Blinking file folder question mark on start up!

My mac was working fine I shut it down because the mouse froze like it does some time. It turned back on with a white screeen and and a blinking file folder with a question mark on it and stays that way until it shuts down! Its a white screen behind it and it makes the start up noise. What is going on and how can I fix it? I already kept it off for a while then took out the battery.. any other suggestions?

I got this same message after using Disk Utilities to create a new partition formatted in FAT 32, booting from my windows XP CD, reformatting that partition to NTFS, and installing Windows XP on that partition. (So I can dual-boot without using Boot Camp Beta, which is expired)
I worked around it just fine by holding the "alt" key when booting, which (after entering my firmware password) allows me to select the boot partition. It's like I somehow selected "Neither" for my default startup disk.
It's possible that your problem goes beyond this.
By the way, in my Windows reformat, I did end up deleting several 200 MB partitions that appeared on my drive...it looked like this:
(partition) (size) (name) (file format)
Partition 1: 198 MB [unknown empty
Partition 2: 250000 MB [Windows FAT32
Partition 3: 202 MB [unknown empty
partition 4: 850000 MB [Unknown unknown
this one is formatted in the mac file system, but XP (of course) doesn't
recognize it....
partition 5: 201 MB [unknown empty
Anybody know what's going on here? I sucessfully merged the first three from the XP cd, but I don't know what's up with Disk Utility and why it leaves these spaces after partitioning.....

Similar Messages

Blinking file and question mark does not go away

My imac is constantly showing this blinking file with a questionmark when starting it. I tried all kinds of things to bring it back to life, like cmd + R, holding the shift button, c button and other stuff but none of them works. Could anyone plese help?

I take it you don't currently have backup to an external disk - Time Machine or a clone?
Here's some instructions for backing up, although you need a working Mac to be able to do it. Obviously, this shows how vital it is to always keep current backup so you have a recovery plan before disaster strikes:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1553
Hopefully you won't need to erase your data - repairing the disk, or simply re-installing the OS should not erase anything. Only an erase and install does that. You'll need backup if it turns out your hard disk is kaput (possible).
If the Mac currently has either 10.8 or 10.9 installed does booting using Command+r not do anything?
If it doesn't you can try putting the Leopard disk in the drive and booting holding Command + c - hopefully it'll boot and allow you to run Disk Utility to check/repair the disk - NOT to re-install the OS. If it does boot, at the first screen select your language and from the next screen, from the menu bar, select Utilities>Disk Utility. Select Macintosh HD>Repair Disk. If anything gets fixed click on repair disk again until you get a clean pass. Once done restart as normal from the Apple menu.
If all that comes to nothing I think it's off to the repair centre.

File and question mark when starting

Flashing file and question marl when i start my computer

There are four general causes of this issue:
1. The computer's PRAM no longer contains a valid startup disk setting when there aren't any problems with the disk itself. This can be checked for by pressing the Option key and seeing if the drive appears.
2. The internal drive's directory structure has become damaged. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to perform the repair.
3. Critical system files have been deleted. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to reinstall them.
4. The internal drive has died or become unplugged. This is the most likely case if the computer took a sharp impact or there are unusual sounds coming from its location.
(103563)

HELP!!! My iMac (20" alum) is giving folder/question mark on start up. I found the original Leopard cd(10.5) that came with the iMac and attempted to boot from the disc...

The installer didn't find the hard drive at first, but disk utility was able to find it. So I repaired the disk, and permissions, then quit utility.
The installer was then able to locate the hard drive so I went ahead and reinstalled leopard in hopes that I could use the computer.
However, half way through my reinstall, it froze. So I tried booting it back up from the disc, yet now neither the installer or the disk utility can locate my hard drive.
Is there anything I can do at this point other than buying a new hard drive?

Its starting to sound like a failed hard drive. If disk utility can't find the internal hard drive, it probably dead.

Restarted and received a blinking file folder with question mark image.

I left my computer sitting while I was working on homework long enough for the screen saver to come on (I'm not sure exactly how long it was). Earlier in the day, I had to force quit safari and then later it unexpectedly quit several times. While my computer was sitting, it looked like it does when it restarts. I waited until it started to come back up, and instead of coming up to the desktop, it came up with a blinking file folder and question mark. I had not done anything unusual with it, and had not tried to restore it. My dad was working on trying to fix it, and inserted the OS X disk. When the options came up, in the repair feature, the disk could not locate my harddrive. I was wondering if anyone else had encountered this problem, and if so how it was resolved. If anyone had any tips or ideas of things I could try that would be great. I can't really get it to an apple store soon, and I'm a student so my computer is very important to me. Thanks.

Mornin' John,
I also have an OWC external firewire drive that I tried to install OSX Tiger to but was told that I could not install OSX Tiger on the external drive.
What Format is that Drive? GUID/MacOS Extended? It should work if the right format.
Is there any way to run Disk Warrior from the external hard drive ... to try and rectify this issue, or at least get my data off the dead drive (if it is so)?
From the external only if you can get OSX installed.
What version is it? Do you mot have the CD?
or from my PowerBook G4
Possibly, with the MaBook in FW Target Mode
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583
If DiskWarrior can't fix it, you might try Data Rescue II...
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/
http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php
(Has a Free Demo to see if it could or not, but you'll need another drive to recover to).

15" MacbWhite screen with a blinking file folder icon with a question mark on it.

15" Macbook. When i power on all I get is white screen with a blinking file folder icon with a question mark on it.N

You may have a bad hard drive. The flashing folder with the ? indicates that the system cannot find your hard drive. Use the installation disc that came with your machine. Insert it into the disc drive and restart the machine holding down the "C" key . When the restart shows the Apple screen you can release the C keyWhen the installation screen appears, click on the utilities button. Does the left side of the disc utilities screen show your HD? If not, then your HD is bad or it could be a loose connection. ifixit.com has a good tutorial on how to replace the HF in the Macbook. Follow the instructions to remove your HD. Reinstall your HD and boot up your machine to see if it recognizes your HD. If it does't, you probably will need to replace your HD>
Is your machine still under warranty? If so, take it to your nearest Apple Store for repairs as the repairs will be covered under your warranty. If you bought AppleCare when you bought your computer your warranty is for three years. If you didn't buy the Apple Care, then your warranty is only good for one year from the date of purchase.

TS1812 Hi Everyone, I have tried all the solutions mentioned by apple and still have a white screen with a blinking file folder with a question mark in the center, anyone have any ideas or experienced this?

Hi Everyone, I have tried all the solutions mentioned by apple and still have a white screen with a blinking file folder with a question mark in the center, anyone have any ideas or experienced this?

Nooo or you would use OS X Recovery Mode: Disk Utilty and then Startup Disk.
Mac OS X & Mountain Lion Community
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os/os_x_mountain_lion?view=discussio ns
Recovery Mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
ExpressLane
https://expresslane.apple.com/
Mac OS X Help
http://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/
Isolating Issues in Mac OS
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1388
https://www.apple.com/support/osx/
https://www.apple.com/support/quickassist/
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/help/
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/tour/
Get Help with your Product
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304725

What does a blinking file folder with a question mark indicate?

What does a blinking file folder with a question mark indicate? I cannot get past it or do anything with the unit.

glamiera wrote:
What does a blinking file folder with a question mark indicate?
That's the firmware telling you it can't find the operating system it's been assigned to boot from.
It could be because it forgot somehow, or the operating system is no longer there or readable or the hardware holding the operating system has failed.
Hold the power button to force a hardware shutdown, then reboot holding the option/alt key held down on the wired or built in keyboard, icons will hopefully load on the screen and if OS X appears, click the arrow to boot from it.
Once in OS X, head to System Preferences > Startup Disk and select your boot drive so it can remind the firmware.
If there is no OS X boot volume, just recovery or Bootcamp (if Windows installed) then you need to perform more work.
Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
To get a copy of your files off the drive.
Step by Step to fix your Mac
To fix your machine and find out (hardware test) if it's a hardware issue of some sort.

Blinking folder & Question Mark - Drive Good - Files Are Still there

Okay,
So I've been a long way with this iMac. It originally came to me with bad power supply. I replaced. Then it came back with bad capacitors. I replaced. Then it came back not booting. Here's where I'm stuck.
I dont see the drive if I use command - s. If I boot OS X install cd, I can select OS X 10.4.11 on [OS Volume Name] in Startup Disk, I can see all the files on the disk, I've ran all repair options including file permissions and Disk Warrior, but the OS never loads.
Tried Safe Mode, Single User, Verbose Mode, PRAM Reset, NVRAM Reset, reset-all in command-option-o-f mode, I've blessed the /Volumes/[OS Volume Name]/System/Library/CoreServices directory several different ways, still the OS never loads... blinking folder & question mark.
I dont have correct install cd for this system and can't reinstall. Any suggestions or repairing bootloader, kernel, or something advanced...???
Anyone?

Hi Jkat, and a warm welcome to the forums!
Sounds like short of a proper install disk, you've tried everything but this...
applesetupdone...
This was Posted by: JoseAranda at September 9, 2006 3:48 AM
"OK, restart your computer, hold down Command-s and type in the following:
/sbin/fsck -y Enter
/sbin/mount -uaw Enter
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone Enter
# The rm command is the remove command which deletes the file.
# Robert: I'd rename the file via: mv /var/db/.applesetupdone /var/db/.applesetupdone.old
reboot Enter
Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!
end of posted by: JoseAranda"
But not on this forum I guess.

Can't startup blinking folder question mark

There are similar questions in these forums, but my situation is different. My MacMini froze and I had to press the power button on it to restart it. I get the folder with the blinking question mark. I do not have any disks in the drive. I have not installed any new operating systems for at least a year. No external drives connected. I shut off and started the Mac Mini yesterday with no problems.
I tried the Enter/Return key; no response. I restarted and tried the Command-Option-P-R to reset the P-Ram; got the same blinking folder question mark. I restarted and tried the Command-Option-O-F also. I just keep getting the same blinking folder question mark.
So, if anyone has any suggestions, I will sure appreciate it!

It turns out that my SATA just wen't dead. I've been experiencing several power outages while my iMac still is running. I also noticed months ago that whenever I verify disk permission there are some stuff that is beyond repair and it shows red. I just ignore it thinking that it will go away and the inevitable happened. Good thing though I just have a few gigabytes of photos taken months back I had a full backup on all the docs that I have. I tried resurrecting my Western Digital 160GB SATA using Spinrite V6 but to no avail. BIOS from Windows can't even mount the drive. I've given it up. I still have a one last hope though to bring the dead drive to a data recovery company. And hope that they can replace the SATA board or the mechanical part with a new one on a clean room and recover what they can for a fee.
Is there any hint when a drive is about to fail? I did experience frequent hangings and endless spinning beachball from time to time also some weird sound that seems my hard drive is about to blast by spinning profusely for no apparent reason.
My 160GB SATA drive is about 5 years old. Is this the regular lifespan of SATA drives? Should I replace it every say 3-4 years? I've been using it almost everyday from Monday to Saturday. I'm considering buying a drobo so I can dump all my files without worries of being burn again by a terrible Hard Disk Crash!!!
I've re installed everything on my imac using the new 500GB SATA. Good thing that everything was fine except for the SATA Drive. I've bought an AVR and 500VA APC (Power Backup incase of Power Outage) so that I could prevent it from happening again. Also do you have any idea what brand of SATA is the quietest the most silent? Thanks for your help.
Message was edited by: besprenbrian

Folder with question mark at start up

Why a, I ratting a blinking folder with a question mark at start up. My MacBook will not open beyond that. Is it a ram issue?

That folder with the question mark icon means that the MacBook can't find the boot directory. That can either mean it can't find the hard drive or the Operating System data on the hard drive is somehow corrupted.
Put your install DVD into the optical drive and reboot. As soon as you hear the boot chime, hold down the "c" key on your keyboard (or the Option key until the Install Disk shows up). That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
When it does start up, you'llsee a panel asking you to choose your language. Just press the Return key on your keyboard once. It will then present you with an Installation window. Completely ignore this window and click on Utilities in the top menu and scroll down to Disk Utility and click it. When it comes up is your Hard Drive in the list on the left?
If it is then click on the Mac OS partition of your hard drive in the left hand list. Then select the First Aid Tab and run Repair Disk. The Repair Disk button won't be available until you've clicked on the Mac OS partition on your hard drive. If that repairs any problems run it again until the green OK appears and then run Repair Permissions.
If your hard drive isn’t recognized in Disk Utility then your hard drive is probably dead.

Blinking folder question mark at startup

When I startup my Macbook Pro, I just get a blinking file folder with a question mark and can't reset the PRAM.

Solution may be found if you search in the "More Like This" section over in the right column.

Hard disc dead??? flickering folder with question mark on start up

I get a flickering folder with question mark on start up, and i cant get into mac osx.
I tried the hardware test and it detected no problems. Ive tried to do an install with the disc but no harddisc was detected to install it on.
I cant believe my harddisc is broken all my work is gone (backing doesnt help with configurations etc)

I know many of you don't understand english. Basicly what the articel tells us is that there is a problem with the harddrive due to a contruction caused error.
I would say please do something about it. Start a program to solve this problem
Thank you very much (my seagate still works, lets see for how long!!!
Der Festplatten- und Datenrettungsspezialist Retrodata aus der englischen Grafschaft Hampshire gibt eine beunruhigende Warnung an MacBook-Besitzer heraus. Apple-Notebooks, in denen ab Werk Seagate-Festplatten arbeiten, sind nach seinen Untersuchungen mit einem Fabrikationsfehler konfrontiert, der zum Totalausfall der Festplatte mit einhergehendem Datenverlust führen kann.
Nach eigenen Angaben erhält der Spezialist eine Vielzahl dieser ausgefallenen Platten zur Wiederherstellung von Daten. Die Untersuchungen von Retrodata zeigen, dass der Schreib-Lesekopf der Festplatte mechanisch ausfällt. Dies führt dem Spezialisten nach zu tiefen Kratzern auf der Oberfläche der magnetischen Scheiben mit entsprechenden Datenverlusten.
Anwender können schnell selbst feststellen, ob ihr MacBook gefährdet ist. Die betroffenen Segate-Platten sind ausgestattet mit der Firmware in Version 7.01. Zeigt der System-Profiler, zugänglich über den Befehl “Über diesen Mac… / Weitere Informationen” im Apfel-Menü, in der Kategorie Serial-ATA ein Laufwerk mit der Hersteller-Kennung ST und der Versionsnummer 7.01, dann besteht nach diesem Bericht ein hohes Ausfall-Risiko. Die Firma rät allen betroffenen Anwendern ein Backup der Daten anzulegen und umgehend ihren Händler zu kontaktieren.

Folder sybol with a question mark on start up

When I start up my G5 desktop I get a folder with a question mark on start up. I have seen this before when the computer cant find a start up but this sybol dissapears after a few seconds and the computer completes its start up. Can I get rid of this?
Many thanks
Alf

Yes, this happens if another startup volume was selected and not changed back after being disconnected from the system. Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Startup Disk is where startup volumes get selected. Go back there and change it to the volume you want to startup.

Why do I have a blinking file folder on my screen? (and nothing else)

When I turn on my Mac, I get a blinking file folder with a question mark on it. What can I do?

The iMac can't find any bootable partition. First, insert the OS X DVD, press C key while your Mac is starting, go to  > Startup Disk and select Macintosh HD.
If it doesn't work, go to Utilities > Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD in the sidebar and repair the disk. If nothing helps, take the Mac to an Apple Store

Blinking file folder question mark on start up!

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