"Do not disconnect" message and computer won't recognize iPod

Hi,
This morning I made the simple error of unplugging my iPod without safely ejecting it first--a moment's inattention and now I'm stuck.
I plugged it back in and tried to safely remove it as usual. The "remove this peripheral" window appeared but froze, with the hourglass hanging there.
I looked in the iPod User's Guide and it suggested rebooting the machine, so I did. The situation didn't change: the iPod said "Do not disconnect," it was not showing in the Windows Explorer or in iTunes, and the "safely remove" procedure froze.
I looked up online iPod help, following the link in iTunes, and tried "resetting"--didn't work. The "do not disconnect" message didn't budge.
I tried again with different USB ports--no luck.
I restarted my computer again. The iPod appeared in the Windows Explorer but not in iTunes. I tried to eject it safely through the system tray icon and was told "Windows does not recognize this peripheral. Try again. If Windows still does not recognize the peripheral, replace it." I tried to eject it via Windows Explorer and got another error message basically saying "I can't do anything with this drive."
The other two steps in the "five Rs" are "Reinstall iPod and iTune software" and "Restore your iPod." Both of these are impossible if the computer can't communicate with the iPod.
So my computer can't communicate with my iPod, and my iPod thinks it's still connected to the computer, so I can't use it. All because I made one thoughtless error and unplugged the iPod incorrectly. The iPod wasn't even in the process of updating or anything, it was just sitting there. Surely I'm not the only person this has happened to?? What on earth can I do?
Meanwhile it's really inconvenient since I'm leaving on vacation in a couple of hours and I had been planning on using the iPod-digital camera connector to store my photos on the iPod while traveling in Burma where I will have no access to computers.

Try resetting the iPod by holding the menu and center buttons for 6 to 10 seconds.
If that doesn't work, put it in disk mode http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93651 and then connect it to the PC and restore it with the latest ipod updater (Version 06-28-2006) You can download the latest here http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

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Ipod shows folder with exclamation point and computer won't recognize

My ipod resets itself each time that I try to turn it on, and then flashes the folder with the exclamation point. I have tried to restore it and update software but the computer won't recognize it. A few days before it broke the ipod would skip through some songs that it was unable to play for some reason, and now it makes a clicking sound when trying to start up. Did it die, or is there a way to fix this?

Hello,
If a sad iPod icon or an exclamation point and folder icon appears on your iPod’s screen, or with sounds of clicking or HD whirring, it is usually the sign of a hard drive problem and you have the power to do something about it now. Your silver bullet of resolving your iPod issue – is to restore your iPod to factory settings.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60983
If you're having trouble, try these steps at different levels one at a time until the issue is resolved. These steps will often whip your iPod back into shape.
Make sure you do all the following “TRYs”
A. Try to wait 30 minutes while iPod is charging.
B. Try another FireWire or USB through Dock Connector cable.
C. Try another FireWire or USB port on your computer .
D. Try to disconnect all devices from your computer's FireWire and USB ports.
E. Try to download and install the latest version of iPod software and iTunes
http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
F. Try these five steps (known as the five Rs) and it would conquer most iPod issues.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/
G. Try to put the iPod into Disk Mode if it fails to appear on the desktop
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93651
If none of these steps address the issue, you may need to go to Intermediate level listed below in logical order. Check from the top of the lists to see if that is what keeping iPod from appearing on your computer in order for doing the Restore.
Intermediate Level
A. Try to connect your iPod with another computer with the iPod updater pre-installed.
B. Still can’t see your iPod, put it in Disk Mode and connect with a computer, instead of doing a Restore on iPod Updater. Go and format the iPod instead.
For Mac computer
1. Open the disk utility, hope your iPod appears there (left hand side), highlight it
2. Go to Tab “Partition”, click either “Delete” or “Partition”, if fails, skip this step and go to 3
3. Go to Tab “Erase” , choose Volume Format as “MAC OS Extended (Journaled), and click Erase, again if fails, skip it and go to 4
4. Same as step 3, but open the “Security Options....” and choose “Zero Out Data” before click Erase. It will take 1 to 2 hours to complete.
5. Eject your iPod and do a Reset
6. Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
For Window computer
Go to folder “My Computer”
Hope you can see your iPod there and right click on the iPod
Choose “Format”. Ensure the settings are at “Default” and that “Quick Format” is not checked
Now select “Format”
Eject your iPod and do a Reset
Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
In case you do not manage to do a “Format” on a window computer, try to use some 3rd party disk utility software, e.g.“Partition Magic”.
C. Windows users having trouble with their iPods should locate a Mac user. In many cases when an iPod won't show up on a PC that it will show up on the Mac. Then it can be restored. When the PC user returns to his computer the iPod will be recognized by the PC, reformatted for the PC, and usable again. By the way, it works in reverse too. A Mac user often can get his iPod back by connecting it to a PC and restoring it.
Tips
a. It does not matter whether the format is completed or not, the key is to erase (or partly) the corrupted firmware files on the Hard Drive of the iPod. After that, when the iPod re-connected with a computer, it will be recognized as an fresh external hard drive, it will show up on the iPod updater.
b. It is not a difficult issue for a Mac user to find a window base computer, for a PC user, if they can’t find any Mac user, they can go to a nearest Apple Shop for a favor.
c. You may need to switch around the PC and Mac, try to do several attempts between “Format” and “Restore”
Advance Level
A. Diagnostic mode solution
If you have tried trouble shooting your iPod to no avail after all the steps above, chances are your iPod has a hardware problem. The iPod's built-in Diagnostic Mode is a quick and easy way to determine if you have a "bad" iPod.
You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Diagnostic Mode. Check that your hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack. Toggle it on and off to be safe.
Press and hold the following combination of buttons simultaneously for approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.
iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and "Play/Pause"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"
The Apple logo will appear and you should feel the hard drive spinning up. Press and hold the following sequence of buttons:
iPod 1G to 3G: "REW", "FFW" and "Select"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Back" and "Select"
You will hear an audible chirp sound (3G models and higher) and the Apple logo should appear backwards. You are now in Diagnostic Mode. Navigate the list of tests using "REW" and "FFW". The scroll wheel will not function while in diagnostic mode. For further details on Diagnostic mode can be found at http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/ipodsupport/diagnosticmode/
Try to do the 5in1, HDD R/W and HDD scan tests. Some successful cases have been reported after the running the few tests under the Diagnostic mode. In case it does not work in your case, and the scan tests reports show some errors then it proves your iPod has a hardware problem and it needs a repairing service.
B. Format your iPod with a start disk
I have not tried this solution myself, I heard that there were few successful cases that the users managed to get their iPod (you must put your iPod in disk mode before connecting with a computer) mounted by the computer, which was booted by a system startup disk. For Mac, you can use the Disk Utility (on the Tiger OS system disk), for PC user, you can use the window OS system disk. Try to find a way to reformat your iPod, again it does not matter which format (FAT32, NTFS or HFS+) you choose, the key is to erase the corrupted system files on the iPod. Then eject your iPod and do a Reset to switch out from Disk Mode. Reboot your computer at the normal way, connect your iPod back with it, open the iPod updater, and hopefully your iPod will appear there for the Restore.
If none of these steps address the issue, your iPod may need to be repaired.
Consider setting up a mail-in repair for your iPod http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod/
Or visit your local Apple Retail Store http://www.apple.com/retail/
In case your iPod is no longer covered by the warranty and you want to find a second repairing company, you can try iPodResQ at your own risk
http://www.ipodresq.com/index.php
Just in case that you are at the following situation
Your iPod warranty is expired
You don’t want to pay any service charges
You are prepared to buy a new one
You can’t accept the re-sell value of your broken iPod
Rather than leave your iPod as paper-weight or throw it away.
You can try the following, but again, only do it as your last resort and at your own risk.
Warning ! – It may or may not manage to solve your problem, and with a risk that you may further damage your iPod, which end up as an expensive paper weight or you need to pay more higher repairing cost. Therefore, please re-consider again whether you want to try the next level
Last Resort Level
1. . Disconnecting the Hard Drive and battery inside the iPod – Warning !! Your iPod warranty will be waived once you open the iPod.
In Hong Kong there are some electronic shops offering an iPod service for Sad iPod, the first thing they do is to open up the iPod’s case and disconnecting the battery and the Hard Drive from the main board of the iPod. Wait for 5-10 minutes and reconnecting them back. The reason behind which I can think of is to do a fully reset of a processor of the iPod. In case you want do it itself and you believe that you are good on fixing the electronics devices and have experience to deal with small bits of electronic parts, then you can read the following of how to open the iPod case for battery replacement (with pictures)
http://www.kokopellimusic.us/KM_instructions.htm
Have I tried this myself? No, I am afraid to do it myself as I am squeamish about tinkering inside electronic devices, I have few experiences that either I broke the parts (which are normally tiny or fragile) or failed to put the parts back to the main case. Therefore, I agree with suggestion to have it fixed by a Pro.
2. Do a search on Google and some topics on this discussion forum about “Sad iPod”
Strange error on iPod (probably death)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=435160&start=0&tstart=0
Sad Face on iPod for no apparent reason
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=336342&start=0&tstart=0
Meeting the Sad iPod icon
http://askpang.typepad.com/relevanthistory/2004/11/meeting_thesad.html#comment-10519524
Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2236095#2236095
iPod Photo: unhappy icon + warranty question
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2233746#2233746
4th Gen iPod Users - are we all having the same problem?
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2235623#2235623
Low Battery, and clicking sounds
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2237714#2237714
Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2242018#2242018
I am not suggesting that you should follow as well, but just read them as your reference. You are the person to make the call.

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"One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and windows does not recognize it."
Now the iPod has locked up, won't change screens or makes any sounds. I've gone through the help guide, but toggling the hold button doesn't help either.

I had the same problem with mine! I took it out of the box and it was working just fine, but as soon as I plugged it into the computer, the screen froze and the computer reported the exact same error message. I've tried resetting it, but none of the buttons work now, and I even tried restoring it, but the computer doesn't even recognize that it's an ipod nano. I'm starting to wonder if I need to just replace it.

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Last week, my computer randomly said it did not recognize my ipod. I continued to use it and figured I'd worry about updating it another time. Then today, I was using my nano and it stopped and flashed the folder with the exclamation point icon and below the icon directed my to Apple's support website. I've tried most of the things I've seen in the forums, and I really have no clue what to do. Everytime I try to turn it on, the icon comes up and everytime I try to connect to iTunes my computer won't recognize it.

rfletche,
Just confirming... have you seen these articles?
iPod displays a folder icon with an exclamation point
iPod displays a sad iPod icon
Also, see this post by Mitch 751, a user on these Discussions, which details some things to try with an exclamation point and folder symbol on an iPod:
Mitch: Exclamation point and folder and nothing else
-Kylene

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If iTunes launch, close it back.
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Error 1604
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Connect the device to iTunes, confirm that the device is in Recovery Mode. If it's not in Recovery Mode, put it into Recovery Mode.
Restore and wait for the error.
When prompted, click OK.
Close and reopen iTunes while the device remains connected.
The device should now be recognized in Recovery Mode again.
Try to restore again.
If the steps above do not resolve the issue, try restoring using a known-good USB cable, computer, and network connection.
Error 1600, 1601, 1602
Follow the steps listed above for Error 1604. This error may also be resolved by disabling, deactivating, or uninstalling third-party security, antivirus, and firewall software. See steps in this article for details on troubleshooting security software.

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"Do not disconnect" message and computer won't recognize iPod

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