Suddenly won't boot, start up commands not working... am I out of luck?

Funny, this is my first mac being a hardcore and longtime PC user as my "test" mac... everything works perfectly... of course until 12 days after my warranty is up...
This morning on waking up my mac to turn on some music in iTunes, i click on the iTunes window to bring it into focus. It suddenly closes and dissapears, on returning to the shortcut bar (the tray at the bottom for programs, i don't know what mac users call it) and click on iTunes ot relaunch it after its crash/dissapearance, the task tray then decides to suddenly dissapear/crash (don't know which, it's like a crash but best described as a vanishing act as it doesn't lag or churn before dying, just vanishes).
Possibly related to this issue, not long ago my iChat stopped working, whenever i launched it, it would stay open for a couple seconds and automatically closed. I could sit there all day clicking it, it would open, 2 seconds later, close. I gave up on that. I gave up on that a week ago.
Shortly after my iTunes dissapeared/crash and then after the program tray also dissapearing. my mac mini reboots. Except it's stuck on the screen with the mac apple in the middle of the screen with the moving (yes it's moving) pinwheel on the bottom center of the screen. I let it sit there for a long while... 15 minutes pass nothing happens.
I try rebooting... same thing happens.
I'm go on my PC (Which i'm now typing from) and start searching for solutions. apple support pages suggest I try safe mode with shift.
SAFE MODE: Won't work. I tried pushing both shift buttons on my keyboard at different times (before the start up tone, immediately after the beggining of the start up tone, and after the start up tone finishes) all that happens is, I get the same pinwheel/apple screen that is "loading" (according to the pinwheel) forever.
I went to forums, read up on other different commands like holding down "X" or option command P+R.... X does the same as the not-working safe mode... option command P+R continually reboots the computer.
And in the end I'm still at square one. thouroughly frustrated. wishing my mac mini was a PC (as i've never had a PC problem I can't fix) Ironic experience... PCs, break often, easily fixed, no support needed.... Macs: rarely break, when they do, support needed, but support from apple expires 12 days ago, not easily fixed... and now I think i'm screwed out of the 700$+ i payed for this POS and I've lost my whole iTunes library, all the CDs i've loaded onto it, and all the music and TV shows i've purchased from the apple music store. Good game, apple takes a bunch of money, refuses to support my product which is now dead (had a similar situation with an iPod I had bought for my girlfriend).
My only hope is... I know mac users have a happy helpful community and always band together to help fellow mac users, something the PC world doesn't as-cohsively have. So...
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi... you guys are my last and only hope.
Thanks in advance.
-John

Hi, John. Welcome to the Discussions.
1. You wrote: "I get the same pinwheel/apple screen that is "loading" (according to the pinwheel) forever"The "pinwheel" is known as a "spinning gear progress indicator."
This, combined with the other issues you've reported, sounds like problems with the hard drive. I suggest you begin troubleshooting using the Procedure specified in my "Resolving Disk, Permission, and Cache Corruption" FAQ. Perform the steps therein in the order specified.
2. You wrote: "...the shortcut bar (the tray at the bottom for programs, i don't know what mac users call it)"It's called the Dock. See "Mac OS X: About the Dock."
3. You wrote: "...this is my first mac..."My "Learning About Mac OS X" FAQ has a number of resources that you will find helpful including books, online training, and more.
4. You wrote: "...Macs: rarely break, when they do, support needed, but support from apple expires 12 days ago, not easily fixed..."You should have bought the AppleCare Protection Plan (ACPP) before your warranty expired. The ACPP provides a two-year extension on the warranty and three years of telephone support.
PS: Word to the Wise: watch the language. I appreciate your frustration, but don't let it into your posts. These forums are "family friendly" and a good way to get banned from them is to rant, use profanity (including profane abbreviations), etc. What passes for "acceptable behavior" on most PC/Windows forums is not tolerated here.
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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Robert

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Hi Team,
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Hi Jacob,
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Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 15:39:58 -0800
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Illustrator Short Commands Not Working
    Re: Illustrator Short Commands Not Working
    created by Jacob Bugge in Illustrator - View the full discussion
THS,
You may try the following (you have tried/done some of them already) and see whether it helps (the following is a general list of things you may try when the issue is not in a specific file; 3) and 4) are specifically aimed at possibly corrupt preferences):
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http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/cscleanertool.html
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Thank you for your reply.
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