"Couldn't access Zimbra Desktop server" OS X 10.5.8

[snowshed]

I was doing some sharing and permissions settings changes using the "Apply to enclosed items" a few days ago, and 10.5.8 somehow managed to mess things up to a point that the computer would not boot.

I had a blank, 2nd partition on the hard drive. I had to erase that partition, even though it was empty, to get OS X to install there, with the idea of trying to locate the problem on the 1st partition

After transferring the settings to partition 2, Zimbra Desktop 1.0.4 would not run, I received the error "Couldn't access Zimbra Desktop server". It also won't uninstall, but that's 99.9% likely to be my mistake. I also can't install over the old installation either.

I decided to install beta 2 in the 2nd partition. But I get the same error.

Anyone have a solution to this, so I can get back to doing email? Eventually, I do want to be booting from partition 1.