iPod Problems

My 30gb iPod, purchased in May of 2006, has worked fine with my Windows XP (Home Edition) desktop computer until a couple of weeks ago. Now, when I plug it in to the USB port, iTunes will not recognize that it is connected but it appears in My Computer as a removable drive and in Device Manager as "Apple iPod." When connected, the iPod displays "Do Not Disconnect" and a window pops up occasionally in Windows displaying "Autoplay" with a flashlight waving back and forth. The computer also becomes painfully slow and I eventually have to shut down the computer, even after disconnecting the iPod. Having just bought a new Toshiba Satellite Tablet PC, I installed iTunes and the iPod software on this computer and have the exact same problem. Since this computer is brand new, it has not accumulated stray programs, adware, etc. I have all virus and firewall programs disabled which makes no difference. My daughter's Nano will work on both computers with no problems.

I have visited the iPod support website and forums and have found many others expereincing this same problem but have found no solutions that work. The last resort is to do a "restore" on the iPod, as recommended by the iPod website, but in so doing I will lose all songs on the iPod and will be unable to load them back from iTunes if it doesn't work, rendering the iPod useless. The iPod functions normally when not connected to the computer.

Is it possible one of the recent Windows security patches or updates could be causing this conflict? Just thought I'd thow this out there on this forum to see if anyone as suggestions.

 

I have the same problem with my ipod on my windows XP laptop (toshiba as well, not sure if that could be the problem). I gave up trying to fix it and just use it with my Mac now. Most of the people I spoke with say it is either a problem with a windows update security patch or the most recent itunes for windows version.

One person I know fixed it by adding a new user account to XP, loaded itunes for that user, and downloaded all their music off the ipod, reset it, put the music back, then went to the other account and all was fine. I don't know exactly all the details, but aparently that worked.

 

I use Anapod Explorer on my computer. While I'm not sure, I think the trial version will let you pull all the songs off the Ipod.

If not, can anyone you know get the songs off so that you loose nothing?