Flashing Folder with Question Mark, Disk Utility Grayed Out

I was working on my macbook pro when it appeared to freeze, so I manually shut it down by pressing the power button. When I pressed it again to restart the computer, the restart "chime" sounded, and a flashing folder with a question mark appeared shortly after. The folder flashes for a few minutes, and the macbook turns off again. After consulting the internet, I restarted while holding command+r, and the computer told me to reconnect to the internet, select a language, and so on. When I reached the menu giving me choices for how to recover my information, I discovered that there were apparently no time machine backups recognized and when I tried to use the "first aid" option in Disk Utility, all of the action buttons are grayed out when I select the drives (I'm running OS X Mavericks) at the left, including the "Verify" option at the top. Is there anything I can do? I really would rather not restore a new version of OS X to preserve my information.

Thanks for the response. When I clicked on the option to reinstall, the window asking me to select the disk where I would like to install Mac OS X presents no options. There's just a blank white box with no other messages or prompts.

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HT1366 How to fix Flashing Folder with Question Mark on Mac

How to fix Flashing Folder with Question Mark on Mac

RichardEL is probably correct. I’ll go through your questions.
> there is no Mac OS partition, I assume it would be directly underneath the HD on the left?
I have not seen this particular condition where the hardware disk icon appears but the system volume that is supposed to be below it does not. The System Disk partition would be below the HD icon indented to the right. It is usually called “Macintosh HD” unless you renamed it.
> when I go into disk utility my HD appears on the left, but I can repair or verify it
Odd. It appears but you cannot manipulate it with Disk Utility.
> The S.M.A.R.T status reads verified
If it did not say Verified then it would indicate a problem. Saying Verified does not rule out problems but I think it indicates it is still breathing.
> Is the HD deceased?
If you booted the Recovery Partition (Boot, Command-R), which it sounds like you did, then at least part of the disk is still breathing. If it took a long time to boot then that may have been a Network Recovery boot which would indicate the disk is very sick or dead.
> [If I] restore from time machine [will] everything will be back as it was before?
Yes. That is the beauty of Time Machine. All your data, applications, and system preferences will be as they were as of the last backup.
> I was thinking of erasing the HD, would this be of any help or do I just need a new one?
Given what you reported from the Disk Utility steps you took it is unclear to me if there will be a way to repair the current volume, if you can erase and install from scratch or if you need a new disk. Before proceeding it may be useful to have an expert at an Apple store look at it for you. They may be able to revive it without a clean install or new disk.
As was the case above, it could be a good disk with a bad cable in which case a new disk is not going to help. To test this you can purchase an inexpensive external enclosure, remove the internal disk, place it in the enclosure, plug it in and then use Boot-Option to attempt to boot from the now external disk. Here are links to the screwdrivers and enclosure you would need.
$5 Toolkit: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TOOLKITMHD/
$22 USB 3.0 enclosure: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/ES2.5BU3W/
If you attempt a clean install, use the Partition tab to repartition the disk, selecting one partition and with “Options…” electing a GUID partition. Then use the Erase tab, select “Security Options…” and set it to write a single pass of zeros. This will write to every sector to map out bad blocks. (If you have an SSD do not write a pass of zeros.)
If you do need to replace it I recommend an new inexpensive (~$100) and super-fast hybrid SSHD drive that has an 8 GB SSD cache that makes the data fly. Google “Seagate 1 TB hybrid SSHD”.

Flashing folder with question mark on start up + many other issues

About 6 months ago I first encountered the flashing folder with question mark on startup. I fixed the issue myself by unplugging the mouse and keyboard and rebooting. I also did the cmd S fsck -fy before that and all was well.
The other day I had the flashing folder again...I got it going a couple of times but it happened again. Right now I seem to be in deep trouble. Please read the following:
1. I booted up from the leopard dvd and no hard drive was there to run a disk utility on
2. Booted up again from the dvd and hard drive was there. Ran the disk utility and everything was fine...for about 5 minutes. Then the computer froze and I had to hard power down. Rebooted to the flashing folder.
3. Did command s and fsck but at the end I get the message failed to issue comm reset after 3 attempts.....failing....
4. I powered down, vacuumed out the vents, sprayed compressed air to make sure it wasn't over heating from dust buildup as I read somewhere.
5. Booted up...worked for about 5 minutes again.
6. Now I can't get to the hard drive from the install dvd at all...I tried 100 times. Cmd s won't work at all!! So it looks like I am out of options. Does anyone have ny radical solutions that i can try to fix this. There are some very important things on my hard drive that I would be very upset about loosing.
Please reply

Sorry to bear bad news, but most likely the drive is already dead or dying. I hope you backed up everything when the first symptoms appeared.
There are data recovery services, but might be very expensive.
EDIT: Some (a few) people have had success putting the drive (sealed very well in a plastic baggy) in the freezer overnight and then quickly putting it in an external enclosure and getting the data off it that way.
Message was edited by: WZZZ

Flashing folder with question mark at Startup

Here is what I know so far.
- The computer was powered off by pushing the power button without shutting down.
- The computer was then restarted and it was coming into the white screen with the Apple logo in the middle, but i noticed that it was skewed slightly (like someone took a 4:3 ratio screen and stretched it to a 16:9) and then it would show a circle slash icon and then the flashing folder with a question mark on it.
- It would not come up in single user mode (Command + S) and it said that there was an error loading kernel 'mach_kernel'
- It would not come up in safe mode (Shift)(The flashing folder came up again)
- I reset the PRAM (Command + Option + p + r) and it seemed to fix the problem with the stretched screen but did not help the boot situation (still got flashing folder)
- I did the start up where you can select the hard drive to boot with, it owed the HD and i selected it, but then i got the flashing folder with question mark.
- It would not come up in Verbose Mode (Command V) Error loading Kernel again.
- I bought a FireWire cable and hooked it to another MacBook Pro, and booted the faulty Mac into Target Disk Mode, the FireWire logo came up on the screen and bounced around like all forums said that it would, but the drive would not show up on my host. I checked the System Profiler on the host and it did acknowledge the Target Disk Mode was there, but the drive of the target would not show up on the host. I restarted the host, nothing. I checked all of the connections, nothing. I replugged all of the connections, nothing. I even reversed the FireWire cable, nothing.
- I have DiskWarrior 4 if i can get the drive to show up in TDM, but nothing so far.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for your help guys. I managed to get the computer started by holding down C at the Start Up with the Install Disc 1 in the computer. The disc was really kindof unnecessary, as the newest version of Mac OS X (10.4.10) became available via the hard drive.
I then found out that the battery was not installed, so I reset the management system by removing the A/C power, the battery and pushing the power button for 5 seconds, and then reconnecting everything. It did not help, the battery is bad i guess, so I am going to call AppleCare and get a new battery.
Thanks for your help.

Flashing folder with question mark comes up at startup?

it was working fine 3 days ago i try start it up and a Flashing folder with question mark.
It has mountain lion i try to boot to recovery Part but when i hold the Option key nonthing show up.
If some can tell me what else i can.

restart holding command R if it can not find a Recovery partition it will do a Internet Recovery.
Run diskUtility "repair disk" from the recovery.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

Flashing folder with question mark only on sartup.

Flashing folder with question mark only on sartup. Won't recognise ANY startup key commands (tried different keyboards) and won't recognise OSX startup disk. Any ideas??

The first thing I'd do is look at the silver side of the SL installation disc and check for finger prints or scratches and gently clean the disc with a lint free cloth. Also, instead of formatting the hard drive it would be worth deleting the partition(s) and repartitioning.

Flashing Folder with Question Mark after Trackpad 1.0 Update

My machine won't boot after installing this update. I get the flashing folder with question mark and can't even boot from the Install DVD either... I just get a frozen spinney wheel at the Apple Logo screen. I've tried resetting the PRAM and everything else that a Googling of the problem suggests. This update bricked my Macbook!!!!
Anybody else having this problem? Anybody have any suggestions or am I stuck with going to see a "genius"?

I've not seen any other posts about it causing problems, worked fine here. You've tried resetting the PRAM the only other thing you could try is:
Boot holding down Apple/S and don't let go until you see scrolling text.
When that stops and you see a root#: prompt enter
fsck -fy
Let it run through all the checks and repairs.
If it fails first time, at any time, or finds and fixes a fault - run the command again and keep doing so (some fixes can take several passes) until it says "Appears to be OK" then enter
reboot

Flashing folder with question mark on screen

flashing folder with question mark on screen

This is the first time I have joined the support forum for MacBook - I tried the after Power Off - then while you turn it back on again your hold the "Command + R" - This has worked for some people - this was obtained on YouTube - see www.youtube.com/watch?v=flv2ebQMMtE. This however, did not work for me. I remember having a problem with my PC a few years ago - when I experienced something like this on it. I fixed it by taking out the battery. I was going to check the cable between the hard drive and the motherboard to make sure it was secure. I removed the Battery on my MacBook - blew it off, and put it back in again and surprisingly it booted up normally. Thanked the Lord for the quick fix. Back to Normal.

Flashing folder with question mark (MacMini)

Hi there,
I diagnose my Mac Mini (1.83Ghz, Intel Mac) and know that the HDD is failing, so I decide to change the HDD before the HDD totally fail.
But after I change the new HDD, and trying to install the OS back to the new HDD, I get a flashing folder icon with question mark in it, when I boot it up and press on the C key to boot from CD. So I decide to take the new HDD back out, put in an external enclosure to make sure that the new HDD is not a bad one, and I can read fine with it inside the enclosure, put it back in the Mac Mini, still the same old flashing icon.
What happen? Could someone help me please?
Thanks!

Hi Everyone,
Just for future reference for anyone who encounter this same problem, the reason that I go the flashing folder with question mark is first of all, the MacMini doesn't recognize the new hard drive. No doubt about that since the hard drive has no OS and not formatted yet. Second of all, it's because I don't have the correct Installer CD put in. I didn't know if there's any difference in the Installer CD between PowerPC MacMini and Intel MacMini, but obviously there is, since the Intel MacMini doesn't recognize the PowerPC Installer CD.
After putting the correct Installer CD in, everything works just the way it should.
Thanks for all your help, everyone!
- NyCCD

Netboot will not working, getting globe, then flashing folder with question mark.

I just created a netboot image which went off without any problems. I copied the two .nbi folders to my NetBootSP0 folder, and enabled them within netboot. My OS X server which is my netboot server and dhcp server. When I boot using N or Option N, I get the flashing globe for several seconds, the request goes through to the server and gets ACK {SELECT} however a few more seconds after, I get the flashing folder and question mark before it does a normal boot. I have read the other posts about DHCP and Subnets. My server and and clients are all 255.255.0.0. Any suggestions would be very helpful as I need this to work for several buildings.

This might work for some:
I had the same problem of the netboot image not mounting/opening, spinning globe then booting back to the Mac HD on the client and it was only when I remembered that we had manually experimented with jumbo frame rates and the MTU settings for our 32TB RAID in the Hardware settings for Ethernet ports on our servers. I turned the settings back to "Automatic" and 1000baseT on, then the whole NetInstall and Neboot was working perfectly again.

Flashing folder with question mark, apple logo, and do not enter symbol

someone please help.
i just took my imac to the apple centre and they erased everyhting and reset everything, and now it has just asked me to restart it so i did and now im stuck on flashing apple logo, flashing folder with quesiton mark inside, and a "do not enter" sort of symbol.
please please please help, i cant go back to apple as i spent so much money already!

Lion and Mtn Lion don't come on disks (the USB flash, AFAIK, is no longer available). You could boot into the recovery mode and reinstall. Details in Recovery and About Lion Recovery. Also, see the Internet Recovery.

Gray screen, flashing folder with question mark

My macbook pro was working normal in the afternoon... I closed the computer lid and returned a couple hours later to a gray screen & flashing folder with a question mark. When I hold the option key down at startup I only get an internet recovery mode. I plugged in my airport time capsule and was able to boot from it. I used disc utility check and everything checked out ok. I used my ESET NOD32 Antivirus and it checked out ok. Finally, I went to start up disc and restarted my computer from the Mac HD. This also worked without problem. Afterwards I disconnected my airport capsule and restarted the computer as a final test. Unfortunately I am back to the flashing folder with a question mark. What do I do?

See:
A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
Seems like your disk is failling.

IMac won't boot and has flashing folder with question mark on gray screen

I just bought a new iMac. I have been trying all week (with no success) to transfer files and apps from my previous iMac. The last time I tried to transfer, I used target mode on the old computer. It looked as if it was finally working, so I left with 2+ hours remaining on the transfer. When I returned, the computer was frozen and nothing would work. So I held the power button to turn it off. When I tried to turn it back on, there was only a gray screen with a flashing folder with a question mark. I feel like I have tried everything listed in other discussions. The only thing I am not able to try is to reinstall Lion because the new computer did NOT come with an OSX disc of any type. Any suggestions?

Go to > OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery

MacBook Pro flashing folder with question mark - NO installation/setup disks

I recently bought my Macbook Pro in August of 2012 and I have noticed that the newer MacBooks do NOT come with additonal installation disks or anything of the sort. I started up my Mac today and was faced with the flashing folder with a question mark on it. I already know what this is implying and I have tried literally everything to fix it. It does not recognize command-R so I cannot choose HD recovery and when I try to perform "first aid" on it, it does not recognize my disk-0 and when I try to verify or repair, it does not let me. All options are greyed out. I have tried resetting the PRAM but that does not do anything either and I cannot boot it to single user mode. Please help. The last thing I want to do is bring it in for repairs as it is my last week of classes in university and I absolutely need my laptop for school work.

I recently bought my Macbook Pro in August of 2012 and I have noticed that the newer MacBooks do NOT come with additonal installation disks or anything of the sort. I started up my Mac today and was faced with the flashing folder with a question mark on it. I already know what this is implying and I have tried literally everything to fix it. It does not recognize command-R so I cannot choose HD recovery and when I try to perform "first aid" on it, it does not recognize my disk-0 and when I try to verify or repair, it does not let me. All options are greyed out. I have tried resetting the PRAM but that does not do anything either and I cannot boot it to single user mode. Please help. The last thing I want to do is bring it in for repairs as it is my last week of classes in university and I absolutely need my laptop for school work.

Flashing folder with question mark on startup mac mavericks

Hi buddies, I've an old macbook (those with pretty die hard silver case).
last night when i just turned it on, after days a flashing folder with a ? mark on it appeared... and nothing..!
I read this A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac
but i wanna know if my datas on my hard disk would be safe or not... and what should I do keep them safe.
If I loose my files and data, you can name me dead!!!

Your data are safe if you have them separately backed up. Otherwise, there is no assurance they are safe. Given the nature of the problem it's too late to backup your data, so you will need to try reinstalling OS X and take your chances all will work out well. Hopefully, it will.
If you have Snow Leopard installed:
Clean Install of Snow Leopard
     1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came
         with your computer. Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.
         After the chime press and hold down the "C" key. Release the key when you see
         a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.
     2. 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 the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive
         size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of
         partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button
         and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended
         (Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.
     3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed
         with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.
     4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup
         Assistant. Be sure you configure your initial admin account with the exact same
         username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup
         Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh
         install of OS X. You can now begin the update process by opening Software
         Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your installation current.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
If you have Lion or later installed:
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing 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
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 then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks
OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
     Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
                 if possible because it isthree times faster than wireless.

Flashing Folder with Question Mark, Disk Utility Grayed Out

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