80GB iPod Classic won't connect!!!

I have an 80GB iPod classic that won't connect to my Mac (running latest version of Snow Leopard and latest version of iTunes). My girlfriend tried to turn it off for me and it just froze. It'll freeze my computer and I can't restore it on iTunes or Disk Utility. I tried connecting it to my alarm clock/iPod dock and it'll reset a few times and then go to the language menu as if it just restored. Could this be a sign of the hard drive failing? BTW, if I pick a language, it goes to the normal menu and is completely wiped clean. Then it locks up my computer when I try to connect it.