Help With iTunes

Please can you help with my itunes. I am running Window 7 64 bit. Whenever I start itunes it is always now running very slow and freezing up. I cannot even connect to the itunes store, the bar goes halfway across the top and then stops, and it just says "itunes store" on a white back ground.

I have re-installed itunes more times than I care to remember. I am running itunes 10 for Windows 7/64. I have checked my Windows firewall and it does not appear to be blocking Itunes. I am running Spyware Doctor AV

Also I am trying to back up my iphone to itunes. When I right click on the Iphone in the left pane and select back up nothing happens. The bar across the top does not move. Am I right in saying that this is the correct way to back up the contents of my iphone onto my PC?

I have just tried going on the Apple support website and that is freezing up too. everything "Apple" does not seem to be working for me. All other websites and software are working fine.

Please can someone help before the iphone, ipad and PC go out of the window.

Many thanks

Alan

 

My system is very picky about how I deal with iTunes.
1) delete iTunes
2) clean the registry
3) reboot and use the task manager to be sure all the iTunes stuff is gone i.e. helper, etc.
If it is still there use the control panel and try to uninstall
If you cannot uninstall at least stop the service
4) download the latest iTunes
5) check that your music library is well organized, iTunes hates changes to names and paths
6) put your iPhone/iPod whatever in your pocket, far from your computer
7) install iTunes by starting the install and walking away, this is the worst part, iTunes is bad about telling you what it is doing. Periodically check its progress. I don't use the translate songs or copy options and iTunes is a 28 hour install.
8) set your library (32K songs over a network drive for me, hence the long install).
9) iTunes will take forever determining the silence gap. You cannot turn this off.
10) check iTunes is good playing songs, movies, whatever you use it for.
11) reboot
12) start iTunes
13) iTunes is ready to detect your iPhone/iPod, turn it on then connect the USB

If I have the iPhone connected in steps 1-12 iTunes has issues. If I try to sort my music after the install iTunes has issues.
iTunes is on a hostile platform under Windows but it can be made to work well enough.