I have updated my ipod software for my ipod touch, and i have lost all my music.

Question

well, i decided to update the software of my ipod, becuase the box that kept notifying me to do so on itunes, became quite irritating. So i clicked update and it said that it recognises that there are some songs on my ipod tha arent on my computer and so it asked me if i want the music to be backed up on my computer and i clicked yes. So it took half an hour to back up everything that was on my ipod. An hour and a half later it then had finished updating the software, and that it was going to restore everything that was originally on my ipod, so i clicked ok. An hour later, it had finished, and so i went on and all my apps were still there, however my music wasnt. so i thought thats alright, i will just manually get the music that had been backed up onto my computer and put it onto my ipod, which i did. However, it only had the music that i had bought from itunes on that specific computer, and not what i had brought from itunes through my ipod. So i thought if i go to teh song on itunes, if i click on teh song to buy and downlaod, it would let me download it again, but however not make me have to buy again, but it made me buy it again, and so i have now lost at least $60 or $70 worth of music, inwhich i refuse to buy again.! becuase this stupid software updating!!!
and i am seriously not happy! if only the music that we buy goes straight onto our account and so that we can access the music through our account no matter what computer because my parents are split up and so i have to use three computers, (one at dads, two computers at mums) and it is really frustrating when i am trying to get a song that i bought on another computer, OR THAT I BOUGHT THROUGH MY IPOD, and listen to it. I am still the same person, same account same everything just on a different computer. i understand that if you put the music onto the account, people can access from heaps of computers and save them to that computer therefore heaps of copying "illegally' etc, but like you do now kind of, you can authorize 5 computers, just please!? it is really annoying and confusing and i am sure many people would agree with me.
i am just trying to give a suggestion and trying to get some help to get my music back and so can someone please help me!?
and i am sorry if you dont understand what i am trying to say, just i am a person who is not very good at explaining things.
yours sincerly, Annalise.

Answer 1

I charged & tried a different USB and got the same thing, but figured out that if I plug it in and then open iTunes rather than the other way around it recognises the device. Go figure! The playcount still doesn't update though But thanks for your advice anyway!