Transfer speed and other minor bits

Question

First off - I love my iPod (40g Colour) and despite my regular bouts of impatience when updated, loading etc I am very happy with the thing. I even bought my wife a shuffle and she likes that for when she's at the gym. I found the software/hardware to be very forgiving.
However I thought I'd post a query to see if anybody had any ideas on my minor problems.
1) When we loaded my wife's shuffle for he first time we had problems with the USB 2 convection. PC keeps saying "this item can run faster connect to a USB2 ....." but it is connected to a USB 2 socket. Now everytime I attach either iPod the same warning comes on (except if I connect before starting!). I know its a USB 2 because a new board was fitted a while ago and my 40g will synch and charge on the connection.
2) Slow transfer. I recently loaded iTunes 5.0 which didn't work for me (see 3). So I wiped it and loaded a copy of 4.9 (thanks to filehippo). Im up and running again but had to re-synch my iPod to iTunes. The tranfer rate is about 500 tracks per hour so to do the 8500 that my iPod takes needs 17 hours. When its done I should'nt need to do it agin for a while but could I speed things up a bit?
3)Should I go to iTunes 5.0.1? 5.0 loaded on my PC fine without all teh problems that have filled these oages recently but when in 5.0 I connected either iPod (shuffle or 40G I got an error somthing like "Ipod not recognised re-intall iTunes". I know some other people had a similar problem. iTunes 4.9 is working fine but is it safe for me to try 5.0.1 yet?
Sorry to go on a bit but I know from watching these forums recently there are some very knowledgeable and helpful people out there so I hope you don't mind my request.

Answer 1

I've had some news - most of it good. I got fed up with the transfer speed so I took my box into my local store to get it checked out. No visible fault on my USB 2.0! I know it happens but they couldn't replicate it so I went home. Plugged all my stuff in except USB devices. Plugged in my iPod and it worked. I was now thinking about power requirements etc. Plugged in my USB modem and the iPod still updated at USB 2.0 speed. Next I tried my wife's shuffle - so far so good. I then plugged everything in and the iPod defaulted back to USB 1.1!
Tried the shuffle in the spare USB2.0 socket and it worked. Plugged my iPod in and that worked - Now I knew what the problem was - I only have 3 USB 2.0 sockets (5 USB1.1)and two had faulted.
Next step will be a new card with a fire wire socket! Happy Days - although I still cant get an extension cord to work with my iPod.
While I was on a roll I took the bull by the horns and loaded iTunes 6.0. Works like a dream although it is a bit slower than 4.9 - probably considerably bigger but it works!!
My turn to be the lucky one this week!!! Maybe your turn next.