Tokuzumi,
By now, you probably already have this issue taken care of, but for others in the future in your situation.... We start by assuming your songs are still on your ipod, since it isn't you iPod that crashed.
1. Reinstall your OS on your PC.
2. Go to "My Computer" > Tools menu at the top > Folder Options > click on the "View" tab > In the lower window click on the circle that says "Show Hidden Files And Folders" next to it. Hit "Apply", then close the window.
3. Now connect the iPod.
4. Double click on the iPod when it shows up in "My Computer" as a drive.
5. Double click the folder called "iPod_Control"
6. Double click the folder called "Music"
7. In that folder, are 49 or so folders called "F01, F02, F03, etc...". If you click on any one of those folders, you will notice all of your songs are in those folders.
8. Copy the contained songs to a folder on your freshly rebuilt machine. ! ! ! !IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MUSIC PERMANENTLY. ! ! ! !
9. You now reinstall iTunes.
10. Hook your iPod up, and syncronize it. iTunes will think it is a foreign or new iPod, and remove all of the music on it.
11. Re-import the songs that you previously copied to your hard drive.
Now this obviously opens the door to piracy. However, I am not the RIAA, the government (God KNOWS they are perfect!), and I am certainly not your mom, so I hope this works for all of you that need to do it.
~Damn the man!
- Bertollini