Get Apple Mobile Device support on WHS 2008

One reason I embraced the whole idea of Windows Homer Server 2008 was because I really wanted to consolidate all my data.  That was not simply to have it all in one place but also a central hub to sync all my devices from.  The gadget at the top of that list, of course, was my iPod Touch.

Unfortunately, after I got WHS running I installed iTunes during which I got the following message:

If you click OK on the message the installation continues and iTunes does in fact install and work.  However, you won’t be able to sync your iPod or iPhone (presumably for the latter that is…I don’t have one to test).  Well, being the persistent geek that I am I scoured the Internet for a solution…and found one!

CoolCatGee over at one of the Apple forums provided a fix for this problem:

“…i followed this guide and I extracted the msi’s from iTunesSetup.exe and used Orca to edit AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi and removed the middle row from LaunchCondition which is the version check. Then i went into orca settings and Database and enabled copy embedded streams during save as and i saved as the old file and
overwrote. Exited orca, ran iTunes.msi and everything worked”

Sounds simple enough, right?  Okay, it is…but geeks can be a lazy lot and as such somebody asked CoolCatGee for a simpler solution.  His response:

“anyone too lazy to fix the file yourself and trusts my file can download this and replace the AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi with this one i used WinRar ShellExtensions to extract iTunesSetup.exe incase you guys dont know how to extract the exe”

Nice…I especially appreciate the snide tone in that response.

Now, in the interest of testing this and getting the solution out to all you Gaabers as quickly as possible I simply downloaded the MSI file CoolCatGee provided instead of following the aforementioned guide.  Fine, I would have used the installer file anyway…I have a articles to write after all.  Anyway, the install completed without complication and I was able to sync my iPod Touch successfully with Windows Homer Server 2008.  Brilliant!