07-10-2011, 10:10 AM
Before doing anything else, I'd try a Safe Boot, restart normally and try those apps.
You state in your OP that apps are messed up. Why not just reinstall the OS over what you have? No personal data will disappear, but the system will be replaced.
You can then deal with each app that still misbehaves. The best way to start this is to pull the prefs for those apps from your Home Library onto the Desktop, and then launch the apps. Do this one app at a time. Reset the app prefs, and if that works, trash the corresponding pref on the Desktop.
Your problem is a good example of why Time Machine and current bootable backup drives for each Mac are wonderful resources to have.
You state in your OP that apps are messed up. Why not just reinstall the OS over what you have? No personal data will disappear, but the system will be replaced.
You can then deal with each app that still misbehaves. The best way to start this is to pull the prefs for those apps from your Home Library onto the Desktop, and then launch the apps. Do this one app at a time. Reset the app prefs, and if that works, trash the corresponding pref on the Desktop.
Your problem is a good example of why Time Machine and current bootable backup drives for each Mac are wonderful resources to have.