Install itunes on new laptop w/o losing old songs- cant backup songs tho!

Question

Please can anyone help?! I have to figure this out by tomorrow!! :o
Cliffsnotes: _Want itunes on new laptop. Dont want to lose songs on ipod. Can't backup songs because itunes is gone from old computer. Halp plz?_
Details: I have an ipod touch. I think my dad accidentally deleted some of the software that is required to run itunes so now it won't open, or recognize the ipod when its connected to the computer. When I click on the itunes icon (which is still on my desktop) to try to open it, I get an error message that reads:
"Apple Application Support was not found. Apple Application Support is required to run itunes. Please uninstall itunes and then install itunes again."
I would do this however I just got a new laptop and want to move all my programs including itunes onto it instead. If I try to just connect the ipod to the new laptop and download the newest version of itunes, I'm afraid it will delete my old songs already on the ipod. I know people have had this concern before but the answer is always to back up your songs first. How am I supposed to do this if the itunes is deleted/won't open on my old computer?
*Your help is so so appreciated*!!!

Answer 1

What you really want is the files, not the music really, just the system files so that when you reinstall iTunes you can replace the system files with the ones you backed up, thus saving your settings from your previous installation. As for the music, after you reinstall, you can backup your music from your iPod before you sync it to the new iTunes installation, that way it insures you not to lose all your music. I deleted half my music by accident from in my iTunes Music hard drive that I have separately so as to be able to keep all my music in case of a computer crash, which we both know is a drawback of having a Windows-based PC. Where you want to go is first go to Edit then Preferences then Devices and make sure you have Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically checked, then you can rest assured that you won't lose the music already on the iPod. Then you go to File then Library then Back Up To Disc. This is of course after you have iTunes reinstalled. Just save the system folders with all the system settings from your documents/music/iTunes section. Then uninstall and reinstall. Then transfer the backed up system files back to that folder and overwrite the new files that were created.