HT1455 macbook shows a question mark on startup

macbook shows a question mark on startup

Hi, that means it can't find what it thinks is the startup volume, could be many things.
What shows as boot choices if you hold alt or option key at bootrup?

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White Macbook gives Flashing Question Mark on Startup

Hi,
I'm in need of some advice & help in what to do with an old White Macbook (06/07 vintage).
I gave this to my mother a few years ago to bring her into the internet age while I conveniently bought a Macbook Pro
A few days ago it stopped working and on startup gave the flashing question mark symbol.
I read through various forums and discussions and have performed the following:
Held the option key down during startup - Resulted in being able to see the mouse pointer but no icons
Inserted the original startup disc (OSX 10.4.8) while holding down C on startup - I decided to go ahead and reinstall the original OSX and upgrade it after everything was back to working. However at the step where you 'Select destination' there is nothing to select. Its as though there is no hard drive on the macbookI selected Disk Utilities at that point and tried to verify the drive (as I could select it at this point) but an error message appeared and said that the volume needed repair. I then tried the repair Disk option but the process stopped almost immediately with the following error:
1 non HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
I have held down the D key during startup to get a diagnostic of hardware but this has not worked.
I would like some help with diagnosing what may be wrong to see if its economically viable to repair and get another year or 2 which would be ideal.
Am happy to open up the backside to investigate further if need be.
All help appreciated,
Thanks

I have replaced the hard drive and tried to reinstall OSX but it still does not work. I still cannot select the hard drive in which to install OSX. I tried system utilities but it does not recognize the drive and says there is an I/O error.
I am going to source a HD ribbon cable as a last ditch effort. If its not either then it will be the logic board and that is not economically viable

Macbook Displays Flashing Question Mark on Startup After Leopard Upgrade

Hello, I have a first Generation Macbook that I tried to Upgrade to Leopard. I put in the install disk and everything went smoothly until I checked on it an hour later and it said "Install Failed" without specifying a reason and it asked me to restart. So, I restarted with the disk in and then the installer claimed it couldn't locate my hard drive. I popped out the disk and now all I have is a flashing Question mark on my screen. I know there is a help article related to this, but I was wondering if there is something different due to this being a result of an attempted Leopard Upgrade, also I was wondering If I do put in the OSX Tiger Disk that came with my Macbook and re-install it will it erase everything I had on the computer?
Thank You Any help is Appreciated!!!!!!!

The Tiger install discs will need to erase your hard drive to allow for Tiger to be installed.

Mac Shows Folder With Question Mark On Startup?

Hey Guys!
I currently own a Macbook Air First Genereation (2008) running on Lion 10.7.5 (upgraded from Snow Leopard)
Recently, when I was just using the Macbook Air, the Hard disk started spinning and was creating a lot of noise well I just ignored it and gave it a hard reboot
So the next day wehn I booted my mac it was showing a folder with question mark on startup. I tried going to recovery (holding option on startup) but neither Macintosh HD or Recovery HD was being shown. I tried a internet recovery but it was not even entering Internet Recovery. I tried Single User mode, that didn't work.
I really don't know what to do now, I am panicking cause I don't have a backup and all my schoolwork is inside there.
Please reply soon and thanks in advance if you can help me
A youtube tutorial or online step by step tutorial would be great!

My tutorial is simple: pack up the MBA and charger and head for the nearest Apple store or Apple reseller. The error you see can mean three things: (1) your drive's system files are damaged, (2) your drive's directory or partition are damaged, or (3) your drive is dead. The fact that you can't boot into the recovery mode pretty much eliminates #1. It is possible that your drive's partition table was damaged but were that the case I'd expect that Internet recovery would work. So I strongly suspect #3.

My MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009) question mark on startup

My MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009) has a question mark on startup.
I brought it to my local apple service centre and they told me that after a few tests it was the hardrive, so they changed it under-warranty. Back home I started re-installing my system and got again a question mark on startup.
I decided to put the hardrive in a FW800 external enclosure and boot my system this way and the computer started without any problem. I reinstalled the hardrive in the MacBook Pro and again got a question mark on startup.
I decided to buy another drive, Seagate momentus XT 500Go, transfered all my files in this new drive and I installed it inside the MacBook Pro, still the same question mark on startup. I installed it again in my FW800 external enclosure and everything worked fine.
I decided to installed it again in the MacBook Pro, load the computer via the original Mac OSX install DVD, load the system and try to install a new fresh one on the hardrive... no hardrive were found....
So I decided again to bring it back to the same local service centre, and they told me again it was the hardrive the problem... but they don't want to listen to me when I told them that all my hardrives can startup the computer via an external enclosure....
So I would like your help, I think the problem come from the cable that linked the HD to the motherboard or the SATA chip inside the motherboard, but they don't want to test it !!!!
Thanks in advance for you help, I have been without my computer since 2 weeks now and I can't afford working without it any more !!!
Sincerely
bosa30

You need to take this computer to a real Apple Store. Or call AppleCare. Obviously this "local serve centre" doesn't have the skills to deal with your issue.
I'd also check your RAM, as an easy first step. But I think the HD controller in your Mac is bad, since you can boot from an external drive.

I want to upgrade my Hard Drive to 1TB and more. What is the maximun Hard Drive I can install for a MacBook Pro 2009 Yesterday, I tried a SEAGATE SSHD but my screen was always a showing a QUESTION MARK (?). It's not the cable because when I put back

I want to upgrade my Hard Drive to 1TB and more.
What is the maximun Hard Drive I can install for a MacBook Pro 2009
Yesterday, I tried a SEAGATE SSHD but my screen was always a showing a QUESTION MARK (?). It's not the cable because when I put back the old original version, everything works...Any sugestion of brabnding or procédure to upgrade my hard drive?

The largest 2.5" dia SATA drives available are 2 TB in capacity.
Have you tried the Seagate SSHD connected externally to the MBP via USB? The drive itself may be faulty.
Ciao.
Here is a good place to start looking for a replacement drive:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/

Folder with question mark on startup after using boot camp!!!

im getting a folder with a question mark on startup after using boot camp. it shows up for a second, then the apple logo pops up and OSX boots normally. i wouldnt be concerned except this folder with the question mark usually shows up when the computer cant find the startup disk or OS. so in fact what is happening is that my macbook cant find the startup disk for a second and then seems to find it. is anybody else having this problem. i dont like it and want to get rid of it. help!!

This is correct.
I wonder how it can be that in the System Preferences - Startup Disk - OS X volume can become "deselected" like it was... I had to re-highlight the OS X volume and all is well.
b
MBP & Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6) http://www.therottenapple.net/phpbb

Flashing question mark on startup Mac Pro 1,1

hi everybody, I have an issue with my Mac Pro 1,1. I bought this computer last week.
Occasionally, at the start up, the screen show a flashing question mark inside a folder. I know this is a HD problem.
Since it doesn't show the question mark every time, I don't know if I resolved my issue following the instruction provided by Apple (resetting PRAM).
Both times that I saw it is when I have unplugged and plugged the power cable of my Mac pro. Now is all ok, but I'm afraid...it is maybe a power supply problem? Or a logic board problem?
Sorry for my english!

The hatter wrote:
When you reset PRAM you 'cause' the flashing "?"
No, I've seen the flashing "?" only when I have unplugged the power cable. (Two times.)
System Preferences : control panel : Startup Disk - set the boot drive
Ok, I've done it yet.
Now the Mac starts up normally.
I only fear that the problem is the logic board or power supply.
Can I exclude this possibility?
I'm ready for a failure of the drive.
Thank you very much!

Blue screen with flashing folder and question mark on startup

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

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

Hi Forum, can u please help? iRecently bought a mac pro & my garageband 11 was working fine but now it's showing a question mark in the dock but it won't open. I think it may have been accidentally trashed. I've searched the trash & spotlighted. What now?

Hi Forum, can u please help? iRecently bought a macbook pro and garageband 11 was working fine but now it's showing a question mark in the dock and it won't open. I think it may have been accidentally trashed. I've searched the trash and spotlighted but don't know what to do next. Any ideas? Thanks.

How did you install GarageBand on your Mac? Did it come preinstalled with the other iLife applications?
If your MacOS supports the AppStore, you should be able to redownload GarageBand from the AppStore, see this support Article: OS X: About OS X Recovery on how to download again:
Double-click the App Store icon in the dock.
Enter your Apple ID and password.
Click Purchases.
If you haven't previously accepted your bundled iLife applications within the Mac App Store, you should see your iLife applications appear in the Accept portion of the screen. Click Accept.
You may be asked for your Apple ID and password once again. Your iLife applications now move to the Purchased section. These applications are part of the software that came with your Lion based computer. Your account will not be charged for them. Click Install to complete installation of your applications.
Regards
Léonie

Blinking question mark on startup - tried lots of things - advice?

Hi,
A friend called me yesterday about a two year old iMac. Got the blinking question mark on startup. So I went over, tried disc utility, but disc utility (off the iMac's install disc) could not even see the hard drive. So I tried TechTool Pro. Same result. TechTool from AppleCare disc, same result, DriveGenius, same result, start up in single user mode, same result, targeted disc mode connected to my MBP, same result, Data Recovery II, same result, connected a Mac via FireWire and started up from that and ran those same diagnostics, same result. None of those could even find - much less repair - the hard drive. It still shows a blinking question mark. It seems like all the hardware is working fine (motherboard, display, etc), except the hard drive. Any advice?
Thanks!
Russ Conte

The machine must be a G5, or it would be older than 2 years. And no AppleCare or it would be in the shop before this. The most likely cause is hard drive failure, as already stated. A fact of life is that all hard drives will fail or have failed.
You can deal with this, providing you can handle a screwdriver. Go to the support area of the Apple Website and click "Manuals" instead of discussions where you are reading this. In the block "search manuals" type "Imac Hard Drive". The next step is to select the instructions for correct machine, and download.
Cost of replacement drives depends upon capacity. One source is macsales.com.
A new drive will have to be formatted. Easy to do prior to installation by connecting to any Mac with a Universal Drive Adapter via a USB connection. That adapter is also available at macsales and other places.
Final step after installation is to install the OS hopefully from the original disks.
Good luck to you.

IPhoto in dock shows only question mark...

The iPhoto application in my dock shows a question mark, but I cannot reinstall iphoto. It can't be found on my hard drive. Help! My iphoto libraries exist, but cannot be opened. How or where can I get my application back and re-install it? It came pre-installed when I bought this Mac.

Did you check the Trash?
Do you have any iLife Discs? Did you look on the Original Install Disc(s) for Optional Installs?
The icons in the Dock are aliases, & the question mark means it doesn't exist where that points to.

Previous Photos In Messages Not Showing (Blue Question Mark)

Previous Photos In Messages Not Showing (Blue Question Mark)
iPhone 4s, updated to iOS 8.1.1, and now previous photos in messages (imessage & text) show as blue question mark.
Not viewable in details (view) either. However any new photos sent or received are viewable. PLEASE HELP!!!
(MMS is turned on & over 5GB of free space on phone)

I have the same issue. Does anybody know how to fix it?
It is really annoying... I chose iphone to be ensure about functionality and stability of this product.
Any help appreciated.
IOS. 8.1.1 iphone 5s

IPhone 4 pictures showing as question marks!?!

When I receive e-mails with pictures they do not show the picture unless I hit forward. They show as question marks and if I try to save they are saved as the image of the question mark.
Has anyone had this problem?
If it helps I have the iPhone 4 with current operating system.

I tried with browser language setting,but result is same.It was working earlier when i'm using tomcat as application server. Recently i migrated to Oracle Application server and from that time, arabic characters are showing like this.

Anybody can help me? I'm trying to start my computer and it shows this question mark. Then i restart it holding the option key and it shows this padlock with a password field. What should password should i put?

Anybody can help me? I'm trying to start my computer and it shows this question mark. Then i restart it holding the option key and it shows a padlock with a password field. What password should i put? I would appreciate any help

Contact Apple, or if you bought the computer secondhand, the previous owner.
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HT1455 macbook shows a question mark on startup

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