Flashing Question Mark in Folder at Startup - Retrieving Lost Data on HD

I've had my macbook for 9 months and Thursday it started making a clicking noise. I remember accidentally opening iMovie, then all my applications slowed down. The rainbow wheel wouldn't go away and everything froze (clicking noise continued). So I shut it down manually using the power button and instead of starting up, the flashing question mark in a folder popped up. I took my computer to an Apple Store and they told me I can either get the hard drive replaced, meaning all my data would be lost, or I could contact a hard drive recovery company to try to retrieve as much of it as possible. They said it would be fairly expensive ($500-$1000)..
Does anyone have any experience with any of these companies? Do they try to fix your old hard drive (I've noticed that a number of other people have had problems with 9-month old macbooks) or do they retrieve as much data as they can and save it to a new hard drive? And how long could this process take? I am a college student and I need access to a computer as well as the information on my own laptop.

Funny I has a very similar problem with my 8 mo old MacBook on the 15th and got the same reply from the Genius at the Apple Store today.
I spoke with someone at one of those companies located in the Boston area. They could look at my computer with in the hour if it was an emergency, turn around time could be pretty quick or take up to a week. They charge $95 to look at it and then will give you a list of files they can retrieve. You can then make a decision as to whether they should go ahead and recover. The fee for them to actually recover your files is $500 at a minimum and it could be higher. They do not fix your hard drive. They said my warranty would still be valid when they were done. hope that helps...I can't decide what to do for myself, it was just pictures that I had not backed up yet. Good luck.

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Flashing question mark in folder at startup

I just got the hard drive replaced in November at the Apple store (I'm really loving the care plan now!) and ever since then on startup I've been getting the folder with a question mark for a brief second and then it goes to the normal startup screen with the grey apple and spinning cog. The hard drive isn't making any strange sounds and I haven't experienced anything out of the ordinary. What could this be and is it something serious? Thanks!

Hello Travis,
I doubt that it is anything serious. It may help to look in here to rectify the issue though...
Black Apple > System Preferences > Start up Disk.
Check to make sure that the computer is trying to boot up from OS X 10.5.6. on the internal hard drive of that Mac.
Regards.
Ian.

Flashing Question Mark atop Folder at Startup

I know this means the system cannot find the hard disk, which makes sense since it makes a bit of a racket as it attempts to boot. I was wondering if there are any tips or tricks to temporarily jumpstart it.
My main goal at this point is to recover some documents that I worked on all morning. (I tried to target the PowerBook to my iMac to no avail.)
I was thinking about checking the HD connection to see if it became unseated, but unlike iBooks, I'm not sure I can get to it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Hi Jon:
Welcome to Discussions.
Your computer cannot find a startup disk, is right.
Questions:
Did you have a startup disk selected?
When was the last time you were able to boot successfully, and have you done anything, made any changes (such as upgrading RAM etc.)?
Try zapping the PRAM (Hold down CommandOption+PR while you hit the Power button. Keep holding until you hear 3 chimes. If this does now work go to the next.
Hold down the option button while you hit the Power button. If there is a startup drive or drives, it should show up, and you can select your HDD.
If that does not work start up from your install disk while holding down the "C" key. If you are able to start successfully, go to the Intaller menu and select Disk Utility. In the first column see if you internal HDD appears. If it does select it then run Repair Disk. After that run Repair Permission. Quit Disk Utility, and select a startup disk. Then restart.

PLEASE HELP- flashing question mark in folder

Hi everyone,
last night I was just on my macbook as usual and suddenly it froze, so I turned it off. When i went to turn it back on, all that appeared was a flashing question mark in a folder.
I have tried all the suggestions on this page http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042 , but none of them worked because it didn't even recognise/find the harddrive in the disk utility section. I don't have apple care ($419 is a lot of money for a student!) but I only bought the macbook about 6 months ago, so it is still within warranty. What should I do now?
Any help is much much appreciated!
Melissa

Melissa,
I just had the same exact problem last night too. I called the apple technical service number and nothing they did helped because the hard drive wasn't found. I even got a fire wire cable and tried to hook my MacBook up to another Mac and tried the target disk mode hoping I could pull off data that I needed, but the other mac couldn't find the disk either. I'm kind of worried about losing some of my data. If you could let me know if you find any solution that would be awesome! I plan on going to the apple store this weekend to get it looked at.
-Michelle

Flashing question mark on folder at start up...help,please

I powered down after quiting Photoshop CS3 and getting the rainbow beachball. When I powered back on I got a grey screen with a flashing question mark in a folder icon...something I've never seen. Powering off and powering back on doesn't resolve the problem. The opening chime plays, but the flashing folder icon with the question mark reappears. I have a macbook, 2GHz Intel Core Duo, 80 GB HD bought 6/06. Any suggestions or advice. Thanks.

Hello,
I too have this exact problem. This morning i went to jiggle the mouse to bring the screen back from sleep but it wouldnt. I did a hard reset, but kept giving me the flashing question mark folder. I inserted x.5 disc into the drive to do a disk repair, but couldn't find the disk. I've assumed that the HDD is dead so have ordered a new one.
I'm really kicking myself today, as I foolishly turned off Time Machine a couple of days ago as i am shuffling media around. I have learnt my lesson.
However i'll put the Macbook's HDD into an enclosure and see if i can bring it back to life/restore my data.
I'll post my results next week
This is a bit suspicious for a couple people in the same month to have the same problem.
FYI, i am running X.5.1, 80gb, 2gb RAM.

Flashing Question Mark on Folder Icon on Startup: Not Yet Fatal

I running into a potential problem with my White, 13" MacBook. I'm running 10.5.6 (upgraded from 10.4).
I recently bought a new, larger capacity hard drive. I used the Applications "SuperDuper" to clone my existing drive onto the new drive. My computer runs (as far as I can tell) the same as it always did. However, whenever I startup the computer, it briefly flashes the dreaded "giant folder with a blinking question mark". However, this is quickly replaced with the Apple Logo, and the computer boots normally.
I have repaired permissions, and verified the disk using disk utility. The disk verified with a message along the lines of "The disk appears to be ok".
While my computer's working now, I'm concerned there might be a deeper problem, and I'd like to catch it before it becomes critical. Also, if this is something standard that happens when you replace a hard drive with a new one, I'd like to know that as well so I can stop worrying.
If your answer is "put your old drive back in", pretend I did that and am still seeing the problem. What now?
Possible data point, I opened the console and saw the following two lines right before the "got boot device" line
4/29/09 5:00:07 PM kernel Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOProviderClass</key><string ID="1">IOResources</string><key>IOResourceMatch</key><string ID="2">boot-uuid-media</string></dict>
4/29/09 5:00:07 PM kernel AppleYukon2: 532111ab,00000000 sk98osx_dnet - CheckDictionaryEntry failed, expected vs. dictionary
Thanks in advance for your help.

Open Startup Disk preferences, select your startup volume from icon list, click on the Restart button.

Question mark/finder folder on startup

I just installed a new power supply and it starts up now. The problem is that it only goes to a finder/question mark folder. When you press the power button in front it shuts off.
1.6 ghz Power Mac G5 1.25 gig RAM 250 & 80 gig HD

Hi.
If the boot drive is present and ok, the G5 has lost the thread of where it is.
You could try leaving it flashing for longer, to see if it finally remembers.
Or holding down the Option(alt) key on Startup and then selecting the boot drive when it eventually appears.
If it still won't come up, you could try Repairing the boot drive, and then try to boot from it
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=DiskUtility/10.5/en/duh1018.html
When it boots, re-select the boot drive in System Preferences > Startup Disk.
Probably wise to then run Disk Utility(the one on the 10.4.(8?) drive), and Repair Permissions and Verify Disk on the boot drive.
The Apple Official is here
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042
Good Luck.

Flashing question mark and folder icon

Hi
I got the dreaded flashing folder/question mark icon a couple of days ago I used a friends computer to read the information in these forums and eventually managed to get my iMac to start up again. I have a very recent Time Machine back up, so am not worried about losing anything. During the numerous re-start attempts I decided to **** with it and do a re-install of the software, but the HD icon wasn't showing up as an option. If thats what I have to do then so be it.
A lot of the posts talked about a Apple Hardware test, which involves a re-start. If I do that I am afraid that I wont be able to start again
Any suggestions about what my best move would be?
Thanks in advance
By the way, what causes this to happens? Is it a hard or soft ware issue?
Message was edited by: Tony Hague

It sounds like you may have an intermittent issue with that hard drive. I would get it replaced--especially if it's under warranty.
Dave M.
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Blinking question mark and folder on startup

Hi everyone,
I'm in need of some help. I turned on my mac today and got a gray screen with a little folder icon and a blinking question mark in the center. I'm on a G4 running OS X Tiger. I'm trying to boot using the startup disk but here's the problem, I have an external dvd drive connected by firewire, so the only way I can startup the Tiger dvd is from that external dvd drive. I put the dvd in (only my monitor, mouse, keyboard and the dvd drive are plugged in), restarted, pressed 'c' got the installer menu, went to disk utility but the only hardrive it shows is for my dvd drive (2.6GB LaCieGroup SA) and the icon of the dvd underneath, it does not show the macs hardrive.
I don't know what to do can someone please help are there any other options?
Thanks
Chris

Hi Chris99,
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Regrets you're experiencing difficulty.
In the absence of any additional details about your scenario, here are my two cents.
The folder icon with blinking question mark implies that your Mac fails to recognize its internal hard drive as a bootable device.
Further, Disk Utility fails to recognize your Mac's internal hard drive.
One possiblity is that your internal hard drive's ribbon cable has come loose. You can test this by opening the G4's case and playing with the cable.
Another possibility is that the hard drive's ribbon cable is defective. You can test this by using another ribbon cable.
A third possibility is that the hard drive has stopped functioning properly. If you have another Mac, you can test this by connecting the G4 to the other Mac using a Firewire cable, then cold boot the other Mac, then cold boot the G4 while pressing the T key. If the G4's hard drive fails to display on the other Mac's desktop, this would support the third possibility. You also can test this by using a third-party hard drive repair utility (Tech Tool Pro; DiskWarrior; Drive Genius).
If you live near to an Apple Store or authorized Apple service shop, you could bring your G4 to a technician there and request a diagnosis.
Hope this helps.

SE600DV won't do anything but flash Question Mark/MacSmile Folder

I just acquired an iMac SE600DV-Graphite. it 'powers up' but won't 'start up.' The screen flashes a question mark and that MacSmiley filefolder face. What is wrong and how do I fix it?

Well the flashing ? means it can't see an OS to start from. Either the HD is bad, corrupted or gone. See if it will boot up with an install CD of OS 9. Don't attempt OS X until you check the firmware. It should be 4.1.9.
For available upgrades:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117
If it won't see the CD-ROM try an external FireWire.
Good Luck.
Richard

Flashing Question Mark Folder after Clean Install in Target Disk Mode

I have an old iBook G4 with a failing optical drive and the need to reformat the hard drive and re-install OS 10.5.4. Since the optical drive is failing and unpredictable, I figured I'd do everything in target disk mode.
So I mounted the hard drive of the iBook to my Mac Pro via Firewire in target disk mode. I was able to successfully format the hard drive of the iBook, zeroing out all the data with 7 passes, and I was also able to successfully install OS 10.5.4 from my original Install DVD, again in target disk mode.
After the install was complete, I went through all the registration process and User Account setup and the iBook booted fine albeit still in target disk mode. So I shut down the Mac Pro, turned off the iBook and unplugged the Firewire cable. My Mac Pro booted up just fine afterward. But the iBook now gives me the flashing question mark/finder folder.
I know this means that the iBook is having trouble located a startup volume, or that the startup volume is corrupt or missing data. How can this be, though, after a reformat and clean install? Did I do something wrong in target disk mode? Or did I neglect to do something necessary?
Thanks for anyone's help on this.

Thanks, Niel.
I don't see APM as an option in Disk Utility when booting from my Mac Pro. I only have Mac OS Extended (Journaled), Mac OS Extended, Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled), Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive), MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT.
How do I get my Mac Pro to repartition the iBook properly in target disk mode?

TS1440 Flashing question mark, cancel, apple, and folder symbol.

My computer has been acting weird for the longest time, I used to have a done of room on it and one day it disappeared. So I started deleting stuff off of it, big apps and what not so I could have more space, I would gain little bit of space but then a second later it goes back to "Zero KG" so I'm thinking I should restart my computer.. So I turn it off, then turn it on, and flashing symbols come up. After multiple times of turning it on and off, I put in my startup disk, but I can't get past the choosing the start up disk because it says I have zero KG on the disk.. So I take the disc out and it goes back to the flashing question mark/apple/folder symbol..

Hello,
Try holding the Option key at startup to see if you can boot off the Install Disc to repair the drive, or the c key.
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at the top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Select your Mac OS X volume.
5. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.
(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)
We need to clear some really big files off of it, like Movies, or I suspect some huge logs from something going wrong. 0 KB on the drive can ruin many files on there.

G4 Won't Boot Up and Shows The Flashing Question Mark Folder Thing

Ok so I bought a Quicksilver G4 from this guy and he said that he took is info off it and now it won't boot up. So I have a Tiger Disk and I tried the to boot from the disk by pushing C down while it was booting and it still goes to that Flashing Question Mark and Folder thing. What should I do? Should I take it in or is there something I can do without taking it in?

Hi! It should boot from the install disc by holding down the "c" key at startup with the disc already inserted as long as it's a retail disc and not one for another model of computer. If it won't boot from a retail install disc then you have hardware problems. Tom

At startup I get grey screen and a folder with a flashing question mark. How do I reset my MacBook Pro to the manufacture defaults?

At startup I get grey screen and a folder with a flashing question mark. How do I reset my MacBook Pro to the manufacture defaults?

Click here and follow the instructions. If the computer originally shipped with Mac OS X 10.6.8 or earlier, when you reach step 5, insert its original disk, restart with the C key held down, use the Disk Utility to erase the internal drive, and install a fresh OS.
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Flashing question mark folder on macbook pro startup. PLEASE HELP

I have a MacBook Pro which I think is a 2011 version. When I startup the computer it comes up with the flashing question mark folder. I can't start it up via disc as I do not have the disc that came with the mac :( .

Di you try restarting and booting whilst holding down the command and R keys? Or even the command, option and R keys (assuming that you've a 2011 model)?
Some 2011 models came with discs as they shipped with Snow Leopard. Those that shipped with Lion had no discs. If your machine originally shipped with Snow Leopard, you can call Apple, with the serial number of your MBP handy, and order a set of model-specific discs (cost is, I believe, around $25 with taxes and shipping).
Please 'call back' and let us know if you've tried booting either to your Recovery partition or to Internet Recovery.
Clinton

Flashing Question Mark in Folder at Startup - Retrieving Lost Data on HD

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