Only Spotlight Icon loads with 10.4.5

Hi There,
I upgraded to 10.4.5 earlier today, and since my Mac is just refusing to work properly!
When I try to load as normal, just my desktop background and the small spotlight icon appear.
I have tried starting up in Safe Mode, but when the screen changes to the blue background and the "Starting Operation System" dialog appears, the computer just turns off!
I have repaired permissions, this didnt fix it, I have ran the thorough Hardware test with no faults.
But when I chose "Verify Disk" in Disk Utility, I do get the error: "The underlying task reported failure on exit".
As far as I can tell at the moment, my only option is to re-install Tiger, will this delete all my files or just install the require system files?
Help!
Thanks, Tom!

Hi, Tom. Welcome to the Discussions.
1. You wrote: "... when I chose "Verify Disk" in Disk Utility, I do get the error: "The underlying task reported failure on exit"."
1.1. Did you try starting up from your Tiger install disc and running Disk Utility > Repair Disk? For step-by-step instructions, see Step 1 of my "Resolving Disk, Permission, and Cache Corruption" FAQ.
1.2. Have you checked the SMART diagnostics of your hard drive? See: "Disk Utility 10.5 Help: Checking the S.M.A.R.T. status of your hard disk."
1.3. See "Disk Utility reports "Underlying task reported failure" when repairing a volume."
2. You wrote:"my only option is to re-install Tiger, will this delete all my files or just install the require system files?"That may not help if the hard drive itself has gone bad, per the results from point 1.2 above and what the document linked in point 1.3 implies given the results you reported from Verify Disk.
If your hard drive has failed or is failing, your first order of business is to backup whatever you can.
Have you implemented a comprehensive backup and recovery solution? If so, backup your startup disk. If not, see "Mac OS X: How to Back Up and Restore Your Files" for an emergency backup procedure.
Reinstalling via the "Archive and Install" method won't delete all your files provided you select the correct options. See my "General advice on performing an Archive and Install" FAQ. However, performing an Archive and Install on a failed or failing hard drive won't help.
Once you recover your Mac from this problem, I recommend you implement a comprehensive backup and recovery solution. For advice on the backup and recovery solution I use, see my "Backup and Recovery" FAQ.
3. Another thing to consider: If my suggestion in point 1.1 enables you to startup in Safe Mode, and points 1.2 and 1.3 are AOK, see my "Troubleshooting Startup and Login Items" FAQ. Sometimes incompatible Startup or Login Items can cause issues after Mac OS X Updates.
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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