Horrible problem, iMac wont start up, OSX is corrupted some how.

[The Final Cut]

Ok so I have an 8800 GS imac, 3.06 intel core 2, 4 gigs ram. Running snow lepord. I need to resolve an issue where I can not get into OSX. At first I got error messeges saying my external HDD could not read, now it looks like its my primary drive because when I restarted I got the progress bar under the apple logo, indicating that something is wrong with the OS. The bar when to full 100% but then I got stuck at never ending spinning wheel. I restarted and no more progress bar but still the spining wheel of death. I really dont mind refomrating its just that I had some important text documents and other files that I cant get back without recoving them some how. How to proceed? I held down cmd v or s (i forgot) on startup and got a black screen with several problem statements. One reads the system boot strapper has crashed trace BPT trap. Im freaking out.

 

[cmaier]

Ok so I have an 8800 GS imac, 3.06 intel core 2, 4 gigs ram. Running snow lepord. I need to resolve an issue where I can not get into OSX. At first I got error messeges saying my external HDD could not read, now it looks like its my primary drive because when I restarted I got the progress bar under the apple logo, indicating that something is wrong with the OS. The bar when to full 100% but then I got stuck at never ending spinning wheel. I restarted and no more progress bar but still the spining wheel of death. I really dont mind refomrating its just that I had some important text documents and other files that I cant get back without recoving them some how. How to proceed? I held down cmd v on startup and got a black screen with several problem statements. Im freaking out.

First, I assume you tried disconnecting your external drive and booting?

Try booting from the install DVD.