Itunes Library was erased from my computer -Ipod synced and HELP!

Question

Sorry - I am a brand newbie to iPod.
I recently got my 'pod. I loaded it up with a zillion mp3 files, and more, including videos I coverted from my Dvds and some videos I bought through iTunes.
All was well for weeks.
THEN - my computer crashed, and my computer tanked, taking my itunes library with it. After getting the computer going again, I reinstalled itunes.
I had the mp3s backed up (most of them anyway) on disks. I loaded some of them back into the library, and tried to sync. First thing - my ipod HAD been named "Kerin's ipo"
Now it just showed as a drive letter "E". I loaded some files in the library, and synced. My ipod is set to manually update. I don't know how it happened, but it seems to have uploaded the new library control files or something?
This is the thing - the ipod still shows pretty "full." I had 25 gigs of teh 30 gigs free. It still showed only 5 gigs free.
When I show the "hidden" files, and look in the music directory, I see LOTS of files - but they all have funky names like XYZAV.mp3. When my mouse hovers over them, they show info that tells me the 'real' name of the file, such as "get info" might include. But the files are in no logical order. The videos are all mixed in and songs from one playlist or album are scattered over all the many folders.
Further, the new files don't seem to be actually in there. I DID see all the new files in the music and song list - but they wouldn't play - when I went to song view and started to play, it just loaded all the song names one after the other, but never played a note.
After erasing all the (i was afraid corrupt) music files and syncing again, the song folder is now empty again.
However - as mentioned before, the properties in My Computer list the ipod as nearly full still.
My questions:
a) how do I rename my ipod (not even sure how i did it - had something to do with the first time I connected the ipod to itunes?). I don't want it named "E" I want Kerin's iPo back. When I connect it as a disk, btw, it is still named that. But in iTunes it just shows as "E".
b) How do I get to view my old directory structure and songs again? they are obviously still there!
c) I have software (I've tried two diiferent ones - which both seemed to work ok before all this happened - Share Pod and another) which would let me get my unprotected songs BACK off the ipod, if only I could see the old directory from my ipod! But right now, neither of the programs seem to see the files that are clearly there and playable in the hidden folders. How do I get these files visible to the sharepod software? I assume this means I need a directory file or something for them to work from?
Can anyone help me sort this all out? I am not sure where to start, even for so simple a thing as making my ipod name show up again, and why won't it play the new files, let alone, why does it still show completely full?
If it were empty, I guess I could start from scratch - but there are things not backed up anywhere else yet, that I'd REALLY like to have back before I try completely brainwashing the pod and starting from ground zero. Also, I spent a LOT of time loading 25 gigs of stuff on there - I'd rather not have to do that all again - if there is some way to recover what is on there already, I'd love that option.
Please help!
Thanks in advance to all the marvelous people who help each other here. I have been reading through these forums for hours and don't see answers to this situation - maybe it's so obvious, that's why no one has bothered - but I didn't see it in the online manuals, or here in the forums... maybe i'm searching in the wrong place? If someone can direct me to answers, I'll be MOST grateful!
PS: I'm not computer illiterate - just ipod dumb! Just got this darn thingie!
Kerin
PC   Windows XP Pro   Vallejo, CA

Answer 1

a) See: How to rename your iPod.
b & c) If you can still the view hidden files, see this Music from iPod to computer.
"I see LOTS of files - but they all have funky names like XYZAV.mp3"
That's normal. When those files are back in iTunes they'll have the correct names.
Once the files are back to your computer (and only then), you should restore your iPod. It would appear that the hard drive has become corrupt and unreadable.