Howdy,
Running iTunes 4.8 (v31) in 10.3.9 and absolutely no iPod, Music Store,
or other automatic online processes mediated via iTunes have been
chosen, ever.
I don't connect any device via iTunes and I don't own an iPod, but use
iTunes as my radio and alarm - along with a gazillion other things.
The other day I needed the iTunes help files and was offered the usual
immediate online connection to the apple servers as soon as I chose the
"iTunes and Music Store Help" menu item.
I'd usually deny the connection, using LittleSnitch, but this time I
thought I'd see what was on offer using the full apple kb.
I don't know if it was worth it.
Today I had symptoms of a labouring process running in the background -
extra cpu work noise and those very noticeable little hesitations that
you get - and using Activity Monitor I found a process owned by root
and called " update" was using the processor spasmodically.
Not being a geek with unix knowledge, I went to the software update
menu item and found that apple wanted to present me with an "iPod
Update".
I put the update in the "ignore" folder, where I had placed it many
months ago, and went back to looking for the process cause.
Voila, the process had stopped. "Update" was sitting there nice and
quietly again.
I emphasise that my iTunes recognises that I don't have an iPod
connected and that I set the Software Update tool to "ignore" iPod
updates back in early 2005.
Does anyone on the list have experience with running iTunes and **not**
doing any online stuff with the ITMS and iPods?
Can anyone advise me what the iTunes Helper application does?
Where to look for the setting that will prevent this process starting
again unbidden?
I would really like to continue to allow iTunes access to the net when
needed. Making a rule to deny connection at all times will make it
clunky for radio streaming and I don't think I should have to be this
wary of such a versatile application.
Nancy M
