Rugged Notebooks Guide

This is really starting to get on my nerves. Not even Apple could help me fix the problem. Every time i open iTunes and plug in my iPod touch i get this error "This iPod cannot be used because the Apple Mobile Device service is not started" i tried erasing everything off the iPod. Still didn’t work. I tried doing these steps:

1. Open "Start"

2. Open "Control Panel" (For Windows 7 users who don’t have the option to switch the control panel to classic view, the administrative tools are located under the System and Security category.)

3. Open "Administrative tools"

4. Open "Services"

5. Go to "Apple Mobile Devices"

6. Your Startup Type would be at Disable

7. Set Startup Type to Automatic

8. Press Apply and Okay.

Still didn’t work. If i press start then this comes up: "Windows could not start the Apple Mobile Device service on local computer. Error 1067: the process terminated unexpectedly."
I also tried updating iTunes. Didn’t work. Not even removing it and then re install it into the computer worked. Can someone please help me fix this!?
I use Windows 7 and my firmware is 4.1
It never was dropped and i never jailbreaked it.

I will basically be using a computer for gaming, storage, and for photos. Gaming would actually be a rare thing but I do love my PC RPGs. Storage is basically in case I decide to get MP3s from ITunes or something. Thing is, I’ve had a Sony Vaio that is going on 5 years old. It’s been dependable but with room mates constantly messing with it, I think it’s on its deathbed. Main concerns are to have good quality but nothing too expensive since I am on a tight budget at the moment. I’ve been seeing names like Acer, Toshiba, HP, and Compaq thrown around but I’ve always heard negatives about Compaq. As for Acer and Toshiba, I don’t know much about those. Is HP the best route?

I’ve been having two problems with my computer for the past two weeks, that i really need help with.

1) Is my Itunes-I Touch. — Every time I plug my i touch in, usually opens itunes and goes to the i pod data. For the past week or so, i have to manualy open itunes, and a message pops up and says " This iPod cannot be used because the Apple Mobile Device service is not started". Do you know what that means or what to do?

2) I get the symble at the bottom of my screan that i have updates. So i download them. 1 is Internet Explorer 7.6, the other is Security Update for Windows XP. I download and restart my computer, as instucted. But everytime i turn my computer on, it has the same ones back to download. Whats the problem?

PLEASE HELP ME!
and im only a kid, give me a break please

"iTunes requires a newer version of apple mobile device support. please uninstall both apple mobile device support and itunes and re-install them"
thats what it says when i plug my touch into the computer. what should i do?