Power Loss/ Gear Shift Problems

[annetacular]

Hey guys, any help is totally appreciated...
I'm retarded with cars let me start with that -
I recently bought a 1999 Passat turbo, 90k miles on it.
Upon driving about 1 mile from my dorm and parking it for about 5 minutes and attempting to restart, nothing happened at all - no dash lights no radio lights/power or anything, no engine turn over noise; it was completely silent.
The brake was really stiff as well.
After cursing and fidgeting with the key for a few minutes, it finally turned on, but the RPM which regularly idles around 800, hit 800 and dropped to zero. The lights worked though, but the radio doesnt at all, and the clock and the trip odometer completely reset to zero. I tried to drive it out of the parking lot, but the RPMs would shoot up to 5k doing like 20mph, and fall back down to 1 or 2k, and keep dropping until there was almost no power at all. The ride back to my school was really jerky, and it felt like it wouldnt go past 2nd or 3rd gear. The car completely lost all power and I had to restart two or three times.
I have no idea what's wrong, Im hoping its like a computer chip problem or something --
Any ideas?
Thanks so much guys

[boschmann]

First check would be your battery connections.

[annetacular]

Originally Posted by boschmann

First check would be your battery connections.

I did that, and they were connected just fine, like the metal was touching and the things were tight etc -
the car only starts after like, 20 tries, but if it were a battery problem, would it even start at all?
I was thinking maybe like, the fuel pump, or filter or something, because it would only start if i gun the gas to the floor, and when i let off the gas it immediately loses most power...
but if this is the case, why did everything reset like it did? wouldn't that be a battery thing?

thanks

[boschmann]

Your post states no dash lights, buzzers or any noise from the starter which means no power is getting to any system in the car. If there is no corrosion or problems with the battery or connections from it to the engine, starter & body then start thinking ignition switch.