Nothing works - no icons on desktop, finder will not open, etc.

I am running OS 10.4.7, and suddenly, nothing works. Finder will not open. iTunes will not open. Trash will not open. iPhoto will not open, etc. The only programs that seem to open are Safari and Mail (though Safari crashes if I try to watch any video, as Quicktime will not open). Moreover, all of the icons on the desktop have vanished, along with the info bar up top. Spotlight will not open either. I can't access the hard drive directory. Any suggestions? Or, should I just take it into the shop?
Thanks.

Hi, WillhelminBend. Welcome to the Discussions.
1. What changes did you make to your Mac, if any, before this problem arose? If the problem arose after making a change, it's possible the change is the cause.
2. See my "Multiple applications quit unexpectedly or fail to launch" FAQ for advice on troubleshooting this issue.
Good luck!
Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

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