My Ipod shuffle NOW thinks it has a 298.1 Gb storage capacity. Help, plz.

Question

Good afternoon,
I have a 512 MB Ipod Shuffle, that I have used successsfully for 9 months without a single glitch, until now.
I'm using itunes 6.0.4.2, and the ipod shuffle is running software version 2006 03-23.
I have a Dell PC running Windows XP Pro. The USB port that I plug my Ipod into is fully powered.
When I plugged my Ipod in this morning to update my playlist...my computer recognized it as a new ipod. The name I had given it was no longer there: Instead it read DATARAID. The storage capacity is now listed as 298.1 GB.
When I click on the shuffle icon from within itunes, it claims that it has successfully loaded my entire library (29GB), onto my tiny shuffle. But of course, none of the songs play...instead the two green lights on the front of the ipod flash.
I have searched the discussion databases for helpful advice.
So far I have:
reset my ipod shuffle: didn't work.
I have COMPLETELY removed and reinstalled itunes and the ipod updater following the proper procedures listed in the support database: didn't fix the problem.
I have run Ipod updater and restored my shuffle to "factory settings". The restore completed "successfully", but interestingly the dialog box for the restore lists the capacity of my shuffle as 298.1 GB.: didn't fix the problem.
I also attempted to specify the drive name of my shuffle as was posted to this discussion earlier by going to Disk management within windows. However, my shuffle does not appear in this list. It does, however, appear within Itunes: did't fix the problem.
I would GREATLY appreciate an suggestions about how to fix this problem. Especially, if my flash drive has spontaneously grown to 298.1 GB!
I spend long hours in the dark staring through the barrel of a microscope. Listening to my ipod makes the time pass faster.
Thanks.

Answer 1

The article posted above
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93499
is the correct thing to follow, but due to the way the iPod's update and are recognized and unmounted by the computer, there may be additional steps necessary.
Start with the iPod disconnected and all windows closed. Hold down the CTRL and ALT keys on the keyboard and then tap the DEL key to bring up the Windows Task Manager. In the Task Manager, click the Processes tab at the top. Then locate "iPodService.exe" in the list of running processes. Click it, and then click End Process at the bottom of the screen, and say yes to the warning message. Do the same thing with the process called "iTunesHelper.exe".
After that, connect the iPod, and follow the steps from the article linked above. The iPod should be listed in the Disk Management window now. It is likely being assigned a drive letter that is the same as a network volume you are connected to named "DATARAID". Change the drive letter to something far down the list, like X:, but first make sure that the letter you are using isn't already assigned to another drive.
After you have changed the drive letter, go into My Computer, look for the X: (or whichever one you chose) drive and right click it, and hit Eject. Once the light on the iPod shuffle stops flashing, disconnect the iPod and restart the computer. After restarting, open iTunes, and reconnect the iPod. It should show up properly now.