Flashing folder with question mark on start up + many other issues

About 6 months ago I first encountered the flashing folder with question mark on startup. I fixed the issue myself by unplugging the mouse and keyboard and rebooting. I also did the cmd S fsck -fy before that and all was well.
The other day I had the flashing folder again...I got it going a couple of times but it happened again. Right now I seem to be in deep trouble. Please read the following:
1. I booted up from the leopard dvd and no hard drive was there to run a disk utility on
2. Booted up again from the dvd and hard drive was there. Ran the disk utility and everything was fine...for about 5 minutes. Then the computer froze and I had to hard power down. Rebooted to the flashing folder.
3. Did command s and fsck but at the end I get the message failed to issue comm reset after 3 attempts.....failing....
4. I powered down, vacuumed out the vents, sprayed compressed air to make sure it wasn't over heating from dust buildup as I read somewhere.
5. Booted up...worked for about 5 minutes again.
6. Now I can't get to the hard drive from the install dvd at all...I tried 100 times. Cmd s won't work at all!! So it looks like I am out of options. Does anyone have ny radical solutions that i can try to fix this. There are some very important things on my hard drive that I would be very upset about loosing.
Please reply

Sorry to bear bad news, but most likely the drive is already dead or dying. I hope you backed up everything when the first symptoms appeared.
There are data recovery services, but might be very expensive.
EDIT: Some (a few) people have had success putting the drive (sealed very well in a plastic baggy) in the freezer overnight and then quickly putting it in an external enclosure and getting the data off it that way.
Message was edited by: WZZZ

Similar Messages

  • Flashing folder with question mark at Startup

    Here is what I know so far.
    - The computer was powered off by pushing the power button without shutting down.
    - The computer was then restarted and it was coming into the white screen with the Apple logo in the middle, but i noticed that it was skewed slightly (like someone took a 4:3 ratio screen and stretched it to a 16:9) and then it would show a circle slash icon and then the flashing folder with a question mark on it.
    - It would not come up in single user mode (Command + S) and it said that there was an error loading kernel 'mach_kernel'
    - It would not come up in safe mode (Shift)(The flashing folder came up again)
    - I reset the PRAM (Command + Option + p + r) and it seemed to fix the problem with the stretched screen but did not help the boot situation (still got flashing folder)
    - I did the start up where you can select the hard drive to boot with, it owed the HD and i selected it, but then i got the flashing folder with question mark.
    - It would not come up in Verbose Mode (Command V) Error loading Kernel again.
    - I bought a FireWire cable and hooked it to another MacBook Pro, and booted the faulty Mac into Target Disk Mode, the FireWire logo came up on the screen and bounced around like all forums said that it would, but the drive would not show up on my host. I checked the System Profiler on the host and it did acknowledge the Target Disk Mode was there, but the drive of the target would not show up on the host. I restarted the host, nothing. I checked all of the connections, nothing. I replugged all of the connections, nothing. I even reversed the FireWire cable, nothing.
    - I have DiskWarrior 4 if i can get the drive to show up in TDM, but nothing so far.
    Does anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks for your help guys. I managed to get the computer started by holding down C at the Start Up with the Install Disc 1 in the computer. The disc was really kindof unnecessary, as the newest version of Mac OS X (10.4.10) became available via the hard drive.
    I then found out that the battery was not installed, so I reset the management system by removing the A/C power, the battery and pushing the power button for 5 seconds, and then reconnecting everything. It did not help, the battery is bad i guess, so I am going to call AppleCare and get a new battery.
    Thanks for your help.

  • Flashing folder with question mark comes up at startup?

    it was working fine 3 days ago i try start it up and a Flashing folder with question mark.
    It has mountain lion i try to boot to recovery Part but when i hold the Option key nonthing show up.
    If some can tell me what else i can.

    restart holding command R  if it can not find a Recovery partition it will do a Internet Recovery.
    Run diskUtility "repair disk" from the recovery.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

  • HT1366 How to fix Flashing Folder with Question Mark on Mac

    How to fix Flashing Folder with Question Mark on Mac

    RichardEL is probably correct.  I’ll go through your questions.
    > there is no Mac OS partition, I assume it would be directly underneath the HD on the left?
    I have not seen this particular condition where the hardware disk icon appears but the system volume that is supposed to be below it does not.  The System Disk partition would be below the HD icon indented to the right.  It is usually called “Macintosh HD” unless you renamed it.
    > when I go into disk utility my HD appears on the left, but I can repair or verify it
    Odd.  It appears but you cannot manipulate it with Disk Utility.
    > The S.M.A.R.T status reads verified
    If it did not say Verified then it would indicate a problem.  Saying Verified does not rule out problems but I think it indicates it is still breathing.
    > Is the HD deceased?
    If you booted the Recovery Partition (Boot, Command-R), which it sounds like you did, then at least part of the disk is still breathing.  If it took a long time to boot then that may have been a Network Recovery boot which would indicate the disk is very sick or dead.
    >  [If I] restore from time machine [will] everything will be back as it was before?
    Yes.  That is the beauty of Time Machine.  All your data, applications, and system preferences will be as they were as of the last backup.
    > I was thinking of erasing the HD, would this be of any help or do I just need a new one?
    Given what you reported from the Disk Utility steps you took it is unclear to me if there will be a way to repair the current volume, if you can erase and install from scratch or if you need a new disk.  Before proceeding it may be useful to have an expert at an Apple store look at it for you.  They may be able to revive it without a clean install or new disk.
    As was the case above, it could be a good disk with a bad cable in which case a new disk is not going to help.  To test this you can purchase an inexpensive external enclosure, remove the internal disk, place it in the enclosure, plug it in and then use Boot-Option to attempt to boot from the now external disk.  Here are links to the screwdrivers and enclosure you would need.
    $5 Toolkit: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TOOLKITMHD/
    $22 USB 3.0 enclosure: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/ES2.5BU3W/
    If you attempt a clean install, use the Partition tab to repartition the disk, selecting one partition and with “Options…” electing a GUID partition.  Then use the Erase tab, select “Security Options…” and set it to write a single pass of zeros.  This will write to every sector to map out bad blocks.  (If you have an SSD do not write a pass of zeros.)
    If you do need to replace it I recommend an new inexpensive (~$100) and super-fast hybrid SSHD drive that has an 8 GB SSD cache that makes the data fly.  Google “Seagate 1 TB hybrid SSHD”.

  • Flashing Folder with Question Mark after Trackpad 1.0 Update

    My machine won't boot after installing this update. I get the flashing folder with question mark and can't even boot from the Install DVD either... I just get a frozen spinney wheel at the Apple Logo screen. I've tried resetting the PRAM and everything else that a Googling of the problem suggests. This update bricked my Macbook!!!!
    Anybody else having this problem? Anybody have any suggestions or am I stuck with going to see a "genius"?

    I've not seen any other posts about it causing problems, worked fine here. You've tried resetting the PRAM the only other thing you could try is:
    Boot holding down Apple/S and don't let go until you see scrolling text.
    When that stops and you see a root#: prompt enter
    fsck -fy
    Let it run through all the checks and repairs.
    If it fails first time, at any time, or finds and fixes a fault - run the command again and keep doing so (some fixes can take several passes) until it says "Appears to be OK" then enter
    reboot

  • Flashing folder with question mark only on sartup.

    Flashing folder with question mark only on sartup. Won't recognise ANY startup key commands (tried different keyboards) and won't recognise OSX startup disk. Any ideas??

    The first thing I'd do is look at the silver side of the SL installation disc and check for finger prints or scratches and gently clean the disc with a lint free cloth. Also, instead of formatting the hard drive it would be worth deleting the partition(s) and repartitioning.

  • Flashing folder with question mark on screen

    flashing folder with question mark on screen

    This is the first time I have joined the support forum for MacBook - I tried the after Power Off - then while you turn it back on again your hold the "Command + R" - This has worked for some people - this was obtained on YouTube - see www.youtube.com/watch?v=flv2ebQMMtE.  This however, did not work for me.  I remember having a problem with my PC a few years ago - when I experienced something like this on it.  I fixed it by taking out the battery.  I was going to check the cable between the hard drive and the motherboard to make sure it was secure.  I removed the Battery on my MacBook - blew it off, and put it back in again and surprisingly it booted up normally.  Thanked the Lord for the quick fix.  Back to Normal. 

  • Flashing folder with question mark (MacMini)

    Hi there,
    I diagnose my Mac Mini (1.83Ghz, Intel Mac) and know that the HDD is failing, so I decide to change the HDD before the HDD totally fail.
    But after I change the new HDD, and trying to install the OS back to the new HDD, I get a flashing folder icon with question mark in it, when I boot it up and press on the C key to boot from CD.  So I decide to take the new HDD back out, put in an external enclosure to make sure that the new HDD is not a bad one, and I can read fine with it inside the enclosure, put it back in the Mac Mini, still the same old flashing icon.
    What happen?  Could someone help me please?
    Thanks!

    Hi Everyone,
    Just for future reference for anyone who encounter this same problem, the reason that I go the flashing folder with question mark is first of all, the MacMini doesn't recognize the new hard drive.  No doubt about that since the hard drive has no OS and not formatted yet.  Second of all, it's because I don't have the correct Installer CD put in.  I didn't know if there's any difference in the Installer CD between PowerPC MacMini and Intel MacMini, but obviously there is, since the Intel MacMini doesn't recognize the PowerPC Installer CD.
    After putting the correct Installer CD in, everything works just the way it should.
    Thanks for all your help, everyone!
    - NyCCD

  • Hard disc dead??? flickering folder with question mark on start up

    I get a flickering folder with question mark on start up, and i cant get into mac osx.
    I tried the hardware test and it detected no problems. Ive tried to do an install with the disc but no harddisc was detected to install it on.
    I cant believe my harddisc is broken all my work is gone (backing doesnt help with configurations etc)

    I know many of you don't understand english. Basicly what the articel tells us is that there is a problem with the harddrive due to a contruction caused error.
    I would say please do something about it. Start a program to solve this problem
    Thank you very much (my seagate still works, lets see for how long!!!
    Der Festplatten- und Datenrettungsspezialist Retrodata aus der englischen Grafschaft Hampshire gibt eine beunruhigende Warnung an MacBook-Besitzer heraus. Apple-Notebooks, in denen ab Werk Seagate-Festplatten arbeiten, sind nach seinen Untersuchungen mit einem Fabrikationsfehler konfrontiert, der zum Totalausfall der Festplatte mit einhergehendem Datenverlust führen kann.
    Nach eigenen Angaben erhält der Spezialist eine Vielzahl dieser ausgefallenen Platten zur Wiederherstellung von Daten. Die Untersuchungen von Retrodata zeigen, dass der Schreib-Lesekopf der Festplatte mechanisch ausfällt. Dies führt dem Spezialisten nach zu tiefen Kratzern auf der Oberfläche der magnetischen Scheiben mit entsprechenden Datenverlusten.
    Anwender können schnell selbst feststellen, ob ihr MacBook gefährdet ist. Die betroffenen Segate-Platten sind ausgestattet mit der Firmware in Version 7.01. Zeigt der System-Profiler, zugänglich über den Befehl “Über diesen Mac… / Weitere Informationen” im Apfel-Menü, in der Kategorie Serial-ATA ein Laufwerk mit der Hersteller-Kennung ST und der Versionsnummer 7.01, dann besteht nach diesem Bericht ein hohes Ausfall-Risiko. Die Firma rät allen betroffenen Anwendern ein Backup der Daten anzulegen und umgehend ihren Händler zu kontaktieren.

  • Netboot will not working, getting globe, then flashing folder with question mark.

    I just created a netboot image which went off without any problems.  I copied the two .nbi folders to my NetBootSP0 folder, and enabled them within netboot.  My OS X server which is my netboot server and dhcp server.  When I boot using N or Option N, I get the flashing globe for several seconds, the request goes through to the server and gets ACK {SELECT} however a few more seconds after, I get the flashing folder and question mark before it does a normal boot.  I have read the other posts about DHCP and Subnets.  My server and and clients are all 255.255.0.0.  Any suggestions would be very helpful as I need this to work for several buildings. 

    This might work for some:
         I had the same problem of the netboot image not mounting/opening, spinning globe then booting back to the Mac HD on the client and it was only when I remembered that we had manually experimented with jumbo frame rates and the MTU settings for our 32TB RAID in the Hardware settings for Ethernet ports on our servers. I turned the settings back to "Automatic" and 1000baseT on, then the whole NetInstall and Neboot was working perfectly again.

  • Folder with Question Mark on Start-up/ DOS-like screen with errors now...

    Left my Mac Pro running last night, woke up to it being frozen (looked like it was
    in hibernation mode and wouldn't wake up).
    Forced a shut down from button on tower - on start-up, went gray screen
    with blinking folder with question mark.
    Inserted install disc 1 and held down 'C' - Went to choose your lang menu,
    I picked English, went to choose start-up disc. Options were the install
    disc and a network drive with a question mark. I picked drive with
    question mark.
    Computer looked like it was trying to restart, apple with loading circle
    spinning, and then blinked to a black screen that looked like DOS that was
    blinking error messages (one message was "diskOs2 undefined Oxe0030005")
    Any suggestions?
    Mac Pro   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    Was there a storm or outage that could have brought it down? for now it sounds like a kernel panic screen is what you are seeing. If you don't have a UPS, I wouldn't be w/o. Never know when one of those high winds will knock out power.
    You could try to do an SMC Reset and see.
    I assume you usually sleep the system and it doen't have trouble with wake from sleep, and you haven't altered the system (new hardware etc) in any way that would change that.

  • Flashing folder with question mark, apple logo, and do not enter symbol

    someone please help.
    i just took my imac to the apple centre and they erased everyhting and reset everything, and now it has just asked me to restart it so i did and now im stuck on flashing apple logo, flashing folder with quesiton mark inside, and a "do not enter" sort of symbol.
    please please please help, i cant go back to apple as i spent so much money already!

    Lion and Mtn Lion don't come on disks (the USB flash, AFAIK, is no longer available). You could boot into the recovery mode and reinstall. Details in Recovery and About Lion Recovery. Also, see the Internet Recovery.

  • Trying to start macbook air, getting a flashing folder with question mark. Cannot restart from USB recovery stick. HELP!

    Had to perform disc repair a couple of weeks ago and reinstall to defaults. At that time had spinning wheel when trying to start. Now have flashing folder icon with question mark, and cannot enter utilities or start from recovery USB. Totally stumped at this point.

    You have not mentioned whether or not you are following procedure to switch to a different boot disk. Try holding down the option key while booting, and then all possible bootable disks will display, and allow you to choose the USB drive.

  • Macbook wont start up FlASHING FOLDER with question mark.

    the other night my macbook froze.
    then i tried to restart it all it did was give me a grey screen
    with a flashing folder with a question mark inside it..
    it also made a clicking noise.. for what ive read its a
    hard drive problem????? does this mean ive lost all my
    information? cause thats pretty messed up that my computer
    just lost all its info.. randomly... i tried to put the mac osx cd..
    but nothing happens except it tries to reinstall itself..
    what should i do?

    Booting up from the cd allows you to use disk utility in the top menu to check your mac though. Pretty handy.
    Sometimes giving it a good check does the trick.
    Or booting up from the hardware test cd (think Tiger has it on the same cd as install cd and hold down d) Then you can really determine whats broken.

  • Flashing folder with question mark on the inside at  start up

    My macbook only has a flashing folder with a question mark in it and it clicks.

    Flashing questions mark indicates Nac can find a valid system to boot from.
    Clicking usually indicates a dead or dying hard drive.
    Do you have backup?
    Probably is time to take it to Apple Store to have them repair it for you.
    Allan

Maybe you are looking for

  • Mount USB Stick (Solved), SSHD (Solved), Root Logon (Still open)

    Sorry this is about 3 problems: 1. Already for longer time I can not login as root on one computer on the console. This machine has no X as it is a server. Access via SSH and console logon as other user works. One logged on I can use SU or sudo for r

  • Payment guarantee

    I maintain financial document by using Tcode vx11n, where can i see that particular amount?

  • How can I clear out my crash reports?

    Is there a way other than finding the right directory and deleting?

  • SUNWCuser on global zone, SUNWCreq on non-global zone

    Hello, is there anybody out there who knows how i can install a zone with different Software Cluster. By default, when my global-zone is installed with SUNWCuser (Recommended by SUN), my new zone is created with SUNWCuser too. But I want to install o

  • Registering Application Connection usage

    Hi All, I'm using Oracle 10 ojdbc library for creating cached connections, using OracleDataDource and OracleConnectionCacheManager class to handle pooling of connections. Our DB admin is currently having a hard time monitoring connections since there