PCLinuxOS 2007 KDE 3.5.9. lost window decorations....?

Ok, here's the scoop: I made the colossal mistake up going into Synaptic and checking updates to the screen saver apps already showing installed but having those updates to add. During installation of the updates I got an Error msg that stated over and over again that it could not connect with the debian and internode mirrors. After that is when it lost lost some of the window decorations. E.G.: Window Boarders, the _ , minimize/maximize box and the red X up at the right hand upper corner of the window. This occurs in ALL windows no matter where one navigates or what mode one is in.

Also, a couple of games come up in a minimized window that is totally unmovable. The clock, clipboard and volume icons are missing from the task-bar as well. I also lost some of the screen savers...one of which is the clock one that I like to use.

The last time this sort of thing happened, the guys at my local LUG couldn't do anything with it and I had to do a clean re-install losing the data I had accumulated up to that point. I'd rather not go that route again I can help it.

I *can* still navigate by using the words at the top of the windows. Thank heavens they are still there!

Any ideas?

***BTW: I'm sort of a nOOb that hasn't really gotten very far with CLI yet, so please be gentle?