Can't log in white screen with flashing file and Question mark

I've been have trouble with getting on line and screen freezing up. Now I have a solid white screen with a icon of a file and question mark on it flashing. Iv tried unplugging and resetting with no luck.

Have a look at > A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
Dennis

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My 2011 iMac wont boot up and stuck on white screen with flashing folder and question mark ???

Im running Lion OS and I made update after it asks me to restart the iMac when i pressed restart it never boots again :S please help and how i can get my data back

Try starting the it by holding down the shift key (safe mode) if it starts then check your hard drive with disk utility. Also repair your disk permissions. If you are unable to start the computer try Lion recovery mode.

Blue screen with flashing folder and question mark on startup

Hello.
I need help with my Macbook Pro. I get a blue screen with a flashing folder and a question mark at start up. To date I have tried the following:
Apple Hardware (Extensive) Test (Results: "No Trouble Found")
Safe Boot
Reset NVRAM
Reinstall OS X via the internet (I received no discs when I purchased it). I select the StartUp Disk to reinstall. When reinstalling via the internet I get to a point of reinstalling Mountain Lion but it asks me to choose a drive - yet there are no drive options to choose from. Then a window comes up asking me to "Select the system you want to use to start up your computer" but no options appear. When I choose "Restart" a note pops up saying "You can't change the startup disk to the selected disk. Startup Disk could not gather enough information on the selected disk."
The only option is "Restart" from the Apple menu. When I choose that it goes back to the original "Blue screen with flashing folder and question mark on startup."
I have no Time Machine
I can't access the disc utility.
Are there any ideas as to what might be the problem?

Your hard drive has likely failed and needs replaced. That would explain why the system does not display it when you attempt to reinstall the OS via Internet Recovery.

I have rebooted my computer over 20X and performed the soft reset and the option command p.r. my iMac still gives me the gray screen with the file and question mark.

I have been having issues with starting up my computer for the last 5 weeks it started with a loud clicking sound when starting up and it use to only take turning the computer off and on a few times to get it running. This week it has taken almost a day of me turning off the computer and turning it back on. Last night I did the soft reset and it did come on. I did not shut down the computer and when I returned to it this evening I had to force it to shut down because it was stuck.I have did the soft reset and sad to say it did not work.I decided to try the option command and pr to reset it it did not work do any one have any other suggestions?

You can get a decent new hard drive for $100, plus labor to install it if you're not comfortable doing it on your own. In contrast, a new computer will cost quite a bit more than that. Of course, if that iMac is very old at this point - like, say 6 or 7 years old - the new drive may be worth more than the computer, and you could use this as an excuse to buy a new one!

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).
Which means most likely you will have to find your original system installation DVD and install it. Then you should figure out what caused the problem.
Read this to diagnose it before resorting to reinstalling the OS:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
Excerpt:
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.
Select your Mac OS X startup disk with Startup Manager by restarting and holding the Option key. After your Mac starts up, restart again to verify that the flashing question mark does not appear.
If the issue persists, insert your Mac OS X installation disc. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc.
MacBook Air note: On a MacBook Air, there are two options for starting up from Mac OS X media: Either connect a MacBook Air SuperDrive to the MacBook Air via the USB port and restart the computer, holding down the C key during startup, or use Remote Install Mac OS X to startup from a system software DVD that's located on a partner computer. Once started up from Mac OS X media, skip to step 3.
Restart the computer, then hold the C key during startup.
From the Utilities menu, choose Disk Utility. Don't click Continue.
Select your Mac OS X disk (named "Macintosh HD" by default) in the left side of the Disk Utility window.
Click the First Aid tab.
Click Repair Disk to verify and repair any issues with your Mac OS X startup disk.
After repairing the disk, try to start up normally.
Important: If Disk Utility finds issues it cannot repair, you may need to back up as much of your data as possible (or use Time Machine to back up to a different disk), then erase the disk and reinstall Mac OS X. You should back up important files and data before erasing a drive. Erasing deletes everything on the hard disk (including things on your desktop). Also, you can install Mac OS X onto an external disk, start from the external disk, and use Migration Assistant to transfer items from your usual internal Mac OS X startup disk to the external disk, then erase the internal disk and reinstall Mac OS X.
If the issue persists, and Disk Utility didn't find any irreparable issues, quit Disk Utility, quit the Installer, select your disk when prompted, and restart.
If the issue continues, reset PRAM. Note: After resetting PRAM, if the computer starts up normally, reselect the startup disk in the Startup Disk preferences.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, start up from the Mac OS X Installation disc and reinstall Mac OS X.

Got a white screen with flashing file icon

Why do I have a white screen with flashing file icon with question mark inside?

It means your iMac cannot located a valid system to boot.
Insert the CD that came with the iMac and allow it to boot. Once it gets the point where it's offering to install the OS, go to the top menu and choose diskutility. Perform a repair on the main drive "Macintosh HD".

HT1379 I have lost everything on my mac, a gray screen with a folder and question mark is blinking. i hav another mac that is running slowly, how can I boot and reinstall os x Lion, i do not have the start up disc with me.

I have lost everything on my mac, a gray screen with a folder and question mark is blinking. i hav another mac that is running slowly, how can I boot and reinstall os x Lion, i do not have the start up disc with me.

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
Lion uses Recovery to reinstall OS X. Press Command and R keys when your Mac starts, open Disk Utility, erase the drive and reinstall Lion. The other Mac has probably got its hard disk damaged, so take the Mac to an Apple Store

My iMac wont go past the grey screen with Apple Logo and question mark a caution mark

My iMac wont go past the grey screen with Apple Logo and question mark a caution mark

You may find this support article helpful:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Ciao.

HT1941 grey screen with a folder and question mark

On start up i get a grey screen with a folder and question mark- how do i get out of this?

10.8 Mountain Lion
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11046
Use Startup Manager to select Startup disk.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1310
Repair Disk
Steps 2 through 8
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
Reset PRAM.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4405

White screen with flashing file with ?

had trouble with iMac not booting up. Read disk and did the hold the D down at start up. fixed the problem for about 30min. then got the gray screne that said I needed to shut down and restart my iMac. Did as told now have a white screen with blinking file with ? on it.
new to mac not sure what OS X I have.
Please help, thanks

Thanks for your help ok I got more infor off my iMac
It is
iMac5,1
OS X 10-6.3 but I put snow leopard on it
2.16 GHZ intel Core
16B 667 HHZ DDR2 SDRAM
The problem started about two weeks ago but I have been away from home to try to fix it. My son has informed my that you can be working on the computer when screen becomes shadded over then that message in a large squar come up that saids You need to turn off your computer by holding the button till all turns off the push the button again to turn it back on.
I have done this and that when the white screen with the blinking file with ?. If you turn off the computer for a few hours it might start back up but some times you just get a white screen like it is trying to log on but never does. you just have to turn the computer off again.
When it does come back up it works great for about an hour then the same thing happens again.
please tell me it something simple

Gut white screen with flashing apple and circle/warning sign on white screen when i turn on the computer

When i turn on my computer, i get only a white screen with a gray apples in the middle, flashing, alternating with a ghostbuster-type warning. Never get to the galaxy screen. Just happened today.

Did you setup a lock code? I have done this operation via iCloud just few minutes ago and it's booted with 4 numbers lock code just fine. When you lock your Mac, it's restarts automaticly and then loads with lock screen and you are only able to enter password of 4 numbers to unlock it.

My apple computer has a white screen with a file and a question mark

I have a white screen with a ? in a file. I have tried holding the option,command, P R buttons while turning it on. No help Does anyone have anymore ideas?

The flashing question mark says, " I cannot find the Startup Disk you said to use."
Hold down the Option key while starting up. This should cause your Mac to draw an Icon for each bootable device.
If none are drawn, you Startup Disk has been damaged.
If Recovery_HD is shown, choose that, launch Disk Utility, select your Macintosh_HD, and ( Repair Disk ).

Flashing file and question mark symbol

My Mac is alternating between displaying a flashing file with a question mark and the prohibitory symbol. I tried holding down the option key after restarting but nothing is working. I updated my OSX Lion last night, but I don't know what update it was. I need this computer working in the next 3 hours. Please help!

Are you able to boot into Single User Mode?
Mac OS X: How to start up in single-user or verbose mode
If so, perform a disk check via the command line:
Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line.
Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
At the command-line prompt type:
/sbin/fsck -fy
Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found:
** The volume (name_of_volume) appears to be OKIf fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message:
***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.

My MacBook will only turn on to a grey screen with a file and a question mark flashing on the screen

When I turn my MacBook on a grey screen with a file and question mark in the center of the screen flashing. What can I try to
get out of this screen?

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 (CD/DVD drive) and reboot. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc. 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) until the apple shows up. That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
Or if you are running 10.7 Lion, boot from the recovery partition (Command +R on boot) and use Disk Utility to repair your OS 10.7 partition.
When it does start up, you'll see a panel asking you to choose your language. Choose your language and 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. After repairing use Startup Disk from the same menu to choose your hard drive for restarting from your hard drive.
If your hard drive isn’t recognized in Disk Utility then your hard drive is probably dead.

White screen with flashing question mark

AAll I get is white screen with flashing question mark. I've inserted OS disc but it won't run. Can anyone help plz?

A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac

Can't log in white screen with flashing file and Question mark

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