Q: I have recently purchased a new computer running Vista. Since switching over I cannot connect to iTunes. I get an error message saying “iTunes could not connect to the iTunes Store.
The nework connection is timed out.” I cannot authorize my new computer to play any of my purchased music, I cannot change my email address, or do anything else that requires iTunes to connect to the Internet. Can you offer any help?
– Christine
A: Assuming that you can access the Internet fine from other applications such as Internet Explorer, then the most likely cause of this problem is the Windows Vista firewall. By default, outbound connections are blocked for any applications that you have not specifically given permission to access the Internet.
Chances are that iTunes has not been configured as an exception in your Windows Vista firewall, and is therefore being denied Internet access.
Apple provides information on how to allow iTunes to access the Internet from Windows Vista in their knowledge base. See the article, How to enable iTunes in the Windows Vista Firewall for more information.