MacBook won't start - shows flashing folder icon with question mark

When I attempted a Spotlight search, my MacBook froze. I shut it down, and when I start again I get the sound, the blue screen, and then a flashing folder icon with a question mark. I tried starting with Option pressed down; didn't work, and now I don't even get the flashing folder icon, just the blue screen. Any suggestions?

The flashing folder with question mark means the computer can't find a working OS on the computer. This may mean your hard drive has failed.
Try holding the Shift key while starting up the machine. This puts the machine into Safe Mode.
If you have your install discs, insert Install Disc 1 and start up the computer while holding down the C key. When the Installer has loaded, choose a language. From the Utilities menu, choose *Disk Utility*. Does your hard drive show up here? If so, click on its icon (the one with manufacturer name & capacity, NOT "Macintosh HD"), and then click on the *Repair Disk* button.
If booting in Safe mode doesn't help or you don't have your install discs, you need to bring the computer to an Apple store and have the folks there look. If Disk Utility doesn't list your hard drive, it has very likely failed and will need to be replaced. If your machine is out of warranty, you're better off replacing it yourself, as it's very easy to do.
~Lyssa

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    hi . i have Intel based iMac. i erased whole hard disk. now it flashes folder icon with question mark... i have no internet or orginal dvd.... i want to clean install any mac osx..friend got mac book pro and osx in dmg format . what are my options?

    On your friend's computer with an internet connection, log into the Mac App Store with your ID and download Yosemite from the Purchases section of the Mac App Store. The make a bootable USB install media using
    http://liondiskmaker.com/
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  • Flashing folder icons with question mark

    After reading through the forums I've found a few discussions and users that have similar problems as me but haven't seen anything that deals directly with my issues.
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    Chank wrote:
    After reading through the forums I've found a few discussions and users that have similar problems as me but haven't seen anything that deals directly with my issues.
    After upgrading to Leopard last night, it ran sluggishly for about 15 minutes. I got impatient and decided to restart.
    The "sluggishness" is perfectly normal. It's well-known and it is not an issue.
    You should have waited for spotlight to finish indexing.
    You may have broken some links by forcing a shutdown while things were still being setup.
    Which install method did you use, upgrade, archive or erase?

  • Help ! Flashing folder icon with question mark when starting up

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  • Flashing Folder icon with Question Mark

    While trying Garage Band, I saved a project 'the long way' so as to open it via the Media Browser. Big mistake. Enter rainbow ball of ****.
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  • Flashing folder icon with question mark in the middle of the folder

    LLashing folder icon with a question mark in middle of folder on startup

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  • White screen with flashing file icon with question mark mean

    What does this mean.   We are getting a white screen with flashing file icon with question mark inside the file. 

    It almost certainly means it can't find a bootable volume (one with OS X on it).
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    Read this to diagnose it before resorting to reinstalling the OS:
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    Additional steps
    If your Mac still starts to a flashing question mark, follow the steps below. If any step resolves the issue, you don't need to continue to the next one.
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    I booted from the Mac OS X Install disk and opened the Disk Utility.
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  • My MacBook won't boot past the grey screen showing a folder sign with question mark, My MacBook won't boot past the grey screen showing a folder sign with question mark, My MacBook won't boot past the grey screen showing a folder sign with question mark

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    AJ

    If you try booting your Mac holding down the Option key, you should see the icon for Macintosh HD. Try selecting that to boot. If you can get in that way, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and select your Mac HD, then click Restart.
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  • MacBook shows folder icon with Question mark on boot up still boots fine

    Just this morning when I booted up my MacBook, I noticed the infamous folder icon with a question mark flashed up on the screen once, then the normal apple icon appeared and the computer booted normally. I ran Disk Utility, Disk Warrior, Hardware Check, etc. and found no errors.
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    Apparently, the computer cannot find the HD to boot up AT FIRST. After that, it could suddenly find it. The worst thing that can happen is that you need to backup and reformat your HD.

  • TS1440 When booting up, grey screen with a 'folder icon' with 'question mark' flashes?

    When I boot up, a grey screen appears with a folder icon with a question mark inside it. The Mac won't respond to and commands or anything, only the On/Off Power button.
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    Did you follow this procedure?
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  • Flashing File Icon with Question Mark Upon Start-Up

    Today when I went to use my computer (which was already on) it went blank and then came up with a gray screen with a flashing file icon with a question mark in the middle of it. I have already troubleshot things with several forums online and nothing has worked. I have tried to restart in Safe mode, single user mode, verbose mode, and tried to get on using my option key which got me to an internet login screen finally. I tried to log in and eventually got to an apply.com/support screen with -1007f underneath. I am not 100% which operating system I am on. I know that it is Mac OS X and pretty recent. Please respond if you can help!

    Reset the SMC and PRAM
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      About NVRAM and PRAM
    To boot from DVD:
    Press C during startup
    Start up from a bootable CD, DVD, or USB thumb drive (such as OS X install media).

  • Blue folder icon with question mark at start-up

    Hi all!
    I've read the previous threads and posts and didn't really find any other user who has this problem.. I'm new here and yes I'm freaking out.
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    thanks

    Installing a free app called Smartreporter [http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/23232] will monitor your hard drive and warn you when it's failing.
    You do not have to buy a drive from Apple, there are many good, less expensive ones on the market, [macsales.com] is a great source.
    Good luck and you're welcome,

  • Folder icon with question mark?

    I turned my computer on yesterday and it wasn't powering on as usual. First the grey-blue screen stays on forever and then this flashing folder icon appears with a question mark. I am not able to log on or start up any operations.
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    Hi Radhika Rao,
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    If after you follow Mort suggestion, your HD is not showing up like Meki case, then Kane is right that your HD is failed. But if you manage to repair disk and still you cannot boot from it, you might need to reinstall the OS X, just installed using archieve and install option.
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    http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/macbook/
    Good Luck.

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