I've just been lent (loaned) an iPod for going on holiday with. Never having had one I thought this will be a doddle for a computer genius like me to download my mp3 playlists to off the PC.

I plugged it in the USB port last night and all I got up was a MyComputer window of device "F" (with "Mum's iPod" as its title cryptically - it belongs to a male friend) but no sign of any music files in its root or sub-folders.

OK I accessed my playlists by Windows media Player but could find no function or help for downloading to an mp3 player (you can't even get "mp3" or "ipod" in help index). There's plenty of stuff on burning CDs though.

So I went over to Limewire p2p, but could find no joy there.

So anyone know what to do? "Ask your mate" I hear you say, but he's a computer dumb-cluck and his son populate the iPod for him. And, no, his son doesn't live in our town.