Cannot launch or remove iTunes from Mac High Sierra

Issue:

when launching iTunes, it closed immediately after clicking the icon and appeared in half a second, then error screen appeared to ask for “ignore”, “report”, etc.

Solution:

  1. Finder -> Applications -> iTunes.app
  2. right click -> Get Info
  3. Expand “Sharing & Permissions”
  4. click bottom right lock icon and input admin password
  5. select system permissions
  6. click bottom wheel icon and select “Make system the owner”
  7. install the latest iTunes pkg

Tricks:

  • Without step 6 above, no matter how uninstall, remove iTunes.app and reinstall the latest version, it will fail to restore it properly.
  • System always complains when simply removing iTunes.app by stating that iTunes is required by MacOS.
  • Even login as root in Terminal command, the directory iTunes.app cannot be removed.
  • Asking Apple support through discussions.apple.com, people only suggest reinstall the latest version of iTunes but no one suggest checking wheel icon under Sharing & Permissions of Get Info window.

Config:

  • MacOS: High Sierra 10.13.2
  • iTunes:  12.7.2.60

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