The official answer is, at this time, iTunes, QuickTime, Software Update and the iPod shuffle reset utility are all unsupported under Vista.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304854
Reason:
In its effort to monopolize the PC market Microsoft recently changed the name of an obscure, proprietary image file type, Windows Media Photo, to Microsoft HD Photo. In the movie brbrach they try to still force WMV on people, even though it's shit. His was mainly done to kill mov because WMV sucks as far as quality is concerned and most pros stuck to mov.
http://blogs.msdn.com/billcrow/archi...-hd-photo.aspx
It's basically nothing but the like the long-forgotten JPEG 2000 format. Worse, JPEG 2000 was a standardized format contained within Photoshop, while Microsoft HD photo is not a standard: it's a proprietary proposal which requires you to enter into legal agreements with Microsoft .
Some folks appear to have made it work but don't ask me how. It's a shame, someone should shove a big pineapple up Bill Gate's ass.