Hi having some problems. flashing question mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi iv been having some problems with my mac i was unable to start it up which had the new os x operating system was on it. it had a dreaded flashing question mark on startup. So i did the hold down option key start up manager thing. no luck it couldn't find the disk. So i looked on disk utility and got the message
Invalid B-tree node size
Volume check failed.
Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed.
disk would not repair. so intalled again on my other hard disk to get it up and running again. its sorted now but cannot get the old data off the original hard disk. it is still showing up on disk utillity but carnt do anything with it.
hmmmmmmmm should of backed it all up me thinks...
do you think i could retrive data on this?
can anyone help me out on what to do i dont have a clue.
cheers Jamie
Message was edited by: jamie8286

Hi Jamie, It sounds like the directory is corrupted or your HD is going bad.
Did you check the system profiler and see if the S.M.A.R.T passed. Do you have TechTool or Disk Warrior? There are some programs out there that will allow you extract information from a dieing drive.
The flashing question mark is telling you that it cannot find a functional operating system. And disk utility will only repair drives with a bootable OS.
I know you said you did but, did you boot _from the install disc_ and run disc repair?
I'll see what software for recovery there is for free.....

Similar Messages

Flashing question mark at start up (details in post)

Problem: Flashing question mark at startup.
System: iBook G4 running OS X version 10.3.something.
Details: The machine froze on waking up when I opened it last night. I held down the power key to turn it off, then powered it up again and got a flashing question mark superimposed on a small blue folder icon.
Further details:
(1) I tried to start the iBook up in Firewire target mode to copy my data to another machine. Holding down the T key at startup brings up the Firewire screensaver, but the iBook drive does not appear on the host machine's desktop.
(2) I can start the iBook from CD: I cannot find the CDs that came with the machine at the moment, but I can boot from a OS X 10.3 install CD that I have laying around.
(3) The hard drive is not visible to Disk Utility: When I boot from the OS X 10.3 install CD and then start Disk Utility, my hard drive is not visible to Disk Utility.
(4) Zapping PRAM does not help: I held down option-apple-P-R and restarted, letting the iBook chime four times for good measure. I still get the flashing question mark and the hard drive is still not visible to Disk Utility.
(5) The hard drive is visible in single-user mode: I powered down again and held down apple-S while powering up. I am now in single-user mode. My hard drive is visible and all of the files I have inspected seem to be just fine. I have not done anything except cd into various directories, use ls to list the files in the directories, and use cat and more to display the contents of various text files.
Questions: Obviously what I would like is to be up and running as quickly as possible. But more importantly, I don't want to do anything that would muck up the data on my hard drive.
(1) Is there any way to manually back up the data to a removable device while in single-user mode?
(2) I have not done anything with fsck yet. Should I? What are the risks/benefits of using fsck?
(3) Just for curiosity's sake: Why is the hard disk visible in single-user mode but not to Disk Utility?
(4) What are your suggestions for what to do next? I am still in single-user mode and am happy to stay there while I wait for advice.
Thanks,
RJH
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.3) OS version 10.3.(something) -- don't remember and can't start up to find out

Here are some troubleshooting guides:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=50959
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
The following link is about backup:
http://homepage.mac.com/lee_cullens/Bx3.html
(1) Is there any way to manually back up the data to a removable device while in single-user mode?
Yes. If you have an external backup drive you can copy your files while in single-user mode. There are several available tools you can use: cp, rcp, rsync, and diskutil. These utilities may require knowing the Unix device names and paths. You can use the df command to obtain that information. Use the commandline "man cmd" to obtain the Unix help on the particular "cmd", e.g., man rcp.
(2) I have not done anything with fsck yet. Should I? What are the risks/benefits of using fsck?
Fsck is simply a form of Disk Utility that can repair a startup volume when in single-user mode. One of the above references explains how to use fsck to repair the disk. Note that if fsck returns anything other than "** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK", you should re-run fsck until the preceding message is received. If you re-run fsck more than 5 or 6 times without getting the OK message, then fsck is not able to fully repair the drive.
If you have other disk repair tools like Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro, you should try to repair the drive with them. Both tools can perform repairs that neither Disk Utility nor fsck can.
Of course all the above is contingent on the drive actually being functional. If the drive has failed you may not have any success.

Flashing Question Mark At Start Up/ Disk Utility Not Working

I am having the old flashing question mark in a file show up when I try to start my computer. I went through a lot of the forums and I have attempted the Disk Utility. When I put the 10.3 install disk in and restart it takes me to the opening screen. If go to disk utility and start it and I have three options: 734.6 MB Pioneer DVD, Session 1, and Mac OSX Install Disk all with a CD icon by them. Not sure which one to pick. Even when I select any though, it does not give me the option to push the repair disk button. It is never available. Anyone know what to do here?

Exactly this happened to me two weeks ago. Unfortunately in my case it was a result of hard disk failure - my heads had burnt out and I had total data loss (I was fortunately backed up recently).
I would suggest taking your mac to a reputable computer firm, preferably Apple who can diagnose hard disk failure immediately. If that is the case you will need a replacement HD, which might be a good opportunity to expand HD size on your system (prices are always coming down; I took the opportunity to go from 60 to 120GB, for £140).
If you are not backed up and ABSOLUTELY NEED YOUR DATA then do NOT give your machine to Apple there and then however; despite assurances, you may never see your HD again, and at any rate once it has been removed it should be handled extremely carefully to prevent platter damage and compromising future data retrieval. It may not be treated with proper respect whilst a replacement is being fitted. Therefore take it to a data retrieval specialist first, who may also replace the HD for you anyway, at similar or lower cost. The cost of data retrieval is very variable but is generally about £500 if an 'invasive procedure' (HD repair) is necessary.
I hope this isn't your situation, but as I say these were exactly the symptoms of my HD failure 2 weeks ago.
Fulvio

I have replaced my ibook hard drive but when I start up I get a folder with a flashing question mark. I have tried installing the OSX disk using the "C" key but can't get any further than the flashing "?." What do I do? What is the problem?

I have replaced my ibook hard drive but when I start up I get a folder with a flashing question mark. I have tried installing the OSX disk using the "C" key but can't get any further than the flashing "?." What do I do? What is the problem?

Which iBook do you have?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1772?viewlocale=en_US
Which version of the OS is installed, and which version are you trying to install?
You could try starting up with Startup Manager and see if it will allow you to select the OS X install disc as the startup disk. If so, maybe you can proceed from there. I would recommend repairing the hard drive first since you are evidently having a bit of a problem with it.

I got this flashing question mark, i did some research into this and found out that the hard drive is the cause

i recently found my ibook and decided to see if it would still turn on. it did but i got this flashing question mark, i did some research into this and found out that the hard drive is the cause. so i opened it up replaced the hard drive and closed it up, booted from the disc and crossed my fingers but it did not pick up the hard drive. i thought it might not have been installed properly, so i opened it up to check the connections to make shure they were secure and closed it back up but now it wont even boot from the disc. so dose anyone know whats wrong with it because i really don't just want throw it away if its a simple fix. please if anyone know i would greatly appreciate it.
<Re-Titled By Host>

There often were more than one build of Apple computer per model number designation...
In the instance of iBook (white dualUSB) there appear to be two with number A-1007.
And both of these were 14-inch display models.
•iBook G3/800 14-Inch (32 VRAM - Tr) 800 MHz PowerPC 750fx (G3)
•iBook G3/900 14-Inch (Early 2003 - Op) 900 MHz PowerPC 750fx (G3)
•Apple iBook Specs (All iBook Technical Specs) for entire series - everymac:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/index-ibook.html
There are a few fairly good repair guides online, some on http://iFixit.com site.
Here's the link to the early iBook G3 series, includes color + white dualUSB.
If your iBook is a 14-inch G3 white dualUSB model that one is there, too:
•iBook G3 Repair guides - iFixit:
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iBook_G3
Either of these may be able to run a system no later than OS X Tiger 10.4.11.
So a system install disc set could be used to troubleshoot, install, restore &
prepare a replacement hard drive for a new system.
Not certain what the issues are behind your situation, there may be more than
meets the eye. Some models of iBook were more prone to hardware problems
and as they age, fewer opportunities to affordably repair them exist.
Good luck in resolving the iBook G3 issues...!

Hi guys, problem with grey screen and flashing question mark. on top of it while in utility, i'm unable to verify, verify disc permission or repair disc0 which is obviously my main hd. any ideas where to go from here? tried to reistall osx but no luck.

hi guys, problem with grey screen and flashing question mark. should be straight forward affair but on top of it while in disc utility, i'm unable to verify, verify disc permission, repair or even erase disc0 which is obviously my main hd. any ideas where to go from here? tried to reinstall osx but no luck, stucked when asked to chose location to install osx. would really apreciate any kind of help with this cause i'm quite new mac user. ty

If you don't have a backup, read this:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-1689

Problem during clean instaltion of mavericks - flashing question mark

hi to all,
I have a macbook pro late 2012, and i tried to make a clean install of Mavericks by a usb pen drive, everything was well until after the reboot.
It apears only a flashing question mark.. i already try everyting on the apple support tutorial (http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1440) but I couldn´t solve the problem..
can anyone help me

Reïterating:
You booted the Startup Manager by holding down the Option key after the initial bong.
The only disk that you could see is the USB drive.
Is this correct?
If so it sounds like your internal disk died.
A way to double check:
Can you boot the recovery partition (Boot Command-R) and run Disk Utility?
If you click on the upper left icon does the S.M.A.R.T. status report "Verified"?
If you click on the Macintosh HD icon and Repair Disk does it finish with a green OK message?
If it passes these tests then the disk is not dead.
If it appers to be dead, take it to an Apple Store for a free diagnosis and estimate of repairs. Has it been less than a year since you purchased it or is it covered by AppleCare? If so they will replace the disk for free.
Genius reservation http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/
Post back if you want instructions on replacing it youself (not a difficut procedure).

Flashing question mark/software install disc problem

Hello,
I'm getting the flashing question mark at reboot. I've followed these steps:
a. Insert the Software Install disc that came with your Mac.
b. Restart the computer and immediately press and hold the C key to start up from the disc.
c. When you see the Installer screen, choose Open Disk Utility from the Installer menu.
d. Select your hard disk volume in the left pane, click the First Aid tab, and then click Repair Disk.
e. When it's finished, restart your computer.
HOWEVER, when I restart my computer it STILL reads/loads from the install disc (as opposed to just booting from my hard drive). It's like a endless loop I can't get out of. Am I doing something wrong?
Any suggestions?
- Davey

Here's Apple doc.#106178 on Startup Manager.
Or restart while holding down the "X" key to bring you to your OS.
Cheers!
DALE

Flashing Question Mark Folder - Cannot Eject Disc - Problem Startup

My Macbook will not start up. I get a flashing question mark folder and will not startup.
Also, I have a dvd inside that will not eject.
Any suggestions?

You will need to reinstall OS X. Try this:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
1. Be sure to use Disk Utility first to repair the disk before performing the Archive and Install.
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger.) 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 quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Do not proceed with an Archive and Install if DU reports errors it cannot fix. In that case use Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro to repair the hard drive. If neither can repair the drive, then you will have to erase the drive and reinstall from scratch.
3. Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When you reach the screen to select a destination drive click once on the destination drive then click on the Option button. Select the Archive and Install option. You have an option to preserve users and network preferences. Only select this option if you are sure you have no corrupted files in your user accounts. Otherwise leave this option unchecked. Click on the OK button and continue with the OS X Installation.
4. Upon completion of the Archive and Install you will have a Previous System Folder in the root directory. You should retain the PSF until you are sure you do not need to manually transfer any items from the PSF to your newly installed system.
5. After moving any items you want to keep from the PSF you should delete it. You can back it up if you prefer, but you must delete it from the hard drive.
6. You can now download a Combo Updater directly from Apple's download site to update your new system to the desired version as well as install any security or other updates. You can also do this using Software Update.
If your drive cannot be repaired then you will have to reformat the drive and install OS X from scratch.
To eject the DVD press CTRL-E while booted from the installer disc or hold the mouse button down while the computer is booting from the installer disc.

How do I fix the GRAY boot-up screen with FLASHING QUESTION-mark FOLDER?

When I turn on the MacBook Pro laptop, I opened up the Safari Browser and its when the problem started. It was stuck on an loading infinite loop. I decided to force quit the application and/or turn off the mac by the Menu options, It did not work. So I did a "Hard" Shut-down and restarted the Mac, the Boot up screen stood gray for like a minute until the Flashing ? Folder icon showed up!.
My sister's laptop's warranty is expired so I wonder how can I fix it without having to spend too much money on a simple troubleshooting tip.
How can I download/create a boot-up Disk/Flash Drive so I can reset it to factory settings?
I cannot access the laptop because It's kind-of software bricked if you ask me. Also, I do not know how to check the Mac OS version outside of the "About Mac" menu. I do have another Mac which is a desktop computer with a CD drive.
I would appreciate some expertise on this issue a.s.a.p. Thank you!

Ok, now I am stuck:
Why does my Mac boot its OS from the Flash Drive instead of the INTERNAL HARD DRIVE???a
If I start up my MacBook Pro, It will have the flashing question mark folder UNLESS i plug in the OS-Boot flash drive. When I at the desktop screen and work on a program, When I unplug the Flash drive, THE OS WILL CRASH AS IF I TOOK it's soul (OS x Lion) out of the body (MacBook Pro Laptop)
this is frustrating because when I did the INTERNET RECOVERY, When I install OS x Lion, the Flash Drive only show up as an option as opposed to the HDD.
I cannot format the hard-drive in DISK UTILITY because it's grayed out. This is just frustating. I never had problems with PC Windows OS recovery but this (Mac OS).

Flashing question mark folder when start iMac after Time Capsule performed a new back up

I switched my iMac on after a few days away and I was asked to start a new back up for Time Capsule to enhance the performance of the device (or something along those lines). Clicked the back up now and carried on, having read the process could take a few hours (not surprising because of the amount of data on my computer).
Left it running overnight and when I came back this morning the computer was off. Switched it on, saw the apple logo and the progress bar but it didn't move past 25% before I had a message in several languages to turn the computer off (and some script in the top left corner. From memory I think I saw <panic> in that script but not 100% sure).
When I switched it back on I had the dreadful flashing question mark so performed steps described in support.apple.com/kb/ts1440 several times and performed a safe Boot. No results.
I haven't reinstalled Mac OS X (step 11 in ts1440) as I don't want to erase the hard drive.
I have plugged the Time Capsule in a MacBook and it seems empty bar 2 very small files so I'm now very worried. I have some questions:
1- I'm not a technical person so is this now a case of bringing the iMac and Time Capsule to an Apple shop or call Apple support when they reopen tomorrow Monday?
2 - Is my data wiped out in the iMac and Time Capsule? If yes is it recoverable - obviously not by me but by an expert?
3 - what created the problem? My Lightroom 3 catalog was corrupted 3-4 times over the last few weeks and was surprised that Time Capsule wanted to perform a new back up but everything otherwise was working fine.
I'm very much looking forward to your help and suggestions.

You have a couple of options and I also have a suggestion for the future. First is you can try Data Rescue software. You can find it at:
http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php
The other is sending the HD out to a professional data recovery service.
My suggestion though is using a redundant backup system. Many on this forum do just that because a backup (as you have found out) can fail too. What I use is TM and on a separate EHD I created a bootable clone using SuperDuper. You can use SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner for this. I'd recommend reading the following MacWorld articles for backup strategies. I think you'll see a recurring them in them and that is redundancy is wise.
Backup Plan
Backup Plan II
Backup Plan III
Also it wasn't a virus, you are correct there are none for OS X.
Good luck on the recovery.

Just got a new mac pro - flashing question mark and more...

I wonder if anyone can help me solve this problem. i just bought a mac pro, turned it on and a flashing question mark blinked on the screen. i got on my mac book to search apple.com for the problem and it said to boot with the install disk and hold the c key. i did all that and now i cannot take out the disk. i'm still unable to select a startup disk either. i currently have a mac g5 and loved it but it is old am really surprised with having this problem. can anyone help?

If it's new and it does that, it's very likely a loose component. If you feel comfortable doing so, open the case, and make sure that the RAM is firmly seated in its sockets and the drive cables firmly connected to the drives and the circuit board. Also check the power cables to the drives.
Depending on how the computer was handled in transit, these things can get jostled loose, and loose RAM or cabling will give you what you observe.
The other possibility is an outright hardware fault. Though rare, there's always hardware that resides in the tail of the service-life bell-curve due to some manufacturing / material defect. Apple is historically excellent about replacing same. You need to contact AppleCare or bring the unit to an Apple store or authorized repair center.

Flashing question mark folder after RAM upgrade

I took apart my Mac Mini this evening to upgrade the RAM. Thought I did everything right. When I hooked it back up to test it (without completely reinstalling the case), I got the ominous Flashing folder With a Question Mark icon. I did some research and found that this meant that the Mini couldn't find the startup disk. I checked the RAM, reseated it several times, I even put the original Apple RAM back in, nothing changed. I bought a 3 GB upgrade kit (a 1 GB module and a 2 GB module) from OWC, if that matters. Looks like Techworks branded RAM. Though, if the machine won't boot with the original RAM, either... I'm starting to get worried. I have tried resetting PRAM, also. Many times. Of the four USB ports on the back, does it matter which ones my keyboard and mouse are plugged into? I'm not using Apple keyboard/mouse, if that matters. But the keyboard and mouse work just fine. I've also tried inserting a DVD-ROM, to try and boot from that. The computer won't accept it. It's like there's no power to the optical drive. The Mini doesn't emit any chimes or other sounds, either. Any help would be appreciated.

If you followed proper precautions about static electricity when handling the internal parts of the Mini, then the flashing question mark (and the problem with the optical drive) suggests that the sub-assemblies weren't put back together quite right.
Check that no pins are bent and that everything mates properly.
Assuming you have access to another working computer, recheck the videos on the OWC site and make sure you dotted all your i's and crossed all your t's.
I doubt the problem is with the RAM; you probably wouldn't have gotten as far as the "?" if the RAM were totally borked.
If I recall correctly, we had a poster here about two months ago who didn't get the sub-assemblies mated back together quite right. When he solved the mating issue, he was able to boot properly.
(Obviously the solution could be different if you were already having problems with your Mini before the RAM update.)

Flashing question mark - wont boot from CD

Hi
I am getting the 'flashing question' mark folder at start up. I am trying to start up from the OS9 CD by holding the c key at start up, but having no success.
Prior to this, I was having a problem mounting CD's (the this disc is unreadable by this computer dialogue box would show), could that be the problem? I was working around that by using my Zip CD Writer to mount CDs to the desktop.
If there is any way to force a computer to recognise the CD other than holding down the c key, or some other solution, I would be grateful if some kind person could get back to me.
cheers.

HI, Prince Busta. Since you can neither start up from a CD using the standard method, nor read CDs in your internal CD-ROM drive after starting up from another source, it seems likely that your internal drive is malfunctioning. The simplest possible explanation for this is that the drive is dirty and needs cleaning. A drive cleaning kit, available for a few dollars wherever audio CDs are sold, might put you back in business quickly and cheaply.
Another key combination to try at Startup is Command-Shift-Option-Delete, but I wouldn't expect that to work if the "c" key doesn't, and if the drive in question is the original one that came in the iMac.
Failing that, check to make sure your CDs themselves are clean and unscratched. Though it may seem unlikely that all of them are so dirty or damaged as to be unreadable in a properly-functioning optical drive, it isn't impossible: my teenage son came very close to demolishing all of an alarmingly large CD collection a few years ago just by never putting any of them away, and padding around his room on a layer of loose CDs (mingled with lots of common trash) for a couple of years. On the upside, when his indoor landfill was finally excavated, his carpet was in better condition than we'd expected: it had been protected from wear and tear by the thick overlying strata of debris. And in the corners of his room where traffic was lightest, he found a few CDs in usable condition that he'd forgotten he owned, which were a pleasure for him (though not for me) to hear again. Fortunately, the iTunes music store has lately enabled him to spend his money on music without acquiring any cumbersome CDs that need to be taken care of. As long as his iPod doesn't get dropped into the sea of laundry on his floor and put through the wash, he probably won't destroy all his music again.
If your CDs are in good shape and cleaning the drive doesn't help, a new drive is probably in order — though replacing one in an original iMac is probably not a sensible investment nowadays. You could replace the iMac for less than a new drive would cost. Perhaps you can find a used one that works and install it yourself without spending much.

Flashing Question Mark Folder on Start-up

I recently starting having administration issues with my Mac Mini.
I went to update to OS 10.5.7 and when the administrator box came up asking for my password, my name was missing. After putting in the correct information, was unable to update, but received the message what my clue to password was.
Anyway, I performed a safe startup, changed the password and tried again. Same issue as before. So I started up from the Start Up Disk, and ran Disk Utilities and verified the disk and repaired any permission issues. When I started up my Mac Mini from the hard drive, I still did not have my administrator password working.
At this point, the start-up ping is gone.
I reset the Pram and had the same issue. So, I saved all important files to an external hard drive and tried to do a clean install. I was unable to do the clean install.
I removed the hard drive from my Mac Mini and installed it into a friends Mac Mini. I had complete control of my computer with no administrator password issues, the ping was there, and I could reload all saved items and still not have any issue no matter how I started up the computer. I then performed a complete erase and reinstall and still had no problems.
I reinstalled the hard drive into my Mac Mini, and I now have the Flashing Question Mark Folder with gray screen on start-up and no ping. Can't fire wire to start up, can't clone, can't start-up from disk, safe mode, etc..
Any ideas would be helpful. Most likely I will be going to the Apple Store and seeing what they can do.

generally, the flashing folder mark means it can not find the startup drive.
if you hear those kind of noises your hard drive is most likely dead. while this is almost certainly true you can try booting from the install DVD and see if the drive is visible in disk utility. if you can't insert the DVD try this. reboot and hold option at the chime. this should boot you into startup drive manager. there you should be able to insert the DVd and choose it as the startup drive. boot from the DVd and once past the language screen start disk utility from the Utilities menu at the top. see if it detects the internal drive. if it does, try repairing it. if it doesn't the drive is dead.

Hi having some problems. flashing question mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

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