I have a white MacBook. I just changed out the hard drive with a 500GB. When I turn it on I get a file fold with a ? In the middle that flashes. What do I do next?

I have a white MacBook and I just changed out the hard drive with a 500GB. When I turn it on I get a file fold with a ? In the middle that flashes. What do I do next?

Clean Install of Snow Leopard
Be sure to make a backup first because the following procedure will erase
the drive and everything on it.
     1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came
         with your computer.  Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.
         After the chime press and hold down the  "C" key.  Release the key when you see
         a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.
     2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue
         button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
         After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive
         size.)  Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.  Set the number of
         partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button
         and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended
         (Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.
     3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed
         with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.
     4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup
         Assistant. Be sure you configure your initial admin account with the exact same
         username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup
         Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh
         install of OS X.  You can now begin the update process by opening Software
         Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your installation current.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

Similar Messages

  • Macbook air mid 2013, I erased my HD and while downloading the OS screen went of and when I switched back on I get a file icon with a question mark.

    I erased my HD and while downloading a new screen went of.When I switched on again there was a file icon with a question mark

    restart holding down command+r, you'll be able to reinstall your OS here

  • I have iMovie 09. I just erased my external hard drive, but it is still formatted for the mac. However, iMovie will not recognize the hard drive. It shows the only hard drive available is the computers. How do I get the external hard drive to show up?

    I have iMovie 09. I just erased my external hard drive, but it is still formatted for the mac. However, iMovie will not recognize the hard drive. It shows the only hard drive available is the computers. How do I get the external hard drive to show up?

    In Finder's Menu, select Go menu>Go to Folder, and go to "/volumes". (no quotes)
    Volumes is where an alias to your hard drive ("/" at boot) is placed at startup, and where all the "mount points" for auxiliary drives are created for you to access them. This folder is normally hidden from view.
    Drives with an extra 1 on the end have a side-effect of mounting a drive with the same name as the system already think exists. Try trashing the duplicates with a 1 or 2 if there are no real files in them, and reboot.
    If it does contain data...
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2474

  • My MacBook Pro is not recognizing my external hard drive.  The hard drive is listed in disk utilities but an icon does not pop up and I cannot access the data.  Is there any way to resolve this?

    My MacBook Pro is not recognizing my external hard drive.  The hard drive is listed in disk utilities but an icon does not pop up and I cannot access the data.  Is there any way to resolve this?

    WE know Disk Warrior is more reliable, hence more useful, and should be in any disk mechanics toolchest.
    For the record, I don't know anything of the kind. I have yet to see evidence that Disk Warrior is useful at all.
    What I do know is that you seem to take every opportunity you get to promote it in these forums. Do you work for Alsoft?
    Let me be a little more explicit. My opinion is that Disk Warrior is a waste of money if one has backups. If a journaled HFS directory is so badly corrupted that it can't be repaired by Disk Utility, then the volume should be reformatted and restored from backup, which has the same effect as running DW, but is probably faster and doesn't cost $99.

  • I got a new phone, I also changed out my hard drive in Mac. Missing auiobooks.

    I got a new phone, I also changed out my hard drive in my mac. Both were backed up. The phone was backed up first to the hard drive and then the hard drive to another source. Anyway, I am now missing hundreds of dollars worth of audio books. How can I revoer the old books without losing the new books I've bought and the documents created since the change? Thanks for the help.

    Restore the data from the backups.

  • My macbook 15 inch wont turn on, it makes the hard drive sound and then a few seconds later it sounds like its powering down with like a clicking noise

    my macbook 15 inch wont turn on, it makes the hard drive sound and then a few seconds later it sounds like its powering down with like a clicking noise

    Try Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
    If that doesn't help, try Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
    If neither helped, boot from your install disc, run Disk Utillity. The startup disk may need repairing.
    Using Disk Utility to verify or repair disks
    Check the S.M.A.R.T. status at the bottom of the Disk Utility window.
    Make sure it says: Verified

  • When do I put in the OS X install disc when I change out my hard drive?

    I am installing a new 500gb hard drive into my Macbook.  I have found a lot of information here on the forums but there is still one question I have: When do I put the Snow Leopard disc in the optical drive, before I power off and install the new hard drive or after I have finished the install and have powered on?  I have also read that I will insert the disc in the optical drive while the computer is off. Wont this damage the drive?  Any help will be very appreciated.

    It's not clear what process you are following. See this:
    How to replace or upgrade a drive in a laptop
    Step One: Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    Step Two: Remove the old drive and install the new drive.  Place the old drive in an external USB enclosure.  You can buy one at OWC who is also a good vendor for drives.
    Step Three: Boot from the external drive.  Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears.  Select the icon for the external drive then click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Step Four: New Hard Drive Preparation
    1.  Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
    2. After DU loads select your new hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (for Intel Macs) or APM (for PPC Macs) then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
    Step Five: Clone the old drive to the new drive
    1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
    2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
    3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
    4. Check the box labeled Erase destination.
    5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
    6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
    7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    Destination means the new internal drive. Source means the old external drive.
    Step Six: Open the Startup Disk preferences and select the new internal volume.  Click on the Restart button.  You should boot from the new drive.  Eject the external drive and disconnect it from the computer.

  • Time machine restore-just got a new hard drive, used migration assistant to restore to time machine but cannot find files.

    Sounds like i have a similar story to another user out there.  5 year old dropped my computer and hard drive was gone.
    I just got a new hard drive and used Go-utilities-migration assistant to restore with time machine-- it
    took several hours and seemed to be doing ok, but when done none of the files/photos/ect are available?
    I did however find a back up on my Time machine labeled "sparse bundle"?
    How do i get my files restored on my computer? Thanks!

    Try restoring the specific files.
    http://pondini.org/TM/15.html

  • Hey all - just found out my hard drive controller is gone for my macbook pro how do i go about replacing - can i buy the part online etc?

    hey all - i need to replace my macbook pro hard drive controller - not sure exactly what to ask for or where to find it..
    help please.

    adrianfromfort lauderdale wrote:
    hey all - i need to replace my macbook pro hard drive controller - not sure exactly what to ask for or where to find it..
    help please.
    Take a photo of the losing parts and send it to  ifixit.com
    They will advise you what to get replaced.
    or you can bring it to Apple store (you need a booking slot) and get a quote.
    Regards,

  • Macbook will not boot. Locked hard drive. Blue screen when booting

    Hi, my little brother decided he wanted a few files off of my mac book, so he went to settings>sharing>file sharing and added my only hard drive to the list and tried removing everyone but his name and password thinking it would only effect people trying to log into my hard drive, not actually me on my computer alone trying to boot mac osx from it.
    He came crying to me telling me he paniced because he saw a locked icon on my hard drive and couldn't do anything, so tried to restart the macbook and now i just get a blue screen and nothing happens when i try booting it.
    Right now i'm thinking i gotta archive and reinstall from booting the osx disk, but i'm affraid it'll just apply the same settings again and keep me locked out. I need files off of my hard drive since i'm in school and have several assignments that i have not backed up at all.
    Any help would be greatly appreciated

    after searching the forums deeper i found the solution. it's now working. you may delete this thread.
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2087835

  • Changing out my hard drive

    So I bought a larger hard drive for my mac book Pro, what is the best way to simply take off the data on my current hard drive and move it to the new one once it's installed? ( I do have several FW externals to copy the data to)
    A friend mentioned Super Duper, btu I wanted to ask the forums before doing anything
    null

    Define hard? If you have the right tools, it's pretty easy - assuming you have a unibody MBP (you are posting in the unibody forums).
    Apple considers the HDD in the newest MBPs to be user-replaceable, because the HDD is accessed via the battery compartment. For the older generations of MBPs, the case had to be opened, so it was not considered user-replaceable.
    Apple provides instructions on replacing the HDD in the unibody MBPs. Here are Apple's instructions on replacing the HDD in a 17" unibody MBP. The instructions for the 15" unibody procedure are on p.38 of the User Guide.

  • On my macbook when I turn it on I get this gray screen with a circle that has a slash through it

    When I power/turn on my macbook with the power button I get this gray screen that has a circle with a slash through it. It then stays on this screen so i hit the power button to shut off and then turn back on and its there again then i power off and on one more time and it then powers up like normal and brings me to my login in screen where you type your password to sign in.

    The MBA is trying to tell you that it is not able to find a bootable system
    Either the file is corrupt or access to the storrage has failed
    I would start by seeing if it will boot with Command + R depressed

  • Im getting a file folder with a question mark on my apple powerbook g4  what can i do to get back into computer. i have no software cd

    i recently purchased online and no software was sent with computer.just wondering what i can do to get up an running

    Ask the seller for it, or phone AppleCare and order replacement disks, or buy a retail DVD which is newer than the computer but no newer than 10.5.6 from a source such as Amazon or eBay.
    (97223)

  • I have a new MacBook Pro, it has a small hard drive, can I plug an extra Hard Drive into my time capsule and access from my Macbook?

    I have saved my itunes Library to an exteranal drive, can I plug that drive into my Time Capsule and tell my itunes to access the music from there?
    TH

    Yes, but it's probably better to keep it connected directly to the computer.
    (104209)

  • Tried to install maverick killed my hard drive. tried to replace hard drive and reinstall earlier version. but when i reboot the computer i just get a file folder with a question mark.  what can i do to get ky mac up and running?

    not sure of my opions. any ideas

    Restart holding down cmd-opt-r. It will boot to Internet Recovery. From there you can reinstall the original shipping OS or restore from Time Machine.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4718

Maybe you are looking for

  • How to call a method in one JSP from another JSP?

    say that I have 2 JSPs. JSP one has a button. JSP two has some method that, say, find the square root of the number passed from JPS one. How to - when click - the button on page one call the method on page two? Please note that I can not use object b

  • I already have an itunes account with my old iphone 3gs

    Hi i have an itunes account with my old iphone 3gs, i am waiting delivery of a new iphone 3gs. Can i still continue to use my itunes account with the new phone? Or do i have to have a seprate account for that? 

  • Issue while creating location with database link

    Hi all, I am using OWB 10.2.0.4.0 (same Oracle DB version). I am trying to create a location using a database link. When I select the location which the database link is located (From location drop-down list), I face the following error. > ENV0036: T

  • Java crash while publish ios app

    Hi i hope im at right place writing this Anyway i was today going 2 publish my first iphone applications, to try it out. Was just an arrow you can turn with your finger, just to try it out. So i fixed everything on apples homepage (was not easy sins

  • Validation warnings with 'Are you Sure' option

    I have a page validation that is being checked once a submit is pressed. If the validation process fails, I want a pop-up window to ask, "Are you sure you still want to save this record?" with a Yes/No option instead of just a failure. Can this be do