Ipod Nano - Long wait to be recognized by ITunes

Question

Windows XP Pro - ITunes 7.01 / IPod 1.3 for first generation Nano; high speed cable modem connection; IPod set up as device I:
Case 1) - Turn off Internet: Start ITunes, recognizes IPod immediately
Case 2) - Turn on Internet: Start ITunes, takes more than 2 minutes to recognize the IPod; I see intermittent activity on the Internet connection, with pauses in between
This huge delay is extremely annoying. I have tried many things to try to alleviate the delay (Reinstalled from scratch; changed drive letters, opened Windows firewall, ...) - all to no avail.

Answer 1

The culprit has been identified: the iPod. A full restore eliminates the problem (and my files). I believe the problem is that Apple does not properly take into account the different ways a Windows profile can be set up.
Diagnosis:
On my work machine, part of the Windows user profile (specifically the folders "Application Data", "Desktop", and "Documents") is on a remotely mounted disk (for reasons of convenient backup). Lets call that machine profile_server.work.com. Connecting the iPod at work apparently updates settings files on the iPod, including a pointer to profile_server.work.com. At work the profile is reachable, but is protected from access from the outside world.
At home, plugging in the iPod for iTunes causes it to try to connect to profile_server.work.com. It takes 3 minutes for iTunes to give up trying. During this time, iTunes is completely frozen - it will not redraw the window and one cannot move the window. With the network cable unplugged, iTunes gives up right away and recognizes the iPod immediately.
This is just bad programming practice on the part of Apple. First iTunes should remain responsive when it is waiting for a network connection - it is not using CPU cycles. It should at least respond to window refresh.
Apple should also get with it: a user's profile can be on a remotely mounted disk (accomplished through ProfileXXX environment variables). If the machine that the Profile is on is not reachable, iTunes should gracefully quickly stop trying!
Which also brings up another peave: iTunes is the only program (out of very many) on my Windows machine which does not behave properly with virtual desktops (MSVDM, part of the TweakUI toolset from Microsoft). iTunes remains "on top" of every desktop. Truly annoying, especially when it freezes.
I will try two more experiments:
- connect the iPod at work (with iTunes running on an account with a remote profile) to see if the problem reoccurs when I carry the iPod home. I am guessing the problem will reoccur.
- restore the iPod again if necessary and connect the iPod at work (with iTunes running on an account with a local profile) to see if the problem reoccurs at home. I am guessing that the problem will not reoccur.