Error 1606 When Opening iTunes

You may be able to resolve Error 1606 either manually or through Microsoft Support.

The Windows registry is a database containing the configuration settings that allow various programs to run on the Windows operating system. Sometimes, certain program downloads, including iTunes, can cause issues with the registry that blocks the program from opening. The official Microsoft Support website offers multiple fixes for registry problems indicated by an Error 1606 message displayed when opening iTunes.

Error 1606

The error dialog box that appears when a Windows 7 user tries to opens iTunes or another program displays either "Error 1606: Could Not Access Network Location," or "Error 1606 Could not access network location %APPDATA%." This error is usually caused by either a problem with one of the iTunes registry subkeys or a software problem with the iTunes automatic updater.

Microsoft Support

You can troubleshoot this error by downloading a fix through Microsoft Support. Go to the site and look of links for the Microsoft Fix It download detailing Error 1606 issues; the identification numbers for these Fix It programs are 50356 and 50461. Once downloaded, run the program and follow the wizard's prompts to fix the registry problem causing the error message.

Manual Fix

Alternatively, you can also manually edit your registry subkeys to ensure that Error 1606 will not appear while trying to open iTunes. Type "regedit" and press "Enter" into the Windows 7 command prompt to open the registry editor. From the HKEY_USERS root file, expand the directory to open the file path ".DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders." Highlight the "AppData" key to view its values in the details pane of the registry editor. If the value does not read "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming," change it by selecting "Modify." Select "OK" when finished.

Warning

Editing the registry manually can create serious operational issues on your Windows 7 computer. Microsoft Support suggests to back up your registry editor prior to making manual fixes so that a default state can be restored if a problem occurs. From the Windows 7 command prompt, enter "regedit" and press "Enter" to open the registry editor. Select the "HKEY_USERS" root file and select "Export" from the "File" menu. Select a location on your computer to save the backup to in the "Save in" box. Create a name for the backup in the "File name" box and select "Save" to complete the backup process.

References

• Microsoft Support: You Receive an "Error 1606" Error Message When You Try to Install or Remove a Microsoft Program
• Microsoft Support: You Receive Error Code: 0x80070646, Error Code: 646, or Error Code: 1606 When You Use Windows Update or Microsoft Update
• Microsoft Windows: Back Up the Registry