I probably just solved my own problem. I searched on 'How to reset a hung Ipad' and found the link below. It WAS probably hung since the first technique didn't work. The second was a full reboot done by holding the power button and the 'home' button until the Apple Logo appears. I have now set it to hopefully backup. Here is a link that might be useful: resetting routines

Oh I see - you just want the regular one, not the cellular one. With the cellular one you actually can buy 30 days of service at a time through Apple store and have that type of connection. You don't need to find the wi-fi hot spots or tether to your phones data (you would have to have a smart phone with data for that to work anyway) - but they are so much more. iPads are REALLY nice. REALLY REALLY nice! LOL. But I have to admit - 99% of the time I do use my iTouch because it fits in my pocket. It is really amazing how easy it is to type a message on. Great for Facebook, email, etc. Works great at McDonalds and other free wi-fi hotspots. The camera on the newest generation of iTouch is actually pretty decent. Great for pictures on Facebook and super simple to take video. Even has a flash (LED) . It doubles as a flashlight. Very handy in the dark! :) I put the Kindle app on it and have a few books on it so I have something to read if I am stuck waiting somewhere. I also keep notes on it - so my grocery list is always with me. Here is a link that might be useful: iTouch

I was here pk. I guess I should have let you know that the backup was specifically asking for the apple id password. I only brought up email because I found no contacts (but I also pointed out that I hadn't tried to link emails in any way). I also now see that there is an off setting on a 'settings' button for email. I am not sure how she sees her mail. Probably directly via Safari but I do see an email app right on her first page trey below the regular apps. Probably way more info than needed since this was not really an email question. Looking back, I now see that I wasn't clear about what password was wanted; sorry. My general question was about the whole purpose of this kind of backup. It appeared (and still does) that she may not have had anything to backup because she didn't really use itunes for paid music (and yesterday I saw something that implied it didn't do that either, I suppose because apple really only has pointers to the music and always remembers your apple id with those pointers). I was more concerned that perhaps each system update might wipe all apps and perhaps other stuff. As far as I can tell, it certainly didn't wipe all apps out (she still has some), and I see no reason it would clear specific ones. I was waiting for another response and to see if I got a backup. I can't really tell because it doesn't say so. It was not asking to be backed up yesterday (or today) and I can't find where it is indicated. The new update changed stuff on icloud and wanted new legal acceptance (i gave it) but that was after I attempted the backup. BTW I actually read a little of the legal stuff and it included that icloud could wipe your backup if you didn't backup for 120 days!!! Anyway, I still don't really understand the purpose of this backup system. While attempting to follow various directions, I got messages that suggest if there are problems (I don't think there actually were) that I should Reset the ipad. I am suspecting that perhaps that is exactly when the backup would be needed because the Reset Would wipe everything back to a new pad. Not sure of that either.

Thanks mike. I guess I should have said 'reboot' in my initial post rather than restart. Yes, I rebooted several times to get the opportunity to enter the security password. This pad does not have cellular capability so when wi fi is gone, it is disconnected. It certainly used to connect to other networks, but I haven't checked lately. I was beginning to think that the pad was retaining wifi connection, but today it is again back to disconnected, still with the blue check indicating that it is connected. The only difference from several days ago, is that the password on 'client ID' is still showing. I had assumed that the showing password was somehow involved in the wifi retention. I have considered 'forget your WiFi', but I don't know where to get the ssid. I suppose it is built in but I don't understand this stuff that well. Edit for addition: OK, I got brave (or could have been stupid) and 'forgot the network' and at least for the time being, the pad is reconnected. It was easy to reconnect because my regular network was still waiting for me to re choose it and it immediately asked for the password and I was properly connected. The password isn't showing in 'client ID'. Perhaps it was never the appropriate place to add it anyway!? I do see a couple of possible differences in the settings that I wrote down if things didn't work. There may have been a difference in the DNS setting (whatever that is) (or it might have been a hand written typo on my part) but the new setting's last 7 chars are now 171.2.226 and I scribed 172.2.226. And under the area of HTTP Proxy (whatever that is), OFF is highlighted, and before there was a space below where it said URL. Was it waiting for some website? So, for the time being, things are in order. It took 2.5 days to lose the network the last time, so we'll see.?!