iTunes Music Store errors may be related to maintenance

We previously reported an issue with accessing the iTunes music store where users receive the following message:

"I cannot access or authorize my new computer with my iTunes account. The Music Store request is producing an unknown error 502. Attempts to log on and sign in produce a 'network' error."

It now appears that, in most cases, this issue was related to routine system maintenance by Apple, and show now be resolved.

MacFixIt reader Eric writes: "any people, including myself, could not make purchases or adjust our account settings at the store for a number of hours. (Generally, browsing services hosted by Akamai servers were unaffected, however.) The store was back online when I returned to it around 11pm central time, and I was able to purchase everything I'd been queueing up in my Shopping Cart all afternoon."

Marty Teitel adds:

"I had a similar problem accessing the iTunes store on 1/30 after applying the security update on 1/29, including errors 502, 505 and 555. The store loaded but I couldn't access my account or buy music.

"However, because the problem disappeared spontaneously after a few hours, I tend to think it was not due to the update, but rather the iTunes store having one of its many glitch swarms."

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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