Flashing Folder/Finder icon but normal boot?

Recently, my eMac has been doing this when I turn it on:
1) Fan starts, screen buzzes but stays dark, and finally the boot chime sounds. Front Light comes on, CD drive and Hard Drive activate
2) Screen turns on to a gray screen.
3) Finder/Folder flashing icon shows for 2-15 seconds
4) Apple logo replaces flashing icon and boots normally.
Is this a sign that there is something wrong with the eMac? I tried finding ways to change the boot order and made sure that Macintosh HD was set as my startup disk to no avail.

If the PRAM battery is dead and that causes the computer to forget some settings, it could be casting about to find a bootable volume. As you've used Startup Disk to select your HD, it could be the battery.
Are you cutting power to this computer when not using it? That means unplugging from the wall or using a power strip or backup power supply to turn it off. If so, stop. When turned off normally but on an active wall circuit, the computer gets a small trickle current thay bypasses the power supply so the PRAM battery does not have to work to preserive normal settings.
The symptoms you describe suggest that the computer is having times every day when no power can get to it. In spite of insistence by environmental types that you must unplug your computer when not is use, doing so is hard on many Mac desktop models.
I order my PRAM batts from these guys:
3.6v Newer Technology Lithium 1/2 AA PRAM Computer Clock Battery
You replace the battery through the same door through which you change RAM.

Similar Messages

Upon startup, restore windows... window is flashing with finder icon popping in and out of dock. computer will not allow any selection. What should I do?

On my 2009 Mac Pro, 10.7.5 upon startup, restore windows... window is flashing with finder icon popping in and out of dock. computer will not allow any selection. I'm hoping someone may know a solution.

http://www.apple.com/support/lion/installrecovery/
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20081109-263/recovery-options-for-macs-runn ing-os-x-lion/
https://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4848

MacBook gives flashing folder on startup, won't boot into single user!

Arrgh.
If I choose a startup disk, flashing folder still appears. I don't have my original cds with me currently. Any ideas?
thanks!

Hi Neil,
Welcome to macbook forum.
Flashing folder mean your HD doesn't have proper OS
to boot up.
Maybe your OS X was corrupted or the HD is failed.
Without the installer CD to help you boot up, you
cannot do much.
Good Luck
Hi,
i have the same problem.
a folder is flashing on startup.
all started when i tried to rename a file from an external hdd.
the system became frozen and i forced it to quit.
and on the next startup the flashing folder appeared on the scren.
i inserted the startup disc that came with my product and i tried to re-install the software.
BUT there is no hdd in my laptop...
it doesn't show up.
i do not know what to do.
the main problem is that i bought this macbook before 10 months from the Apple store in Manchester, U.K. and now i live in Athens, Greece and there is not official Apple customer service or repairing service.
i hope that my machine hasn't become useless...
MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Sunfire 880 Diagnostic Boots stopping at ok but Normal boot at is ok

System is operating in Service Mode.
Reading temperature limits from FRUPROMs: CPU0/2 MB I/O DBP0
Environmental monitor is ON
Aborting auto-boot sequence.
{2} ok
WARNING: Fan Tray 4 (I/O) too slow or stopped
WARNING: Fan Tray 4 (I/O) too slow or stopped
WARNING: Fan Tray 4 (I/O) too slow or stopped
# prtdiag -v
System Configuration: Sun Microsystems sun4u Sun Fire 880
System clock frequency: 150 MHz
Memory size: 4096 Megabytes
========================= CPUs ===============================================
           Run   E$ CPU    CPU
Brd CPU   MHz   MB Impl.   Mask
A    0    900 8.0 US-III+ 2.2
A    2    900 8.0 US-III+ 2.2
========================= Memory Configuration ===============================
           Logical Logical Logical
      MC   Bank     Bank     Bank         DIMM    Interleave Interleaved
Brd ID   num      size     Status       Size    Factor      with
A    0     0       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    0     1       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    0     2       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    0     3       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    2     0       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    2     1       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    2     2       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
A    2     3       512MB   no_status     256MB     8-way        0
========================= IO Cards =========================
                         Bus Max
     IO   Port Bus       Freq Bus Dev,
Brd Type ID Side Slot MHz Freq Func State Name                              Model
I/O PCI   8    B    0    33   33 5,0 ok    SUNW,m64B                         SUNW,370-4362
I/O PCI   9    A    7    66   66 2,0 ok    network-pci108e,2bad              SUNW,pci-gem
No failures found in System
===========================
========================= Environmental Status =========================
System Temperatures (Celsius):
Device          Temperature     Status
CPU0             65             OK
CPU2             70             OK
MB               31             OK
IOB              27             OK
DBP0             26             OK
=================================
Front Status Panel:
Keyswitch position: NORMAL
System LED Status:
                   GEN FAULT                REMOVE
                    [OFF]                    [OFF]
                   DISK FAULT               POWER FAULT
                    [OFF]                    [OFF]
                   LEFT THERMAL FAULT       RIGHT THERMAL FAULT
                    [OFF]                    [OFF]
                   LEFT DOOR                RIGHT DOOR
                    [OFF]                    [OFF]
=================================
Disk Status:
          Presence      Fault LED       Remove LED
DISK   0: [ EMPTY]
DISK   1: [ EMPTY]
DISK   2: [ EMPTY]
DISK   3: [PRESENT]        [OFF]           [OFF]
DISK   4: [PRESENT]        [OFF]           [OFF]
DISK   5: [ EMPTY]
DISK   6: [ EMPTY]
DISK   7: [ EMPTY]
DISK   8: [ EMPTY]
DISK   9: [ EMPTY]
DISK 10: [ EMPTY]
DISK 11: [ EMPTY]
=================================
Fan Bank :
Bank                        Speed         Status        Fan State
                           ( RPMS )
CPU0_PRIM_FAN                2238        [ENABLED]          OK
CPU1_PRIM_FAN                2255        [ENABLED]          OK
CPU0_SEC_FAN                    0        [DISABLED]         OK
CPU1_SEC_FAN                    0        [DISABLED]         OK
IO0_PRIM_FAN                 3896        [ENABLED]          OK
IO1_PRIM_FAN                 3896        [ENABLED]          OK
IO0_SEC_FAN                     0        [DISABLED]         OK
IO1_SEC_FAN                     0        [DISABLED]         OK
IO_BRIDGE_PRIM_FAN           3370        [ENABLED]          OK
IO_BRIDGE_SEC_FAN               0        [DISABLED]         OK
=================================
Power Supplies:
                                                    Current Drain:
Supply     Status     Fan Fail Temp Fail CS Fail 3.3V   5V   12V   48V
PS0      GOOD                                         6     2     2     2
PS1      GOOD                                         5     2     2     2
PS2      GOOD                                         6     2     2     2
========================= HW Revisions =======================================
System PROM revisions:
OBP 4.30.4 2009/08/19 07:21
IO ASIC revisions:
         Port
Model     ID Status Version
Schizo    8     ok      4
Schizo    9     ok      4
rsc> showenvironment
=============== Environmental Status ===============
System Temperatures (Celsius):
      CPU0    65
      CPU2    70
        MB    31
        IO    26
       BP0    25
       RSC    29I use Security Keyswitch to execute diagnostic boot.
IO Bridge Sec Fan is still running, other Sec Fan i cannot check. But all Sec Fan Leds are off.
At Diagnostic Boot it stopped by the message "Reading temperature limits from FRUPROMs: CPU0/2 MB I/O DBP0"
As i know it's the DiskBackPlane0 but is it relate to Fan Error? How can i do to fix this error ?

Paul, you seem to have been very thorough in trying things, and thanks for letting us know everything you've done; all to often people don't tell us what they've done, and then when we suggest something, they'll say, oh I tried that already.
In your case, it does sound as if the logic board and.or airport card could be failing. Do you have access to DiskWarrior or TechToolPro? Either of them can diagnose a hardware problem and fix a corrupted directory. Is the any vestige of your previous OS applications on your new setup? Being able to function in safe mode would indicate a software conflict, try booting after removing all the startup items in your account and see if that helps.
You can also try switching the RAM around, faulty memory can cause odd problems.
Let us know how you make out,
Message was edited by: MGW

Finder icon missing in dock

Hello,
The icon of finder is missing in the dock, there is still a white dot below what means that finder is still running and I can open it but it annoys me that the icon just dissappeared. I tried a lot of things like deleting the plists from the dock and finder, or open terminal and killall Dock, doesn't work either. I tried to reset my icon with candybar, searched the Core Services map and also I can't find the solution here. Logout and login won't work. I replaced the Finder icon but also that is no option. I want to find a solution without reseting or installing my OS X Lion, because I think there must be something that should work. So if there is anyone who had the problem too or knows a solution that works for real, please tell me!
Already thanks!
Kind regards,
Vincent

Was it candybar that deleted your finder icon?
if so you just drag the custom icon (which is blank for the size you are using it in probably, reference picture) will POOF and your system icon should be restored. THEN you killAll Dock, which candybar does for you.
which version of CandyBar do you have? the latest is the only one that will work effectivly on Lion.
in icon composer, and when you preview an icon, you'll see that it is really a container with multiple images. A reason why your icons are coming up blank might be that the spaces for the the other icon sizes are empty. if you go into Icon Composer, you can drag in the other sizes and save as an ico. Then you'll have a working icon.

Failed boot with flashing folder, but boots from USB

Hi,
I was recently running an app from the App Store, when my computer froze. I got the classic spinning beach ball on the app, so went to the dock to ctrl-click the dock application icon to force quit it. This then crashed my dock. After some time I gave up, and force-turned my MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) off by pressing and holding the power button.
I turned my mac on again, booted to a gray screen, then 30 seconds later a folder with a question mark in it began flashing on the screen.
My Mac did not progress further in its boot. So I did all the usual stuff;
I re-installed my RAM and HDD (both of which I have upgraded a little while ago to improve specs) and tried to boot again without success.
I tried to access the recovery partition by holding alt while booting, to no avail, doing so just left me with a grey screen and a mouse pointer displayed. I believe that this may have been the case because I boot from an encrypted hard drive (I have encrypted it using filevault) and I have heard that recovery mode is inaccessible when booting from an encrypted drive.
I zapped my PRAM. (cmd-alt-P-R)
I tried booting into safe mode. (⇧)
Nothing worked. I then, as a last resort, removed the HD from my MacBook Pro, and swapped it with the non-encrypted drive that I use to back up menial data. I tried booting from the unencrypted drive into recovery mode, and it didn't work.
However this is the interesting bit. I then tried to boot (via USB) from the encrypted (original) HD that I had put in my external enclosure. This works. I logged in (past the encryption) and can now use my computer as normal.
I would therefore think that my Mac has something wrong with the HD bridge, or the HD cable inside my Mac. However, I can now read from and right to the unencrypted HD that I installed in my mac!? Very Wierd!?
If anyone has any ideas about what may be going on, I would be very gratefull, as I can now only boot my Mac via USB, which is a hastle to say the least. I include a screenshot.
Thanks so much!!
Mr BlobE

In this case sig the interesting thing is that the computer boots when the Startup Disk is connected via USB. In other words, my laptop will read and write, but not boot from the internal drive. Thanks Linc Davis, I have done just that and should hopefully have a working mac by tomorrow!

Flashing folder icon ? mark after upgrade or boot loop.

Hi folks. I upgraded my 2011 Mac Mini 2.3Ghz to Mountain Lion last week and it has been a big disaster. First reboot after install it gave me the flashing folder icon with ? mark. I power cycled and it seemed fine. Next reboot, same thing with the folder blinking. Hard reboots put me into a boot loop eventually. I did a clean install after having problems with that as well and now i'm in the same boat. It has booted normally once or twice but mostly just boot loops. I do have an SSD installed but this was done at an Apple Certified Micro Center and I had absolutely no problems with Lion with multiple installs done. Can I get back to Lion or is this a fix? I have no access to the Lion installer DMG as suggested in many walkthroughs that I have found to build Lion Recovery media and I'm not sure what to do at this point. I DO have the same exact mac mini at work which is thankfully still on Lion if that helps at all and access to the original mac mini but I don't think that helps at this point. I'm really ****** I can tell you that. Help? Thanks.

Can I get back to Lion or is this a fix?
The startup disk may need repairing. Instead of reverting to Lion, use Lion Recovery

MacBook Pro can turn on and off, but does not start up. Stays on white screen with flashing folder icon, does not go to desktop.

MacBook Pro is not starting up. It just stays on a white screen with a flashing folder icon. Have tried restarting while holding the Option key, and the cursor becomes visible and movable, but it does not go to the desktop.

Hello Sonya_Rose,
I found this article when researching the issue you describe here named A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac found http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1440.
Check the mouse and keyboard
This issue might occur if a mouse or trackpad button is pressed during startup. Make sure the button isn't pressed.
If the issue persists, shut down your Mac with its power button, disconnect any external mouse and keyboard, then turn on your Mac with its power button. If the flashing question mark issue persists, reconnect the keyboard and mouse.
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.
Regards,
Sterling

Mac Mini - Flashing Folder Icon / No boot / Loud fans

I recently got my Mac Mini back after 8 months of it being 'elsewhere' (someone had it, tried to gain access, failed because I have filevault).
When I first got it back yesterday I turned it on, booted and then logged in, noticed no sound, and system was saying there was no sound card. The computer wasn't lagging or freezing whatsoever, so I reset it and still no sound.
I open it up and what do you know, someones opened it (I assume to get to the HDD) and had unclipped the sound card ribbon. Reseated that and put it back together, turn it on and finally a chime, but then nothing, White screen, and fans turn on full blast. I reset it, same thing. Reset it about 10 times, only thing I noticed was half the time my mouse cursor would show and let me move the cursor around.
So I take it apart again, check all connections, restart, same symptoms.
Pull it apart again and try installing 1 RAM chip at a time, same symptoms.
I tried booting it with resetting PRAM, NVRAM, I tried starting holding option, pressing c, everything, and nothing happens! Same symptoms. I tried holding down power for 10 seconds, hear a long beep, then chime, same symptoms!
So I take it apart again, take out hard drive, check connections (all ok), put it back in, same symptoms.
Anyway I got angry so i turned it on and left it doing it's White screen business. Come back 45 minutes later, flashing folder icon with '?'
I reboot, wait 15 again, same folder icon, loud fan, nothing else.
This doesn't make sense, HDD was fine 5 minutes before, no noises at all, no lag, no errors. I didn't touch the hard drive previously to the problem, and now nothing is helping. I've had the hard drive replaced 2 years ago due to near failure, but saved all data by cloning the disk, the HDD isn't old!
I just bought an external HDD enclosure, should arrive soon, and a new HDD, issue is this disk is filevaulted, I'm scared my data is going to be lost for good.
What can I do? I've lost my OS X disc, but judging by the computer being unresponsive to other commands at boot I doubt it would boot a CD anyway.
Please help.
Thanks

Whew, what a bad ride.
Does it also have Firmware password protection in Mac OS X ...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352
It would block usage of all the startup keys, like C, N, T, D, CMD+s, CMD+Option+p+r, CMD +v, Option, and Shift, as well as booting from anything but the Hard Drive.
Force Removing Password Protection
1) Add or remove DIMMs to change the total amount of RAM in the computer.
2) Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + P + R).
http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php
Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...
/sbin/fsck -fy
Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.
(Space between fsck AND -fy important).
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Unable to boot - flashing finder icon with question mark.

Hi all,
I just got a friends old xserv G5 to learn Mac and the server suite on. He gave me the OSX Server install disk (10.5 I believe) with the license keys.
I get the XServe into "Target Disk Mode" by turning it on holding T and plugging my friends Intel Pro MacBook into it VIA FireWire. We install the Server 10.5 to the Server Disk fine, no issues. All options checked. Then upon reboot we shutdown everything and try to boot the server up on it's own and then this is where we get the flashing finder icon problem...
Here's what we've tried:
I think the Firmware is locked because when I try to power on holding power + system identifier button, both rows flash instead of the one, here's what I've done
Tried removing a memory module, booting with command, alt, p + r, no effect.
Clear NVRM by pressing button behind PSU on mainboard of xserve. No effect.
Unplugging and removing battery for minute, to clear. No effect.
I guess what I'm trying to do is clear the firmware lock so I can direct the xserve to select the startup disk by pressing F1 / D as I'm assuming that's what the issue is?
Any thoughts?

I'm not sure about the dl-DVD thing. I'm trying to remember how I installed 10.5 on my G5 boxes (it's been a while) and I know I used the Administrator computer as described in the Getting Started guide, but I don't remember if I imaged the DVD to a firewire drive.
The easiest short-cut for that is to image the DVD onto a firewire drive and attach that to the Xserve and run it as the install media. It's much faster to install this way as well. Use Disk Utility to image the DVD onto an external firewire and then boot holding down the option key - choose the drive and then use the notebook as an "Administrator computer" as described in the guide. The only hold-ups are the IP space issues and make sure you know the Xserve serial number. In theory I think you can also use another computer with the DVD in the drive running in firewire mode but now you're up to three computers instead of 2 plus a firewire drive.
I've never been a fan of the notebook>>Xserve install process even before architecture issues arose. The Xserve has special hardware monitoring capabilities that you would lose when installing booted from a non-Xserve box. I know 10.5 was supposed to install a "global" image that would run on both platforms but I wouldn't trust it even if they said you could.
HTH,
=Tod

I restarted my computer, but the screen only shows a flashing folder icon with a question mark. What to do?

I restarted my computer, but the screen only shows a flashing folder icon with a question mark. What to do?

It means that the system boot directory can't be found.
See this support article for suggested actions
Also see this discussion.

IMac G5 won't boot, flashing folder icon, disk not found

Hi fellow Mac users,
My mother's G5 iMac suddenly stopped booting after no significant event. Here is some information :
- When the Mac boots up, I get a flashing folder icon.
- When running the extended Apple Hardware Test (from the original Tiger DVD), I get no error, even the hard drive (Mass Storage) seems to be fine.
- When I boot on the Leopard DVD, the hard drive doesn't show up in disk utility.
I think the hard drive is broken, do you agree or is there something else that I am missing ? I am confused because the test says nothing about the hard drive.
Thank you for your help

@ Klaus1 :
Thanks. I tried but everything is fine on this side, the first three LEDs are On and the last is Off as expected.
But the article is about iMacs that display nothing.
@ mrbear235 :
Pressing cmd+R does nothing. I get a grey screen and the computer eventually reboots after a while.
The computer seems fine appart from the fact that there is no hard drive detected. But shouldn't the Apple Hardware Test say something about it ?

Flashing Finder Icon/ Question Mark on Boot

Today I left my 1.33ghz G4 Mac Mini turned on whilst I went to the shop.
When I came back i found it eith a flashing finder icon/ question mark.
I restarted it and it booted up a grey screen, then after a while the flashing finder icon/question mark.
I have tried putting in the OSX install disc and holding down the C key to start up using the CD and nothing happen, all I get is the same grey screen and flashing icon.
I have also tried pressing the X key, and holding it down and restarting to get up the startup disk menu, but again nothing.
Pressing 'option' key during start up only gets me a blue background with refresh button on the left and right arrow on the right - with no Boot Up CD or HDD Icon.
I have also tried resetting the PRAM, it resets, but after it hasn't solved my problem, as i am back to square one with the boot screen and icon.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
big.bad.ben

I would agree with DP that using a wired keyboard will give better results when holding down the C key. The timing of holding down the C key is tricky, and you might have to experiment with it.
The question mark means that the Mini can't find a bootable disk. Usually this is because the internal hard drive has enough directory damage that it is not bootable. Usually this can be fixed by reformatting the internal drive or replacing it.
But if you truly can't boot from the install CD, that suggests a more serious problem with the logic board or RAM memory.
When you power-up the mini, do you get a series of beeps or light flashes? The pattern of such beeps/flashes is a diagnostic aid to determine what might be wrong. Report back with what pattern you observe.
Be sure to give the install CD some more tries, varying the timing of holding down the C key. Usually you want to do it right after the startup chime.

Cannot install Leopard! after getting flashing folder icon @ boot-up

Hi, I have a retail version of leopard but not having any luck installing it.
While installing I choose to erase and install option, when it started to install it comes up with a error "The source media you are installing from is damaged. Try istalling from a different copy of the source media or contact the manufacturer for a replacment".
Now when I boot up to try it again, it comes up with a flashing folder error, with ? mark in it.
I have resetted the pram and restored drive but no luck. Any help?

How long into the install process (after you clicked install and it started installing) until you received the error?
* If it had already formatted the hard drive, then the reason you're not able to boot is because all of your previous operating system and data were erased already and you're s@#t up a creek and will have to contact Apple, tell them the steps you took, and request a new Leopard disk.
* If it simply checked the Leopard DVD and it hadn't formatted the drive or started installing, then booting off your original OSX disk (or the disk of the previous operating system you had on there) and going to "Disk Utility > First Aid > verify Disk" will tell you what the issue is. If it has errors, then try using "Repair Disk". If it fails, you're s@#t up a creek and will have to contact Apple, tell them the steps you took, and request a new Leopard disk.
Good Luck!

PowerMac won't irregularly stops booting - Flashing Folder icon

I have installed Leopard onto my PowerMac G4. It was working for a few months, now it won't boot up most of the time. I am getting the flashing folder/question mark when I turn the computer on.
This problem doesn't occur all of the time. I was messing around with the two internal hard drives, switching them around inside the machine, and whatever I did must have worked because the computer booted up just fine. All of my files were in tact and everything looked normal. This lasted for about a day. Now my computer is back to the flashing folder on startup.
What could be causing this problem, and how can I fix it? Thanks!

If your mac is the G4 DP 867 MDD like it says on your profile, then you have two IDE channels: the 1st is ATA/100 for the drive bays next to the processor, and a 2nd one being ATA/66, if I'm not mistaken, for the drive bays below the optical drive bays.
It might be worth trying to install your drives into the front ATA/66 if you have doubts that the rear ATA/100 channel is having reliability issues.
Another thing to check is your IDE cable. Inspect closely to see if there are nicks, cuts or other damage to it. Replace with a known-good cable to verify.
Yet another thing to check are the jumper setting on your drives. And if your drives are high rpm, there is slim possibility that it's taking them too much time to spin up causing the mac to think they are not present. That's very remote, though.
Hope this helps.

Flashing Folder/Finder icon but normal boot?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for