QUESTION MARK ON MACBOOK PRO

HI
I am currently having issues in clearing the question mark. I have tried rebooting using the net but i can not locate the download disc space. And i have tried using the command button but nothing is working

Solution may be found if you search in the "More Like This" section over in the right column.
Which os version are you using?

Similar Messages

HT3964 have a flashing question mark on macbook pro

have a flashing question mark on macbook pro, what do I do?

Try to boot with the command and R keys depressed.
If it boots start Disk Utility and repair the system partition.
Allan

A few questions about my MacBook Pro?

Hey guys, I have a few questions about Virtual Machines and a few other random questions.
1. Which one is the most "complete" in its features when compared to a plain install of Win. 7?
2. Which VM should I purchase?
I have a 15" late 2012 MacBook Pro with a 2.6 ghz intel i7, 16gb ram and a 256gb SSD. (I was planning on running it off of an external hard drive— if that is possible)
3. I have 206.12 GB of 255.2 GB free— should I just use boot camp instead?
4. If I use Boot Camp, do I have to delete the data that's on my Mac currently to install Win. 7 or can I partition my current drive and keep my data?
5. What is the "other" data that's taking up 25.51 GB of space on my SSD? (I have the same problem on my iPhone, but that's a different problem.)
Thank you very much.

You posted your Boot Camp questions in the MacBook Pro forum. Try asking in the Boot Camp forum where the Boot Camp gurus hang out. https://discussions.apple.com/community/windows_software/boot_camp

What do I do when I get this Time Machine message? The backup disk image "/Volumes/Mark McConnell's Time Capsu/Mark's MacBook Pro.sparsebundle" is already in use.

What do I do when I get this Time Machine error message?
"The backup disk image “/Volumes/Mark McConnell's Time Capsu/Mark’s MacBook Pro.sparsebundle” is already in use."

Unplug your Time Capsule from power. Wait 10 seconds and then power it on again. When the light goes green try backing up again.

IN DESPERATE NEED FOR HELP flashing question mark appears MacBook

Hello everyone, I got this White MacBook Mac OS X 10.4.11 yesturday I was updating limewire and iTunes, I was downloading some songs from Limewire when all of a sudden my macbook frozed. I was not able to do a thing. Not even minimizing nor quiting the app nor even opening another aplication, so I decided to shut it down by holding the power button until it shut down (about 8 secs). So I restart my macbook and I got this grey=blank screen whit a flashing question mark on it. I've tried EVERYTHING on this link http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US even these one http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1533 and all I was able to accomplish, was to hold the mouse (/trackpad) button to eject a Cd, and while pressing Shift during startup (in order to start in Safe Boot mode) all I get is this lock image and this space to type a password. I've tried typing every password I know and I can't fix my macbook. Can anyone please help me out on this one?

It means certain system files needed for startup are corrupted. You will have to reinstall OS X. If your hard drive is unaffected you can try the following:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing 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.) 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, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger) 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. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.

How do I get past question mark on macbook (mid 2007)?

Hello, I am trying to fix a Macbook 13" (mid 2007) for a friend. I believe the hard drive (120gb 5400rpm) had failed because I could hear the read/write heads clicking. It was also displaying a flashing folder with a question mark. I installed a WD Black 320gb 7200rpm drive (I no longer hear a clicking noise) but the system still displays a flashing folder with a question mark - which is understandable since there's no operating system installed. My problem is that after following the instructions I've read on the internet to boot from the DVD (turn on power while pressing the C key), I still cannot get past the flashing folder with a question mark. My friend gave me an OS X install DVD (Version 10.6.3 Snow Leopard) that he said he thinks came with the macbook. I doubt that it did, considering the date on the DVD is 2010 and additinal research indicates the original operating system should have been 10.4.9 or 10.4.10. Anyway, I've tried to get the macbook to boot from the DVD and while I can hear it momentarily spin up a couple of times, it eventually ejects the DVD. I'm not sure if I'm following the correct steps, the version of OS X on the DVD given to me is not compatible with this macbook, or there is something else wrong. I'm willing to try a few more things to install OS X before accepting defeat and giving it back, so any information would be appreciated.

A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac
Question (?) Mark, Blinking Folder, or Gray Screen at Startup
These are related but not identical issues. Their causes are outlined in Intel-based Mac- Startup sequence and error codes, symbols. Solutions may be found in:
A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
Mac OS X- Gray screen appears during startup
In most cases the problems may be caused by one or more of these:
a. Problem with the computer's PRAM - See Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM.
b. Boot drive's directory has been corrupted - Repair with Disk Utility.
c. Critical system files are damaged or deleted - Reinstall OS X.
d. The disk drive is physically non-functional - Replace the hard drive.
Note that the information I have provided is what Apple recommends, If other users suggest different solutions than found here, then be sure what they recommend does not impact on your warranty, if any, or ability to get continuing Apple service.
Please don't start removing drives or changing cables unless you know what you are doing and have exhausted other non-invasive alternatives outlined here. If you perform any work yourself that is unapproved by Apple, then you will void any warranty you may have and lose all further Apple Support.
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.
The main difference if you are using Lion or Mountain Lion is that you must first boot from the Recovery HD. Simply boot from the Recovery HD to perform the above.
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.

A question regarding a macbook pro i just bought

Hey, i have an imac 27'' that i use as my desktop computer (mainly for logic studio only), but i just bought a laptop so that i can produce music on the go, i purchased it second hand as my budget wasnt the biggest (15inch 2009 - i know its quite old but i properly checked it out before i bought it!)
The problem i have is my imac is on lion but this macbook pro is on mountain lion, due to a lot of the software i have not having updates for mountain lion yet i want to downgrade my macbook pro to lion only, i have done a lot of research and it seems i should do the follow (please correct me if i am wrong)
What i am doing now :
Backing up via time machine to a third party USB external hard drive
Then i plan to restore the macbook to its original settings - however - does anybody know the best way to do this so that it will take mountain lion off? When i try to install lion at the moment i get the error message that it cannot be completed because a newer version is installed?
I then plan to re load my time machine back up on to the mac book pro as the guy left some cool software on it for me (microsoft office, final cut etc.) - however i am wondering if this would interfere with my lion install and would it replace it with mountain lion?
Any advice would be greatly apprecaited! I know i have gone around the blocks with the question but my main thing is i want to take mountain lion off this computer, put lion on but not lose this software that the guy has left on for me
Thank you very much
Lockerz

Yeah he did. I have 2 disks, one says 15 inch macbook pro applications install DVD and the other says 15 inch macbook pro Mac OSX Install DVD however i put the osx install dvd in first and it just sat in the cd drive made a few noises as if it was turning around and ejected after a minute or 2
however i know the cd drive is working because i tested it out with cd/ dvd when i went to the guys house
do you have any clues on this maybe it can save me some time?
Thanks again

Questions about my MacBook Pro and Apple Support.

I was an early adopter of the Intel Mac Platform. Got my first Mac (my MacBook Pro) in April 06. It was not part of the battery recall, but I have had numerous problems. I cannot keep the machine running more than 3-5 hours without it shutting down or just locking up. The case has popped slightly (about 1mm) open on the front left. I cannot use the function keys for the heat. And I know that I need to use Apple Support, but let me tell you: I have not been impressed with Apple Support.
My Mac was sent back for "repair" in October, and returned to me less than 6 days later. When I received it, it had a preloaded user account (complete with password!) for a user (not me) that I didn't recognize. And still had the same heat/random shutdown symptoms. Upon calling Apple Support, I was told that there wasn't anything that could be done. In fact, on one phone call I was just flat-out told that I should "just go buy another one". I could go on at length about my experiences with Apple Support.
So here is my question:
Is there a magic phone number, person I can contact to actually get something done about this? I have had less than 3 total months of usable time on my Mac. (I have been dealing with Apple Support since last June.) Please help. I just want my Mac to work. I know that this is just a fluke; and that my woes are the exception, not the rule.
Thanks
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8)
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8)
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Your choices are to continue trying to work this out through your local Apple retailer or contact AppleCare directly.
There's little anyone here can do to help you. These Discussions are user-to-user help. All the available contact information is available by clicking on the Contact Support link at the bottom of this page.

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

Hi, I need some serious help immediately. I have been using an external hard disc to watch movies and stuff on my MacBook. However last night I removed the external hard disc accidentally without closing the programs that were still using the data from the hard disk and hence the complete MacBook got hanged and nothing responded. I tried using command Q to shut down the program buy it didn't help either. So finally I gave up and shut down the MacBook manually by pressing the power on/off button.
However when I tried restarting my MacBook I faced a serious problem. The start up won't boot beyond the grey screen showing a folder sign with a question mark sign in it .. I just don't know what to do. Somebody please help me and guide me through this problem
Awaiting quick response
Gratitude in advance
Regards
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.
If you can't see the Mac HD, the volume may indeed need repair as Niel said.

TS1440 Question Mark on MacBook Air

On my MacBook air, I cannot get the computer to start and get past a screen with a flashing question mark on it. I tried sticking in the USB for the OS X Lion but it won't work. Help!!

did you completley read the article that brought you here and try all the troubleshooting steps? If so and no luck, your ssd may have died.

MARKS ON MACBOOK PRO SCREEN

Hello i just recently (in dec 2010) got my first Macbook Pro, i love it and its a amazing computer and saying this i treat it VERY well, about 2 weeks ago i noticed odd shadow kind of marks in the center of my screen. can really only be seen when watching movies ect. and its darker. I tried cleaning it with just basic comp. screen cleaner but didnt even help the tiniest bit.
I wouldnt have done anything to mark it up? Would this be under my warranty??
Please help! Im very new to this!!

As your machine is well within warranty, there would be no harm in bringing it into an Apple store of Apple Authorized Service Provider to have them take a look. If there appears to be something on your screen which cannot be removed with a mild screen cleaner, there may be something wrong. The display itself is covered with glass, so it would be difficult to get something on there that would not easily come off. There may be something on the back of the glass or an issue with the display itself.

Questions before getting macbook pro. help please!!!

I'm planning to get a macbook pro and I have a few questions before doing so.
1. Is there a way to manually switch the graphics card to the NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT? As you all know the new macbook pros have 2 linked graphics cards and it will switch back and forth automatically depending on what you do, i.e. watching a movie or playing games would go to the 9600m GT card, whereas just browsing the internet would be on the 9400m card. I went to an Apple store and asked the people working there and they couldn't answer my question. One person said it was depending on the power saving and it always go to the better depending on what you do. Is there a way to manually switch it tho?
2. It's always nice to have the option of different OS's on the computer, so if I install Vista and Linux on there would the hardware work fine? When I say hardware I mean in terms of the graphics cards switching over automatically or manually, and if the backlit keyboard would work fine. The people working in the Apple store gave me 2 completely different answers because they're not sure about installing Vista or Linux. This would be using Bootcamp or another program... I don't intend on using Parallel at all.
3. One person from the Apple store said Linux is not support on Bootcamp, but I searched around online and saw people that were able to put Linux onto their macbooks. Can anyone enlighten me? Would everything work fine?
4. This next question is not related to Apple or macbooks. It's just a general question that I've had in mind. Do drivers or settings work properly/ok on different OS? Say if I got a mouse or keyboard that came with a program to change the settings [i.e. speed of mouse, and other options] and I switched over to another OS that I dualboot, would the settings stay the same on the other OS?
Tell me if you would like me to restate a question to make it easier to understand. Thanks for your help.

I was playing with the MBP in the Apple store and I did go to preference in attempt to switch to the 9600m gt graphics card. It seems to stay on the 9400m when you're just surfing the net, even if the settings are set to not save battery life so it's on higher performance. I'm looking to make it stay on the 9600m gt no matter what. Do you mind telling me how you manually switch? Where to go?
As for the auto-switch, the people working in the Apple store said it does automatically switch and detects what you're doing...

Questions about New Macbook Pro

1. I've heard this system gets hot, but is it only when gaming? I'll mostly be using this for web/chat and photo editing but am wondering if my legs would start to get warm or sweat by using it in say bed.
     1a. Can you keep the machine on your lap while playing games like World of Warcraft?
     1b. Do only parts of the laptop get hot, keeping where you place your hand or more importanly wrist(left 'awsd' keys) cool?
2. How much battery life do you get on average watching a movie(iTunes download or dvd) or just chatting/web?
3. I'd like to say money doesn't matter in this purchase but it does have an effect. Which are smart upgrades and which are things to stay away from?
     3a. 2.2GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 or 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7
     3b. 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm or 128GB Solid State Drive (Yes, I have read about a lot of the current SSD drives failing)
     3c. MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display or MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display
4. Is it smarter to buy Office and other products with the purchase of this Mac or can they be found for the same/lower price after it arrives?
5. Do most get the AppleCare Protection Plan? And if you have used it how good is the service?
6. Parallels or VMware Fusion?
Sorry for all the questions and/or the long read.. I've done a good bit of looking around for a new laptop and this one keeps popping up as a good choice. If it wasn't for the machine getting hot I might have already bought it.
Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Dan

AppleCare is NOT insurance. Insurance implies coverage with user accidents. AppleCare does not give this kind of insurance. It does give you warranty, which means any manufacturer defects it can detect that are not obviously usage, wear and tear. In addition, it gives you unlimited support for one flat fee for both Apple software issues and hardware issues related to the machine it is bought for. What this sort of support includes, is diagnosing any issues which may arise with the machine, and repairing any that are manufacturer defects. Other repairs will be at cost.
To answer your other questions:
2. How much battery life do you get on average watching a movie(iTunes download or dvd) or just chatting/web?
Movies, the maximum is probably around 2 hours on DVD, 3 to 4 hours from iTunes. The difference is that the DVD requires constant read from the optical drive, and decoding of the movie. With iTunes it is just the decoding.
3. Solid state drives are still in their infancy, and current documentation says that sensitive information should not be put on them. The problem is that there is no way to 100% erase the data on them. Antiglare screens are really the only way to do photography and capture the real color of what you are photographing. Yes, the glossy gives you truer blacks, but the glare you get offsets that benefit if there is anything beyond ambient light in the room.
4. Office is the same price either way. You get a demo version of Office when you buy your Mac. But unless you have a pressing need for 100% compatibility of Office documents, and can deal with the occasional hiccup (I've had none), http://www.neooffice.org/ can handle Excel, Powerpoint, and Word documents without issue. If you find you can't get what you need from that, then invest in Office. But at least give Neo Office, and http://docs.google.com/ a change before jumping into more costly versions of Office applications.
6. A great comparison of all the virtualization engines is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_platform_virtual_machines

Flashing folder and question mark on Macbook start up?

I was playing games on the Macbook when suddenly it froze. So I held down the power button and now on the start up; all there is, is a flashing folder with a question mark. I've tried going to Disk Utility and such, but all I see is "disk1." Please help! I'll try any option! I just don't want to take the Macbook in. I don't have the time and money for it.

From the sounds of it, your hard drive is dead. Whenever you get the folder with the question mark. it indicates that the computer cannot find an operating system. Your operating system is installed on your hard drive. For some reason, your machine cannot find the hard drive. Most hard drives last from 3 to 5 years before they fail. Put your OS X install disk in the drive and boot from it by holding down the "C" key while turning your computer on. You can then get to the disk utilities and see whatyou machine reports for drives. If your hard drive does not show up, that's a good inication your gard drive has gone south. If you are somewhat handy with computers, you can probably install a new hard drive yourself. If you have access to another computer go to ifixit.com where you can find all kinds of info and videos on repairing and updating your mac. I wish I had better news for you, but I'm afraid your hard drive has bit the dust. I went through the same situation with my 2007 black macbook I do hope you had all your files, etc. saved on a backup disk because it is very difficult and expensive to retrieve files from a dead hard drive. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

HT1338 Greetings I have a question for my MacBook Pro computer line has gone out in the middle of the screen purple and does not go away with anything please can you help me live in Dominican Republic have a center here in Santo Domingo that can help me.

Hello
Greetings my name is Diaz Rafaelina live in Dominican Republic and a while ago my computer puts a purple line on the screen and it's not that, I would like to help me solve the problem
I await your response.
Information of the hardware:
Nombre del modelo:          MacBook Pro
Identificador del modelo:          MacBookPro7,1
Nombre del procesador:          Intel Core 2 Duo
Velocidad del procesador:          2.66 GHz
Número de procesadores:          1
Número total de núcleos:          2
Caché de nivel 2:          3 MB
Memoria:          4 GB
Velocidad del bus:          1.07 GHz
Versión de la ROM de arranque:          MBP71.0039.B0B
Versión SMC (sistema):          1.62f6
Número de serie (sistema):          W803*****ATN
Sudden Motion Sensor:
Estado:          Activado
<Personal Information Edited by Host>

Try a pram reset; Power down in the normal procedure, power back up holding the following keys before the start up chime ; option,command,P,R (no commas)continue to hold these these keys until you hear the start up chimes 2 times, then release. Reboot and see if this helps. If this persists, you should bring the machine to an Apple store, or an AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider) Hope this helps:)

QUESTION MARK ON MACBOOK PRO

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