Windows and iTunes won't recognize my iPad outside of recovery mode

Question

Okay, so there's a lot.
1) Unless I put the iPad into recovery mod, plugging in my iPad to my laptop gets no alert sound whatsoever, meaning it's not being recognized. The only thing that I DO get, is the iPad charging. However, there's more! My iPad sometimes appears like it's not even being plugged in, no charging, no recognition. But it's not my cable, I tried my brother's newer cable and the same thing happened. I plugged my cable into my wall charger and into a socket -- works perfectly.
2) Sometimes, the iPad would get detected by Windows and install drivers, but iTunes still wouldn't pick it up or start automatically. I checked into the device manager and Devices and Printers, it was listed there and the status said it was working fine. I tried updating the drivers, it said the drivers were the best ones available. This is no longer happening however, due to further developments listed lower.
3) I tried everything here: iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows and nothing works there. That includes uninstalling all iTunes/Apple related software in the specified order somewhere in the help sections, restarting the laptop, and then installing iTunes and restarting again. Didn't work.
4) I tried stopping/starting the Apple Mobile Device process in Control Panel>Services. No effect.
4) I tried the steps where you go into Common Files>apple>x>xdrivers and using the file there, but it would say it's incompatible or something to that effect. So that didn't work.
5) I restored my iPad without iTunes. When I attempted to restore the iPad with iTunes, it gave me an error message (4005,I think), and said it could not be restored. Full stop. Thus why I wiped the iPad using the option in Settings>General on the iPad itself. But wiping it achieved nothing.
6) I put my iPad back into recovery mode to get it recognized in iTunes and Windows again, where before I could get out of recovery mode, I can no longer do that and it appears to be stuck on that screen. Turning it off doesn't change that, because when I turn it back on, it goes directly back to the screen with the Cable + iTunes logo image.
7)Note again, that being in recovery mode will *almost* always allow my laptop and iTunes to recognize the iPad. If I look into Devices and Printers now, it doesn't show up as iPad, it shows up as Apple Mobile USB Device Driver. in iTunes, it shows up as iPad and I get the notice "iTunes has detected an iPad in recovery..."
8) My iPhone works fine and can update, get immediately recognized, etc. So I'm also sure there's no problem with my USB ports in terms of being functional.
Please help me. This has been really frustrating.

Answer 1

You should use a USB port on the back of your computer when you connect. What other devices do you have connected to the USB chain (other than your keyboard and mouse)?
You need to read this article: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305136 Even if no new driver is available for your computer, reload the USB Driver following the instructions in the article.
Once your iPod can be seen in Device Manager in Windows, change the drive letter on the iPod to something higher (try M or P) and then reformat it (FAT32 format, don't do a quick format). After this Restore it in iTunes.