Won't boot; shuts down

My very reliable Mac mini (bought in 2006) failed last night. Circumstances: I was installing a new software package (scan snap manager) via CD and the computer hung during the install. The pointer was a spinning beachball but it would move around screen. The keyboard had no effect. I had to shutdown the computer via the power button. After that the computer would shutdown shortly after a restart. I tried pressing the shift button, the control button, the option button and the command button during the restart. Finally, after web searches I did a SMC reset. Nothing happened and the CD remained in the computer.
Full disclosure, the superdrive had failed about a year ago with a disc inside and I took it to the Genius bar. They decided that the superdrive was flaky but managed to recover my disc after turning the computer on its side. They said that the drive needed to be replaced but that the computer wasn't worth the work. After several months I tried the drive again and it worked and has continued to do so. It's been used lightly. When I installed the software disc last night the drive immediately sounded very noisy so I suspect that the drive failed. I was unable to get the disc to eject using any technique I could find on the web so I opened the computer and physically removed the drive by unscrewing the superdrive cover. After doing that I replaced the screws and reassembled the computer. I was unable to start it and I eventually removed the superdrive. It's now not in the computer.
Since opening the computer, removing the disc and reassembling the computer I've had similar symptoms with or without the superdrive installed. They are as follows:
Start the computer
The LED comes on
The boot chime sounds
The screen stays dark
The LED goes off about 7 seconds after the boot chime and the computer is apparently shut down.
I can change the behavior by holding down the shift or control keys (perhaps other keys as well). In this case shortly after the boot chime sounds the grey screen comes on and the circle begins to spin. Then the LED goes off and the computer shuts down. The total time between the chime and the LED going off is still about 7 seconds.
Any thoughts?

OK. The PRAM battery's replaced and the computer reassembled but the behavior is the same. Any further thoughts?

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These instructions must be carried out as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
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When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.
Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.
Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
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Hi BDAqua,
I just did the repair as you suggested. T ran the disc repair, and twice it cam back, the volume macintosh seems ti be okay, I also ran the verify and permissions repair, both came back okay.
I was actually hoping that they would find something, so they could repair. I shut the computer down, and restated with out holding a key, and I started up great. I'm baffled. I have moved 20 GB to an external hard drive, as I only had 10% open space.
I have Tech Tool 6, would you recommend to run a repair check on that, or just leave well enough alone.
I agree with you on the new Mac's, I have problems with no disc for back up, until they realize their mistake I will stay with Snow a Leopard. This is the first problem I have experienced, so I can't complain. Their last programs are not as perfected as under Steve, prior to his handling over the reins, hope this is not going to be the future we can expect from Apple.
I will wait to here back as to your suggestion regarding the Tech Tool check
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http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
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Ciao.

Won't boot; shuts down

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