Failed attempt to update to Safari 3.2.1, subsequent crash

Question

Safari is not working at all for me. It was working fine before I attempted the newest update (3.2.1). Here's the sequence:
- I invoked Software Update, it found Safari 3.2.1 as an update. It found NO other updates.
- I clicked "Install 1 item"; it proceeded through the steps to 'installing Safari 3.2.1 Update'. Here, before it completed, it gave me an error: 'The update "Safari" can't be installed. Sorry, an unexpected error occurred. The Installer package has been moved to the Trash. To try again, open the package from the Finder.'
- I dragged the package from the Trash to the Desktop, ran it. I got to the "Install" step, pressed the "Install" button. It went through "Configuring Installation"; in the "Writing Files" section, past 50% or 60% completed somewhere, it said, "Please try installing again".
- I tried running Safari, it crashed. I tried to include the crash log in this post, but got a message from this site to the effect that my post was too long. I sent a Problem Report to Apple with my ID (VC Shealy) and the reference number in the notes field '987654321' at 4:32 pm CST.
- I read Klaus1's post about Adobe Flash Player, uninstalled version 9, installed version 10, repaired the permissions on my Macintosh HD, and tried to run Safari again. I also tried to reinstall Safari again but it did not succeed.
Safari crashes within 3 seconds after I try to start it.
Should I reinstall an earlier version of Safari, and if so, how?
Thanks,
Robin

Answer 1

Mulder and Klaus1: Thanks! I was successful in installing Safari 3.2.1. Here are the details. I did all of them at once so I can't be sure where the problem originated. There were no Input Managers on my system.
1. I had the VeoH player installed and plugged in. I removed the player completely from my system, including plugin files. To do this I downloaded the VeoH package ( see http://forums.veoh.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43 ), mounted it; the package contains an uninstall pgm, I ran it.
2. I transferred the following files to a folder on my Desktop:
In ~/Library/Preferences: com.apple.Safari.plist
~/Library/Safari: Entire Folder
~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari: Entire folder
~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari: Entire folder
~/Library/Caches/Safari: Entire folder
3. I did a permission repair.
4. I attempted the install. This time it installed successfully! Safari started up.
5. I replaced all of the files and folders in (2) above except ~/Library/Caches/Safari. (To retrieve my bookmarks, preferences and cookies). Safari still worked.
6. I did a permission repair again. No repairs were needed.
I suspect that the culprit is the 3rd party software of VeoH Player. I think what may have happened is that the install program gave up in the "Writing Files" stage because it may have found a directory inconsistency, and one of my steps above removed this. I previously had uninstalled Flashplayer 9 and installed Flashplayer 10, repairing permissions afterward.
Thanks again, Robin