Dead iPad after failed to load new iOS

[justme71]

I am a complete Apple noob.
I hooked up my iPad to my PC and was downloading the new iOS. After some time as it was installing some error message popped up that I didn't pay enough attention to, and everything stopped. Now on the iPad I have nothing but a pic of the sync cable pointing to iTunes.

I've closed and opened iTunes, shut down and restarted the iPad, but nothing happens. It appears that Tunes doesn't recognize the Pad any more.
Anything I can do? Thank you in advance.

 

[slide]

You don't say what machine hosts iTunes, but...

iTunes: How to remove and reinstall the Apple Mobile Device Service on Mac OS X

 

[Ipheuria]

I doubt your iPad is dead from your description. You should have many, many options including a last resort of taking it in to Apple for a fix or replacement. You just need to reload the firmware on the device completely. You can either put the device into DFU mode, restore mode or try plugging it in to the computer. I would start by turning off the iPad, either by holding down the power button or by holding the power and home button if the previous method didn't work. Once the iPad is off open iTunes on the computer then hold down the home button on your iPad and keep holding it down plug in the dock connector. The iPad will start to boot up keep holding down the home key until your iTunes says it detects an iPad in restore mode then click restore to start the process of reloading the firmware. Make sure the iPad has enough battery power to do this and your laptop is plugged in so there are no interruptions during the process. If that doesn't work you can put the iPad into DFU mode which is a low level restore before the firmware on the iPad has started search on here or online for the process to get into DFU mode. You can also use another computer if you have one or a friend's computer to try and restore the iPad. So try those suggestions and give us some feedback we'll go from there.

 

[justme71]

Thank you

Thank you Ipheuria. I had much trouble getting to DFU. I was finally able to but still couldn't get iTunes to put the firmware on. The iPad went back to recovery mode when I was finished trying the DFU. I still wasn't able to get out of recovery mode.
I took it to a friends computer and it synced up and brought it out of recovery mode; the pad was fine as before and I lost nothing. I'm still on the old 3.2.1. My friend didn't want to upgrade iTunes to 10.1 so I couldn't try to update the pad.
I'm thinking I'll wipe everything off my Windows xp home computer, download iTunes again, and then try to upgrade the pad once more. That is, unless you have a better course of action.
Thank you so very much for the help.