Apps keep quiting

Having a bit of a problem with a brand new MBP running 10.5.7

Basically got new laptop, migrated all my old files etc accross from old PB and now some applications just bounce in the dock but don't open at all. Some open and just quit (not crash) almost straight away. so far it's been: Word, Excel, PP, iserialreader, Mac OS Software Updater, some new disk utilities I just downloaded today - haven't tried all applications though.

So far I have tried: Restarting, deleting prefs, dumping cashes, reinstalling the OS, new user account, disk/permissions verifications (one or two probs but now repaired). 2 Helvecticas were conflicting - now been dumped. The old apps are still on my old laptop and this isn't happing on that (running 10.4.x) so how can it be the apps?

Console had this to say about the crashes/quits:

31/07/2009 21:11:34 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228]) Exited abnormally: Segmentation fault
31/07/2009 21:12:12 [0x0-0x2d02d].com.microsoft.Word[234] /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp[234] Launch failed with error code -2855 (cfragStdFolderErr) for application /Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft Word
31/07/2009 21:12:12 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2d02d].com.microsoft.Word[234]) Exited with exit code: 217
31/07/2009 21:12:20 [0x0-0x2e02e].com.microsoft.Excel[235] /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp[235] Launch failed with error code -2855 (cfragStdFolderErr) for application /Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft Excel
31/07/2009 21:12:20 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2e02e].com.microsoft.Excel[235]) Exited with exit code: 217
31/07/2009 21:12:20 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2e02e].com.microsoft.Excel[235]) Exited with exit code: 217
31/07/2009 21:12:29 [0x0-0x2f02f].com.microsoft.PowerPoint[237] /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Support/LaunchCFMApp[237] Launch failed with error code -2855 (cfragStdFolderErr) for application /Applications/Microsoft Office 2004/Microsoft PowerPoint
31/07/2009 21:12:29 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2f02f].com.microsoft.PowerPoint[237]) Exited with exit code: 217


And also:

31/07/2009 21:11:32 [0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228] iSerial Reader(228,0xa0710720) malloc: *** error for object 0x9e7200: non-page-aligned, non-allocated pointer being freed
31/07/2009 21:11:32 [0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228] *** set a breakpoint in malloc_error_break to debug
31/07/2009 21:11:32 [0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228] iSerial Reader(228,0xa0710720) malloc: *** error for object 0x1474f8c0: Non-aligned pointer being freed (2)
31/07/2009 21:11:32 [0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228] *** set a breakpoint in malloc_error_break to debug
31/07/2009 21:11:32 [0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228] *** set a breakpoint in malloc_error_break to debug
31/07/2009 21:11:34 com.apple.launchd[95] ([0x0-0x2b02b].iSerial Reader[228]) Exited abnormally: Segmentation fault

Has anyone any ideas please? Bloody thing is only a week old!

I remember when I was getting a lot of apps crashing and kernel panics, my memory was bad. I had to replace the RAM, but the RAM I replaced was not Apple's, it was Gskill or something like that.

Maybe try to do the transfer one more time to see if this happens again?

I really hope it's not that! Maybe I could give it one more go - I haven't done to much to it to lose settings or anything.

The latest is now a bus error
31/07/2009 22:46:32 com.apple.launchd[80] ([0x0-0x5e05e].iSerial Reader[857]) Exited abnormally: Bus error

I understand that its memory the CPU can't access but is that specifically RAM related? As in bad RAM?

It does happen some applications will need re-installing and migrating does not work 100% alas.

Clean install is always so much smoother.

Aha - tried creating another account (last resort) and it worked! So getting somewhere I hope!

Now - why did that work and should I copy over my (old account) to that one and delete the original? Or can I do that - it being the main admin one?
Thanks a million for the help.

Harry I think you're right - migrating is great in theory but had a few other probs with Adobe Updaters, printers needing to be reinstalled etc.

You're getting a few Segmentation Faults which usually have to do with memory. Read this if you want the nitty gritty. Have you ever changed your memory or are you using stock memory? I also agree with harryb2448 - it appears that clean installs are a much wiser choice.

You should also get rid of iSerial Reader - getting serials this way isn't legal.

It's a brand new Mac - straight out of the box, so if it's a memory fault already I'll be returning it.

Lost the documentation for a program moving house lately - I know I should keep these things safe but hindsight is wonderful!

Try a clean install, backing up all of your data first. Install everything fresh again. If the problem persists, report back. If not, it could be a result of a bad install earlier.

Success - well I hope it stays like that now! After a long long day of wiping, reinstalling, copying and setting up it now seems to be fine. I'm sure I'll find out. I suppose the moral of the story is that migrating doesn't always work.

Thanks so much for all your help

LOL told ya that seven posts ago.

As a suggestion burn to a DVD+RW disc programs you download and updates to programs such as Toast, MS Word etc etc and it will all be at your fingertips for the next clean install.

And believe you me Mia there will be another install...again...and again...