Mbpro won't start up- get blinking question mark folder

help!!! think my macbook pro (1st gen, 17") has died- i get a blinking question mark folder when i boot up.
it's been having problems for a long while, so use it generally to record movies- which a bunch are still on there to export.
is there a resolve for this? would a new harddrive get it up and working again?
hoping i can recover the harddrive  to get data, but ok without it. just want it working again if possible.
thanks for the help!

The symptom you describe is usually a HDD problem or it could be an internal cable/connection problem.  If you have an external bootable HDD, employ it and see if you can access the internal HDD via Disk Utility and run First Aid.
Ciao.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
The above article may be useful.
Message was edited by: OGELTHORPE

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    Boot from your Snow Leopard 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 Utilities menu. 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.
    The main difference if you are using Lion or Mountain Lion is that you must first boot from the Recovery HD:
    Boot From The Recovery HD:
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Reinstall Snow Leopard Without Erasing The drive
    1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your Snow Leopard 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 Utilities menu. 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.
    2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
    If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer.  Proceed with reinstalling OS X.  Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files.  After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
    Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
    Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing The Drive
    Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
    When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. 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 main menu.
    Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

  • Blinking question mark folder and no HD?

    My macbook froze today and I had to restart. When I did so I got the blinking folder with a question mark.
    So I put in my installer disk and it shows my dvd but no hard drive. I'm in disc utility but with no hd recognized is there anything I can do?

    hi,
    I am having the same problem with my MacBook. ? With a folder and no hard drive. Apparently alot of people are having the same issue. Just from scanning some replies I noticed that no one really gets the problem. One, you can't repair permissions from the boot disc if the internal hard drive has no reconizable accses point. Two, you cannot run disc warrior from a boot DVD! When you run the boot DVD, disc utility finds no hard drive, so there are no premissions to repair. Seeing i started to experience this today, and so are a few people, there must be a problem with the most recent software update. Or... Dare I say... A mac virus? I dont know anythig about viruses so that's just speculation. But to see the same problem happen all at one to so many people makes me raise an eye brow or two.im just glad I have an iPhone. Otherwise I'd be screwed! If anyone has any answers please let me know. If anyone else is experiencing the same problem please post and let people know!

  • I changed my hard drive and when i turn on my laptop i just get a question marked folder.

    how do i fix this? how do i get my new harddrive to work with my computer so i can install the operating system? ive changed my harddrive from a 2009 macbook, and had no problems. it would load up and take me to a menu in which i would have to format the harddrive to work with the operating system and such. this time when i start up the computer with the new harddrive i just get the blue/grey screen and an opaque folder icon with a question mark on it. i assume that means it cant find the drive, but how do i fix this? ive checked to make sure that the sata connection is in poperly and that the harddrive is properly secured in its place.
    i have a 2nd gen macbook pro 15"
    thanks for the help

    heres what i did:
    i replaced the harddrive
    turned my mac on - got the image
    turned it off
    turned it back on and inserted the snow leopard disk - got the same image
    turned it off and back on but kept getting the same image.
    when i did it for my 2009 white macbook i did it with the snow leopard disk.
    i also tried to eject the disk but it wouldnt eject it. im currently on vacation and am nowhere near a macstore, so i cannot go to a genius bar. im also not the most computer savvy guy, but i know how to get my way around. anything else i can tell you to provide you with information on what ive done so far?

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