Corrupted, tried usual fixes but get stuck

Okay, so last night I did my usual thing: plugged the Nano into the computer to give it an update, refresh my podcasts, etc. A message comes up saying my iPod could not be identified and needed to be unplugged then plugged in again. So, I do. Now it tells me the iPod is corrupted and needs to be recovered. So, it starts the "preparing iPod for recovery" thing. The little green bar moves to almost the end, then disappears. A message comes up saying "iTunes needs to prepare your iPod for recovery. Please leave your iPod connected.

Except that it never had been disconnected.

Still, I try again.

And again.

And again. This time using a newer cable.

Same thing.

So, it try the usuals, toggle Hold, Menu+centre button. Now I get a "Use iTunes to Restore" screen. So, I plug it in again and hit "restore" when it asks me to. Now it downloads an update and supposedly applies it, then tells me that the iPod will appear on my screen when it's ready.

Except it doesn't.

Green bar comes up telling me it's preparing iPod for recovery again.

And we get stuck in the same loop as before. "...Please leave your iPod connected."



Left it on overnight, charged it this morning, same deal.

So...any other ideas? Or is it time to send it in?