe: It is being used by another person or program"
Follow these steps:
[From the iTunes website]
1. Make sure that iTunes and the iPod Updater utility are not open.
2. On your keyboard press Control-Alt-Delete. Select Start Task Manager.
3. Click on the Processes tab.
4. Locate the iPodService.exe in the list.
5. Click on iPodService.exe and choose End Process.
6. Quit the Task Manager.
7. Try to remove Apple Mobile Device Support again by using the steps described in the section above.
Clean up, or rather housekeeping
If you're obsessed like me, you can remove the remaining folders that are associated to Apple Mobile Device Support form your computer. Here's some suggestion on where to look if you plan on removing those folders (the exact location of those folders may have slight discrepancies since I've deleted mine prior writing this post and thus I can no longer obtain the original location of those folders):
1. C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple
2. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\your user name\Application Data
3. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\your user name\Local Settings\Application Data
4. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\All Users\Application Data
5. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\All Users\Local Settings\Application Data
6. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\other user names\Application Data
7. Go to C:\Documents and Setting\other user name\Local Settings\Application Data
The aim of the steps mentioned above is to find a folder named Apple Mobile Device Support (or something along the line) and delete the folder.
That should be enough to clean Apple Mobile Device Support off your computer.
Disclaimer
This article was mainly designed as my own private notes. Hence, I take no responsibilities for any damages that you might encounter after following the advice on this article.
Reference
Removing Apple Mobile Device Support
Removing iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows XP
Do I need Apple Mobile Device Service?