Heres a REAL simple way.
Download Sharepod. put the .exe on the ipod (through "my computer") open it and copy everything you your pc. its that easy.
If files on your ipod are corrupt by any chance and wont copy. like my brothers ipod, i copied band by band, and found out which songs were causing problems, and skipped them,
problem is it may erase your ipod if you try using itunes.
My way keeps your songs, in their artist folders, with their names.