IMac coming up with a folder and ? on login

My wife's iMac just crashed. Finder and Safari were both not responding right before it happened. I forced Finder to quit, but Safari wouldn't stop, so I shut the power off. It has been acting up with the little whirrly thing showing up just about anytime she tried to do something.
It has Leopard on it and I have a Snow Leopard that I could install (but not crazy about it).
Any suggestions?

Hi Herbert
Run the Apple Hardware Test > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509
If the Hardware Test comes back clean, then
Repair your Startup Disk > http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=3810#disk
Dennis

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