iPod won't sync w/ iTunes 5

I tried to reestablish the COM (the last suggestion on the apple support site) but my updater won't run. I have tried to find IPod services, and it doens't even show up on the computer. Figure I'll try to get a new cable tomorrow maybe for the USB, but other than that, I"m fresh out of ideas.

I have tried everything that Apple suggests I do. Still, no luck - I keep getting the same messages. The computer sees my iPod, but iTunes and the iPod software does not.

Does iTunes 5 have a service that it runs in the background? If so, when iTunes installs over iTunes 4.9, there is no service running that I can detect.

At any rate, I hope Apple acknowledges these problems. Otherwise, I am sticking with iTunes 4.9.

Does anybody know how to get iTunes 4.9 back?? I need that in the meantime until Apple fixes whatever the heck is wrong with iTunes 5

I have done everything suggested. I have uninstalled and reinstalled iTunes 14 times now. I have followed every suggested fix and I still cannot sync my iPod with iTunes. If someone has done something differently than what has been suggested here that worked please let me know. It really ticks me off to pay this kind of money for something and have it not work.

Good, Yolanda. Enjoy the iPod.

Meanwhile, to all new posters on this thread: Please start a new thread of your own. It is becoming difficult for others to keep track of the posts.

email me.

How did it work for you Jeff??
You were getting this messsage, right?

"The software required for communicating with the ipod is not installed correctly. Please reinstall iTunes to install the iPod's software."

What did you different to get it to work?

Some of the postings have talked about Quicktime. Is Quicktime perhaps the problem? I've never used it and don't plan on it. Would a stand-alone iTunes 5.0 work? And if yes, where could I get this?
I tried reverting back to 4.9 so I can update my iPod with some new music -- but it didn't work/