Flashing folder at start-up, have I done all I can?

I really hope someone might be able to help with this cause I am getting frustrated beyond belief.
I have a MacBook Pro with Mavericks OS X 10.9. About a week ago it crashed while I was printing, first my desktop went gray while still displaying my desktop folders and then it froze. I manually shut it off and upon restart I got the flashing folder with a question mark.
so far my steps have been: (not completely in order)
Holding shift at start up - the screen stays grey and freezes (doesn't even get as far as the flashing folder)
Connecting my MacBook Pro to my old White Macbook (that is running Snow Leopard) via firewire and holding T during start up, though my MB Pro has the symbol for migration assistant, my White MB could not recognize it. (This was to test the hard drive and recover data)
I was able to access and copy my files when I connected my MB Pro to my White MB via a hard drive enclosure through the USB port.
(with hard drive back in my MB Pro) Holding command + R - continues into internet recovery mode
in disk utility through recovery mode - Disk0 and mac OS X base system are available
under base system / first aid / verify disk - I get an all green and no repairs are needed
under erase and restore - all options are grayed out
when closing out of the OS X Utilities window and going into start up disk - no disk is available
Reinstall OS X under Utilities widow - I am able to get though licensing agreement and then it stops on selecting the disk to install on because no disk options show up and there is no searching indicator or failed message.
holding D during start up and running the extensive hardware test. No problems were detected.
holding command + option + P + R during start up until the starting sound plays twice to reset NVRAM. It went right back to the flashing folder
holding command + S at start up for single-user mode and my laptop doesn't register, it goes straight back to the flashing folder
As far as I can tell, my hard drive is fine, all the files were available, there are no strange sounds while it is spinning and I am completely at a loss. Is there anything left for me to try?

My niece had the same problem. In case this helps anyone...
She has a MacBook Pro | 13-inch, Mid 2012 | Model A1278, running Yosemite. She has owned it for a little less than two years. Here were the symptoms:
Flashing folder with question mark after start up and chime. (Note that her Mac worked fine that morning.)
She was able to get into Internet Recovery, but after selecting Disk Utility, no hard drive disk displayed in the left pane.
I had her launch Terminal from Internet Recovery and check the drives listed under /Volumes/ and the hard drive didn't display there, either.
She was not able to boot in single user mode to launch fsck.
I figured it was either a bad hard drive, loose or bad cable.
I advised her to make a Genius Bar appointment to a diagnose the problem.
She had her appointment today and it turns out it was a bad cable. The cost was $60 for the replacement (and labor). Curious how often these cables malfunction.
I agree with mmblar... if you or someone you trust has technical skills and the tools, save yourself ~$30, purchase the cable from Amazon and do it yourself. This is not a particularly tough replacement. I would have helped her out, but I'm over 100 miles away and she couldn't wait.

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I accidentally pushed the power button of my macbookpro... it restarted but doesnt open... what appears now is a flashing FOLDER logo with a QUESTION MARK on it.. can someboby help me to fix this?

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(Assuming you don't have a firmware boot lock set)
First easy step...
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Hold until drive option images appear in a single row across the screen. Typically most people running 10.7 or 10.8 will see 2 drive options to boot from: the main volume they usually boot from, and a recovery volume. If your main volume pops up. Use the cursor or arrow keys to highlight/select the main volume and press enter. That should boot your main volume. Let me know what you get from this point... I'll give you more as you go along.

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I bought an iMac last year and now have a flashing folder on start up. I tried to reboot but am unclear about whether or not the time machine has backed up everything I have on there or how I can do it so I don't loose important data. Thanks in advance!

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If so...
"Try Disk Utility
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2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair Disk, (not Repair Permissions). Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
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If perchance you can't find your install Disc, at least try it from the Safe Boot part onward.
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Flashing folder at start up!!!!

Hi Guys
Just wondered if you could help on this one. Whilst in the middle of printing something, i shut down the Mac (intel running os 10. 4) by mistake. When i switched it back on the flashing folder thing happened. I've had this before and the guy at the apple store said that the mac could not find the os to run. He showed how to select the startup disc ect. So this time i did not do the usual thing of banging my head against the wall and biting my fingernails till they disappeared. Whilst trying to insert the cd whilst starting up, the thing sprung to life. Ah arrhh !!! Brilliant i thought mac fixed and did nt have to do anything sucess. Sadly i was wrong. Every time i shut down same problem. I had to press the cd eject button before it would start. I had my new copy of Leopard just arrived so i thought with high hopes that i would just install the new system and that would sort it out... Nope same thing happens. Any one got any ideas on how to help me on this!!!

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http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106178
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http://www.macmaps.com/directoryfaq.html
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Do you need a translation? Or do you understand what I am saying?
* Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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I just got my macbook air back from apple because my hard drive failed,
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Stephen ~ Welcome to the Support Communities. This Apple doc may help:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
...Found by searching here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=search

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Flashing folder at start-up, have I done all I can?

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