iPod goes into a shut down restart cycle when connected to computer

My iPod Classic (160 GB) has entered this mode where whenever it is connected to the computer (OP: Windows 7), it shuts down in 3 seconds after the "connected" screen comes up, and restarts. It happens so quickly that I can't do anything on it through iTunes. I have followed advice from other topics and put it in Disk mode; but when I connect it after putting it in disk mode, iTunes does not recognize it (though Windows recognizes it).

I have followed the steps in here: iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows but they did not solve the problem with iTunes not seeing the disk-mode iPod. Are there other ways to solve this?

Extra details:

1. I think this shut down-restart cycle happened first when I connected the 160 GB iPod with an older generation iPod USB cable (The old cable came with a 20 GB iPod classic, and it worked with a 80 GB Classic, so I assumed it would cause no problems to this one either).

2. The iPod, when it is not connected, functions; but for some reason, can only show album covers and photos, and says there are no songs on the device. Nonetheless, when connected to PC in disk mode, I can see the songs are still on the disk.