Desktop files etc. won't open after botched software install

Question

Dear New Best Friends:
(a) My new mac mini is just up and running since yesterday. I'm not new to Mac but AM new to setting up, installing, etc., and to being the one responsible. (My brother-in-law used to do everything for me, but he moved, the heartless you-know-what.) Anyway,after a few false starts, a "mini" nervous breakdown and one complete reinstall, things were humming. I was so happy with the Mini -- and, I admit it, with myself. But pride goeth before a (downloading) fall...
(b) Since I successfully installed an old copy of MS Office 2001 (after installing OS 9), I decided I could be trusted to install a old copy of Photoshop 5.0 (used previously on my G3/OS 9.2). The disc icon appeared on the desktop, but nothing happened when I clicked it. So, freaking idiot that I am, I remembered recently reading about the "drag to the hard-drive" Mac method of installation...
(c) I dragged it, alright, and it disappeared into that cute little hard-drive icon... and, just like that, i-life as I knew it was over. (Remember when Kevin Bacon flips that fateful switch on board Apollo 13? Everything had been going so well...) Now, none of the desktop icons -- the hard-drive, the printer, various Word files and folders -- will open. (They highlight with one click but don't do anything with 2 clicks.) I can't seem to get into them any other way, either, but again, I'm new to OS X, and to being the one in charge. SO, I have no access to MS Office, or to my Word documents or to numerous folders of art and photos.
(d) I've searched as best I know how through these Discussions for a similar problem but have had no luck. I've never posted to a forum in my life, but I've admired you all from afar. (I figured out what display to buy from reading here.) I hope I am posting this right; I don't really know how this topic/thread stuff works. (Be gentle on me -- and educate me --if I'm in the wrong place.)
And finally, MY QUESTION: Can my downloading error be reversed?
Thanks so much in advance (you deserve much more just for reading this). Peace and love!

Answer 1

It's happened again. Desktop icon freeze.
Add to that frustration the fact that I just described the chain of events in long detail, and when I posted it earlier this morning, I got an Apple Discussions alert that they're, oh, doing some housework or something, and anyway, the posting got lost and only my computer info was transmitted (which was no longer accurate, because I did NOT reinstall Classic OS 9 after performing a complete erase and install Sunday.....)
So let me start over, outliningg this depressing chain of events:
After successful OS X reinstall mentioned in previous post, I:
--Re-installed AOL, setting aol preferences
--Responded to iTunes prompt to download newest version; downloaded and left icon on desktop for later install
--Did first Apple Software Update check (remember, have only had this Mini a few days); it told me I needed about ten or eleven updates. I selected eight of them, notably OS X. Figured that getting the latest stuff would, you know, eliminate the glitch that caused first meltdown. Ha. (Downloading of the 8 selected updates took --get ready-- eleven hours and 49 minutes; I use AOL dial-up. In those hours, my internet loading was very slow on both aol and safari, but I figured that was because of downloading going on.)
--Opened desktop Hard Drive icon numerous times throughout day to set preferences, look around apps, and read cute little tutorials about how fun it is to use the Mini .
--Created first Text document; placed icon on desktop.
--Twelve-hour download extravaganza finally ended. Expected to have to install stuff, but I gather it does that automatically in these Apple software updates?
--Noticed that even though downloading was complete, internet loading was still slow; hmmmm; figured AOL was having one of its numerous bad days.
--Double-clicked the iTunes installer desktop icon mentioned above, and installed the newest version.
--May have re-calibrated my display afterwards, or may have been just before. (It's a new Dell 1704 FPT, if that makes any difference. Maybe Michael Dell is sabotaging Steve J.)
--Put Mini to sleep; he and I had had a hard couple of days...
--Put myself to sleep; dreamed of Fun Mini Days Just Ahead.
--Woke up this morning like it was Christmas, excited to begin new and improved life with Mini. Woke Mini. Double-clicked Hard Drive icon. NOTHING. Double-clicked Text icon. Nothing. Same problem. Different day. (Only this time, it IS a weekday, per previous posts...)
--Got online, went to Discussions, read AndyO's recommendation about Finder, File, find p.list, trash it, etc. Did so.
--Double-clicked Text document icon. IT OPENED. Wow! Wanted to buy AndyO a NanO.
--Double-clicked Hard Drive icon. NOTHING. Gulp.
--Closed Text document. Double-clicked Hard Drive icon again. Nothing.
--Double-clicked Text icon. This time, Nothing.
--Re-performed p.list steps. Didn't work this time.....
Please note major differences between this freeze and the last:
(1) Classic OS 9 wasn't installed this time. (So neither was MS Office 2001, of course, nor any old software.)
(2) Updated ("improved"!) OS X is running, along with updated QuickTime and other Apple-recommended updates.
(3) New version of iTunes is installed.
But in spite of these differences, the problem's effect is the same.
One of AndyO's messages (2.1.1.1?) said something to the effect that if I encounter such problems again there are troubleshooting steps I can take to identify the specific cause and resolve it.
Please, dear readers, what are those steps? I am discouraged, and not just a little worried.
Sign me,
Many, many hours away from the nearest Apple Store (about $3,000 in gas)