Okay, I think I understand how it is SUPPOSED to work.
I am currently retransferring all the files from the PC, via MC onto the iPod.
I did this last night. I initialized the iPod, and then synched to the iPod. It takes about 1-1/2 hours to do this. When it finished, I unmounted the iPod, changed the rating on only one song, from a 5 to a 1 star. remounted the iPod, and synched to MC with the update to PC options checked. MC deleted the file from the iPod and reloaded the file from the PC in it's place, with the 5 star rating.
I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I'm willing and able to do a little testing today for a couple more hours, until the Internet cafe gal kicks me outta here.
Thanks again.
Again, I loaded my old library onto this PC. Loaded the music from the iPod onto the PC. massaged the path in MC to reflect the correct path until MC found the files fine. Initialized the iPod, synched to re-load the filed back onto the iPod. I assume this should have made all dates and times correct to one another. changed a rating on the iPod, synched again, and the MC rating overwrote the iPod rating.
Hope this helps, and you can tell me what to do better next time.
Thanks