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Not exactly the question you had in mind?
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Sounds like you need to run Verify Disk using Disk Utility to check for drive corruption. While you have Disk Utility open, check the S.M.A.R.T. status. If it reads anything but "verified", your drive is failing. Also, while you have Disk Utility open, run Repair Permissions.
Once you have done that, run the Hardware Test as per my last link.
Also make sure the hard drive has at least 15% free space. Macs don't run well with less.
Could you advise as to the particular problems you are having? We may be able to point you in a specific direction.
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P.P.S, if Disk Utility detects directory corruption, try restarting with a safe boot by holding down the shift key. This will automatically run the Mac equivalent of CHKDSK. Once booted, run Verify Disk again to see if the directory corruption has been remedied.
strung
There is also third party diagnostic software available, such a TechToolPro http://www.micromat.com/techtoolpro but quite honestly, I do not think it adds much to the existing Apple diagnostic software.
TechToolPro might be able to fix disk directory corruption that the built-in Apple tools cannot, but the better tool for that is DiskWarrior: http://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior/index.html
The free alternative, if Disk Utility cannot repair the drive, is to clone the drive to an external and reformat.
Unlike Windows, with a Mac it is almost never necessary to do that or to re-install the OS.