iTunes won’t open CAF files containing Apple Lossless even on Mac.
The reason Audacity is crashing is because the FFmpeg latest version for Audacity that you have (0.6.2) is crashing trying to import the file. That version of FFmpeg can import 16-bit Apple Lossless, but not inside a CAF container.
The reason you could import the file before is that either you had the previous FFmpeg 0.5, which doesn’t attempt to open the file, or you did not have any FFmpeg installed. In those cases, Audacity’s QuickTime importer (which can open the file) gets a chance to open it. This importer is Mac only, so this CAF file is unimportable on Windows.
Unfortunately you cannot tell Audacity to use QuickTime for the .CAF file in the Open or Import dialogues because the file support associations say Audacity cannot open the file with QuickTime (even though it can do so).
To open the file in Audacity you have two choices. Get the older “FFmpeg (2009/07/29/OSX DMG)” from http://lame1.buanzo.com.ar/ and point Audacity to that version in the Libraries Preferences.
Or keep the current FFmpeg and tell Audacity in the Extended Import Preferences to try the QuickTime importer first for CAF files. To do that, press “Add new rule” and type:
*.CAF
in the text box under “File extensions”.
Then in the “Importer order” list, drag “QuickTime files” to the top of the list.
Now, uncheck the box “Attempt to use filter in OpenFile…”. This ensures QuickTime will always be tried first, whatever you have the file filter set to when opening or importing files. Finally, click OK.
Gale