TS1440 When I start up, there is only the flashing folder with a question mark on it. When I tried to reinstall snow leopard, there is no hard disk to be found.

After rebooting my computer, there is only the flashing folder with "?" on it. I tried several things like PRAM resetting and whatnot, but nothing worked. I then tried to reinstall Snow Leopard, but it appears there is no hard disc to be found to install it. I also wanted to repair the disk first but it wasn't present in disk utilities. Did I lose my hard drive, or is this still salvagable?

That is evidence that your hard drive has failed and needs to be replaced.

Similar Messages

  • HT1310 when i starst my mac i get a flashing folder with a question mark. i tried rebooting and holding the option button then i get 2 boxes, one with a refresh arrow and one with a forward arrow neither of them seem to do anything. now what

    when i starst my mac i get a flashing folder with a question mark. i tried rebooting and holding the option button then i get 2 boxes, one with a refresh arrow and one with a forward arrow neither of them seem to do anything. now what

    Here is an article that describes what it is supposed to do:
    Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume
    If no Volumes are shown, it is telling you there are no potentailly bootable Volumes attached. That means your boot drive has died or the bootable image on it is unrecognizable.
    What Mac Pro ? by year, GHz, number of processors, screen size?
    What Mac OS X ?

  • Flashing folder with a question mark in it when starting up

    Hi, I own a white MacBook that is fairly new. When I boot it there is a flashing folder with a question mark in it. I read here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440 what to do.
    I inserted my Leopard disc, held C while booting and then opened Disc Utilitiy. But the only images to appear in the left column of Disc Utility is the "Mac OS X Install DVD". So I tried resetting the PRAM by holding down cmd-opt-R-P while booting.
    Then I tried the same thing again but still there is only the install disc in the left column. If I go to Startup Disc there is only the install CD and "Network Startup".
    Now, if I were to reinstall the system as it says in step 4 of the guide, what will happen to my data? I read that this error could be a sign of the hard drive crashing, and with no back up I really don't want that to happen.
    So, is it safe to reinstall the system, or what do you suggest my next step to be?

    Try booting in Safe Mode
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
    Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
    I tried booting in Safe Mode by holding down shift while starting, but it just went to the flashing folder with the ?-mark in it. Then I tried to enter single-user mode by holding down cmd-S while starting (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1492), in order to try the fsck-thingy, but still just the flashing ?.
    When I start my computer it makes bad noises from the bottom right side. I fear that the HD is broken , it sounds as if it is working very hard, making scratchy and clicky noises.
    I also tried using the computer as a FireWire target in order to retrieve some data (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661). When I bootet the "broken" computer and held down T the FireWire symbol appeared on the screen. But on the host computer I could not find the target computer.
    Any more ideas?

  • What does it mean when i have a flashing folder with a question mark in it when i try to boot up?

    what does it mean when I have a flashing folder with a question mark in the middle of it when I try to boot the interface?

    It means the system cannot find a bootable OS. Reinstall OS X.
    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, 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. Now restart normally.
    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. 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.

  • When i boot i get a flashing folder with a question mark. disk utility doesnt work or read my harddrives to boot with. i installed a new SSD and its not reading that either. i have a macbook pro 2011, any help?

    So I came to this problem a while ago. M ycomputer basically froze so I was forced to shut down by holding the button down. When I started it up I got the flashing folder with a question mark. I started it up holding down the command and r keys which brought me to disk utility. Although my computer doesn't read that I have a hard drive to start it up. When I click on the disk utility app, I cannot verify or repair anything either. The buttons won't allow me to click on them. It also shows "Mac OSX Base System" which shows I have files and what not saved. I had been told that I need a new hard drive so I bought and manually installed a OWC SSD 240GB drive and when i booted the computer up it booted up yo the operating system fine with all my files and what not on there. After about twenty minutes, it froze again. I forced a shut down, restarted and the same thing happened. I am not able to choose my SSD to boot up, although thats probably because it doesn't have an operating system installed on it??
    i have a Macbook Pro 13" 2011
    any help would be great, I'm overall confused.

    ryansaint11,
    this isn’t Apple support; this is a user-to-user forum. We’re just fellow users of Apple products here.
    If you want to boot from your SSD, then you should put the SSD where your HDD currently is, and put the HDD into the optical bay. (That setup will also get you the best performance.) At the moment, you’re still booting from your HDD. Note that you will need to format your SSD in Disk Utility [with the “Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)” format] so that you can install OS X onto it.
    Since you have an Early 2011 model, it might or might not have originally come with grey installation DVDs. You will be able to find out whether it did or not by trying to use OS X Internet Recovery to install OS X onto your SSD. If it does not work, or if the installed OS turns out to be Snow Leopard, then it will have originally come with the DVDs, and you should purchase a replacement pair of DVDs from Apple or iFixit; those discs will have your MacBook Pro’s Apple Hardware Test and its iLife apps. If the installed OS turns out to be Lion, then it will not originally have come with the grey installation DVDs, and your Apple Hardware Test will be installed along with Lion, and your iLife apps will be downloadable from the Mac App Store.

  • Getting a flashing folder with a question mark when starting Imac.

    I got this flashing folder with a question mark on it when starting my Imac this morning. Im running on Osx 10.6. I put it in target disc mode and connected it to my macbook pro. I opened the disc utility app on the macbook and found my imac. I "verified" it and found an error. When I clicked "repair" the disc utility app froze and crashed. When I opened it again my Imac didn't show up. I've restarted both computers several times with no luck. Whats my next step?

    Hi.
    Try restarting your iMac while holding down the option (alt) key until the spinng gear appears.  You should momentarily be presented with a list of startup drives to select.
    Choose Macintosh HD (your normal startup disk drive) and click the right-arrow.
    When your iMac boots, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and again select your normal startup disk. Then click Restart.
    I hope this is helpful.
    EDIT - disconnect the machines from each other first.

  • I have just deleted Macintosh HD. Now I have reset my computer and there is just a flashing glider with a question mark. I don't know what to do, I'm really worried about this so please May you get back to me as soon as possible?

    I have just deleted Macintosh HD. Now I have reset my computer and there is just a flashing folder with a question mark. I don't know what to do, I'm really worried about this so please May you get back to me as soon as possible?

    Why did you delete the hard drive?   If you delete the contents of the Macintosh HD you have no system to boot into.  That's what the flashing folder/? means.  What system were you using before deleting everyting.
    You're going to have to install a system on the HD before you can boot.
    OT

  • What do I do when he only thing on my screen is a flashing folder with a question mark.

    I had a few browsers open on my computer. I accessed my calendar and it froze. The mouse would still move, but I could not click on anything. Then the screen went grey with a flashing folder with a question mark. I turned the power off and turned it back only but only see the grey screen with the flashing folder. I tried resetting the PRAM but it still will not work.  Can this be fixed? Please help!!

    You may have a disk error - could be an unrepairable physical problem with the drive, or a repairable file structure problem.
    Hold down cmd-R (both keys together) as you start up the Mac, and keep them held down until you see the Apple menu. When it boots to the recovery partition, click Disk Utility, and run Repair Disk on the Macintosh HD. Let us know if you see errors there and whether or not DU can fix them.
    Good luck!
    Matt

  • When I start my Mac air I get a flashing folder with a question mark

    I am trying to start my Mac air and I get a flashing folder with a question mark. When I turn the power of it shuts down but wen starting it comes back

    Just being clear about your situation.  When you hold down Option during boot it does not show a system volume or a recovery volume from which to boot.  At that point if you select a network boot and you do not see a spinning globe that persists there a good while as it loads the recovery partition over the network.  True?
    A couple of more thinks to try:
    Disconnect all of your external devices.
    Reset PRAM
    Boot with the option key again.
    Standard things to try (which is sounds like you already have attempted) A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac

  • Hello, can someone help me: my eMac G4 700 MHz. I can not boot it. If he starts appears on the screen, only a small "folder with a question mark." The Mac was not used 1 year. Question 1: Problem = hard drive? Question 2: Problem = PRAM battery? the What

    Hello, can someone help me: my eMac G4 700 MHz. I can not boot it. If he starts appears on the screen, only a small "folder with a question mark." The Mac was not used 1 year.
    Question 1: Problem = hard drive?
    Question 2: Problem = PRAM battery?
    the
    What can I do to boot?

    Restart with the Option key held down.
    If the internal drive shows up, it's the PRAM battery.
    If it doesn't, insert a compatible Mac OS 9 or X install disk, click the button with the circular arrow, and either repair the internal drive or install a new OS on it. If it doesn't show up in Disk First Aid(9) or the Disk Utility(X), it's either not plugged in or needs to be replaced.
    (97530)

  • Have a flashing folder with a question mark on start-up but cannot hold option as wireless keyboard won't connect, how do I get it to connect if I cannot turn on the machine?

    Hello all, I've registered here because I can't work out how to get my keyboard and mouse to connect.
    The issue is that when I turn my mid-2010 iMac on it doesn't load up, but instead shows a flashing folder with a question mark. I've Googled this and have some idea how to fix it, the first step in all guides to fixing the problem states that you should hold the option key upon start-up. The problem I'm having is that I've just had to change the batteries on my keyboard and mouse and they are now not connecting. I can't see how to get the keyboard and mouse connected with the Mac stuck on the flashing folder screen, and I can't get the Mac past said screen without using the keyboard. Does anyone know how I can connect the two devices?
    Thanks.

    The flashing folder with the ? mark indicates that a bootable system can't be found. You'll need to borrow a wired keyboard so you can boot into the Recovery volume (boot with the Command + R keys held down). From there you can reinstall the system and try a normal reboot.

  • My new mac mini (3 month) didn't start up,all that appeared was a white screen and a flashing folder with a question mark inside it.

    My new Mac mini (3 month) didn't start up, all that appeared was a white screen and a flashing folder with a question mark inside it.
    I followed by recommendations from 'Everything Mac': "shut it down by pressing and holding the power button for about 5 seconds.
    Then hold down the Option key and press the power button again to start up the Mac mini. Keep holding down the Option key until
    the Mac mini starts up."
    But I got a Wi-Fi button only to chose and connect the local network. I connected to my network and I can't use this connection
    becouse no icons.
    Could you please help me?

    Your Mini (running 10.6.4) should have come with grey-colored install disks. Now is the time to put them into service. Turn on your computer so that there is power to accept disk #1 into the optical drive. Once  the disk is in the drive, shut off the computer by holding the start button down until it powers off. Then turn it on this time holding down the "C" key to make the computer boot from the disk. The question mark that you saw indicates that the computer cannot find a bootable volume. This can happen due to corrupted system files or an improper shutdown etc. Once you are in the "Installer" you can choose Disk Utility from the Utilities Menu in the menu bar. Use it to repair the disk and to see if that can solve your trouble.  

  • Hi I installed a new hard drive in my Mac mini osx lion an when I turn it on I get a flashing file with a question mark. I tried holding command and R keys when turning it on but the recovery fails to work. Does any one know how I can get it to recover?

    Hi I installed a new hard drive in my Mac mini osx lion an when I turn it on I get a flashing file with a question mark. I tried holding command and R keys when turning it on but the recovery fails to work. I can hold the option key at start up and choose my network, then Internet recovery shows up with an arrow pointing up. When I click on the arrow Internet recovery fails and all I get is a globe with a triangle on it with an exclamation mark on it, and under that it says
    apple.com/support
          -6002F
    Does any one know how I can fix this without a recovery disc? Thanks

    I just want to add to this, in case someone else searches for this error on Apple Support (google doesnt cover apple support.. how clever is that?)
    I had the same error. And i had a Computer that had worked, with a SSD drive and 16GB upgrade done by the owner himself.
    I tried swapping with a Mechinal Harddrive, no luck.
    Kept the Mechanical drive in, and tried with some other Ram, it worked..
    So for me this error and after reading the other responses can be boiled down to a Harddrive problem or Ram issue.
    It was Ram for me..

  • My screen has gone blank on startup and occasionally a grey folder with a question mark appears. I have tried rebooting either by pressing the start up with power or pram.. Neither attempts have worked ! My iMac is 2008. Please help :)

    My screen has gone blank on startup and occasionally a grey folder with a question mark appears. I have tried rebooting either by pressing the start up with power or pram.. Neither attempts have worked ! My iMac is 2008. Please help :)

    Hey Carolinearnold!
    I have an article for you that seems to address this issue and can provide some troubleshooting steps for you:
    Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
    Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. Have a good one!
    -Braden

  • I upgraded the OS on my iMac to Lion from the App store; and after installation, it restarted and now the operating system won't start up.... it keeps displaying the apple/folder with a question mark and a circle with a line through it! Please help!

    I upgraded the OS on my iMac to Lion from the App store; and after installation, it restarted and now the operating system won't start up.... it keeps displaying the apple/folder with a question mark and a circle with a line through it! Please help!

    Try starting up with your Snow Leopard DVD and see if the disk can be repaired. Once you are at the installer screen go to the Utilities Menu and choose Disk Utility and choose repair disk. You might also want to try Diskwarrior.
    Hope this helps.
    Ben

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