HT4859 Replaced File/folder recovery

i dragged my document folder full of important files on to the desk top and when i dragged it back to the same place i think i pressed a replace option and lost all files in that folder. How can i recover please please help me

Check the trash, if they arent there, use Time machine or whichever back up utility you use to recover the files and folders from just before your deletion.

Similar Messages

Deleting the C:\System Recovery Files folder

In 2012 someone already posted this and I have the same problem. Can't anyone solve this? How about someone from HP or Microsoft. Problem deleting the C:\System Recovery Files folder ‎01-08-2012 10:37 AM My computer, a HP-Pavillion desktop, model RK575AA-ABA a1740n running Windows Vista Home Premium, was getting more and more sluggish. One morning, when booting, I pressed F11 and clicked on "Backup and Recovery". The process took a while and resulted in a MINWINPC folder on my backup drive containing my C: drive in compressed form. The rest of the process was to take the computer back to its previous capabilities: formatting, installating the factory image of the system and installating my programs. Once this was completed, I decompressed the MINWINPC and it deposited all of the files from my previous C: drive into a "System Recovery Files" folder on my C: drive. From that folder, I copied and pasted the users data.
The C:\System Recovery Files folder is still on my C: drive, it has served its purpose and is not needed any longer. I tried to delete it. I took administrator priviledges and right-clicked the folder and selected the "Delete" command. Surprise! Access was denied and I cancelled the command. I tried a lot of tricks gathered by a search on the Web (take ownership from the virtual menu properties and Security panel, use TakeOwnership and Unlocker) to no avail though I had very little problem deleting users data and all the files resulting from the installation of applications. Deleting the AppData folder required more patience but there was no way to delete sub-folders of Program Files containing Window programs (Internet Explorer, Microsoft Security Client, Windows Calendar, ...). An attempt to use Unlocker even resulted in a BSOD indicating a last ditch effort by Windows to save its integrity.
What can I do?

Unless this folder is excessive in size, why be worried? If you absolutely have to remove the folder, you could do it outside of Windows, since windows will not let it be done. My choice is to get a Linux Live, make the CD to load it and then reboot to the Linux by booting to the Linux Live CD. It will not alter the Windows install but will allow the user to remove or write whatever they want to the hard drive. I have done this many times. To use a user friendly Distro look for Linux Mint or Ubuntu.Be cautioned that bad things can happen to any other files if any are accidentally altered or deleted will using this method. The risk however is yours, depending on how much this Recovery file folder is annoying to you.

Lost the "recent file" folder in the dock next to the trash bin and cannot figure out how to replace it. Any thoughts?

Lost the "recent file" folder in the dock next to the trash bin and cannot figure out how to replace it. Any thoughts?

First thing I would do is look in the trash and if it isn't there look in the System Preferences and I am sure it will be in there.
Cheers
Don

Help ! Can't replace file in file folder with same file from mail

After migrating from Mountain Lion to Mavericks, everytime I want to save attachment file from mail to file folder that has same file name, after clicking "Replace", the attachment file doesn't replace the old one.
This problem didn't exist, after migrating from Lion to Mountain Lion.
What should I do to fix it ?
Thanks.

The best thing to do is to move the search and replace functionality to before the string coming out of the file is changed into an array. Do it there and all you need is 2 instances of the Search and Replace String function. One replaces all the "/" with "-" and one changes all the "." to ",".
Mike...
Certified Professional Instructor
Certified LabVIEW Architect
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"... after all, He's not a tame lion..."
Be thinking ahead and mark your dance card for NI Week 2015 now: TS 6139 - Object Oriented First Steps

Problem deleting the C:\System Recovery Files folder

My computer, a HP-Pavillion desktop, model RK575AA-ABA a1740n running Windows Vista Home Premium, was getting more and more sluggish. One morning, when booting, I pressed F11 and clicked on "Backup and Recovery". The process took a while and resulted in a MINWINPC folder on my backup drive containing my C: drive in compressed form. The rest of the process was to take the computer back to its previous capabilities: formatting, installating the factory image of the system and installating my programs. Once this was completed, I decompressed the MINWINPC and it deposited all of the files from my previous C: drive into a "System Recovery Files" folder on my C: drive. From that folder, I copied and pasted the users data.
The C:\System Recovery Files folder is still on my C: drive, it has served its purpose and is not needed any longer. I tried to delete it. I took administrator priviledges and right-clicked the folder and selected the "Delete" command. Surprise! Access was denied and I cancelled the command. I tried a lot of tricks gathered by a search on the Web (take ownership from the virtual menu properties and Security panel, use TakeOwnership and Unlocker) to no avail though I had very little problem deleting users data and all the files resulting from the installation of applications. Deleting the AppData folder required more patience but there was no way to delete sub-folders of Program Files containing Window programs (Internet Explorer, Microsoft Security Client, Windows Calendar, ...). An attempt to use Unlocker even resulted in a BSOD indicating a last ditch effort by Windows to save its integrity.
What can I do?

Lisa, that's terrible advice. First of all, why would you delete the recovery partition? It's only accessed when you need to perform a recovery. Secondly, how does doing this solve the OP's question? Answer: It doesn't.

An error message appeared during system recovery which waid "failed to replace file"

Failed to replace file C:\Program files (x86)\coupon companion\coupon companion.exe
(Ox80070002) error during system restore.

Do you mean you actually ''want'' Coupon Companion? It's malware, or at best, adware.
If you can't remove Coupon Companion from your computer, first try using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.
* http://www.malwarebytes.org
If it can't get rid of it, then post in the Malware Removal section of the following forum.
* http://forums.malwarebytes.org
Related:
* [[Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware]]

Cannot get into mac. I get a white screen and flashing file folder with question mark inside. What can I do?

2012/13 MacBook Pro froze up, so I did a hard shut down. Now, when I try to start up, it makes 3 unusual beeps, then I get a white screen. After a couple minutes, a flashing file folder with a question mark appears and remains. What is wrong and what can I do to fix it.

Three beeps usually means a RAM or RAM slots problem. The Question Mark means there is no bootable system found.
A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac
Question (?) Mark, Blinking Folder, or Gray Screen at Startup
These are related but not identical issues. Their causes are outlined in Intel-based Mac- Startup sequence and error codes, symbols. Solutions may be found in:
A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac
Mac OS X- Gray screen appears during startup
In most cases the problems may be caused by one or more of these:
a. Problem with the computer's PRAM - See Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM.
b. Boot drive's directory has been corrupted - Repair with Disk Utility.
c. Critical system files are damaged or deleted - Reinstall OS X.
d. The disk drive is physically non-functional - Replace the hard drive.
Note that the information I have provided is what Apple recommends, If other users suggest different solutions than found here, then be sure what they recommend does not impact on your warranty, if any, or ability to get continuing Apple service.
Please don't start removing drives or changing cables unless you know what you are doing and have exhausted other non-invasive alternatives outlined here. If you perform any work yourself that is unapproved by Apple, then you will void any warranty you may have and lose all further Apple Support.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard 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 Utilities menu. 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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro 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.
The main difference if you are using Lion or Mountain Lion is that you must first boot from the Recovery HD. Simply boot from the Recovery HD to perform the above.
Reinstall Snow Leopard Without Erasing The drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard 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 Utilities menu. 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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro 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. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing The 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 the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Flashing file folder with question mark

Hello,
i have a mid-2010, 15"' MacBook Pro running Yosemite. Also, about two months ago, I replaced the two, 2 GB memory modules with two 4GB modules. Just in the past week the laptop has been acting very sluggish; login won't complete; and today, when first booting it up, I got a gray screen with a flashing "question mark" file folder. I've NEVER seen this before. In all the years I've been an Apple fan and user, I've never experienced a moments trouble.
In searching for other questions similar to mine, I read to restart in Safe Mode, select Disk Utility, then run Disk Repair on the Macintosh HD volume; exit Disk Utility, and restart from the Apple menu in regular mode. These steps worked however, once the laptop began restarting, it took at least 10 minutes to get to the desktop.
I am considering backing up critical files and wiping the hard drive clean or restoring it to factory. I don't know if this is necessary or if it would rid the system of whatever it is that's causing these issues. Also, I've not ever done this before so I don't know what issues I may encounter, or exactly what steps to take to accomplish this. If such drastic measures are not necessary, suggestions as to what I can do to correct these issues are appreciated.
Suggestions are welcomed. Thanks in advance.

That is a sign that the MBP cannot find the OSX. Usually is is a failing HDD or a faulty SATA connection cable/
Backup your data.
Then boot the MBP in the recovery partition and select Disk Utility from the 4 option menu.
Run Disk Utility>First Aid, Verify and Repair.
If the Disk cannot be repaired.
If the disk is OK, and the problem still persists, that points to the Cable.
Take out the HDD and connect it externally via USB in an enclosure.
If the MBP can be booted using Startup Manager, then the cable is probably faulty and should be replaced.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1310
Ciao.

Mini is only booting to white screen with a file folder and ? flashing

Just bought a mac mini from a friend who reinstalled the os. It is booting to a white screen with a flashing file folder with a ? in the centre. I am using a wireless mac keyboard and mouse, change the batteries in the keyboard (just in case)........WHAT NOW????????

Before acquiring a second-hand computer, you should have run Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test, whichever is applicable.
The first thing to do after acquiring the computer is to erase the internal drive and install a clean copy of OS X. You—not the original owner—must do that. Changes made by Apple over the years have made this seemingly straightforward task very complex.
How you go about it depends on the model, and on whether you already own another Mac. If you're not sure of the model, enter the serial number on this page. Then find the model on this page to see what OS version was originally installed.
It's unsafe, and may be unlawful, to use a computer with software installed by a previous owner.
1. If you don't own another Mac
a. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.4 or 10.5, you need a boxed and shrink-wrapped retail Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) installation disc from the Apple Store or a reputable reseller—not from eBay or anything of the kind. If the machine is very old and has less than 1 GB of memory, you'll need to add more in order to install 10.6. Preferably, install as much memory as it can take, according to the technical specifications.
b. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.6, you need the installation media that came with it: gray installation discs, or a USB flash drive for a MacBook Air. You should have received the media from the original owner, but if you didn't, order replacements from Apple. A retail disc, or the gray discs from another model, will not work.
To start up from an optical disc or a flash drive, insert it, then restart the computer and hold down the C key at the startup chime. Release the key when you see the gray Apple logo on the screen.
c. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.7 or later, you don't need media. It should start up in Internet Recovery mode when you hold down the key combination option-command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a spinning globe.
d. Some 2010-2011 models shipped with OS X 10.6 and received a firmware update after 10.7 was released, enabling them to use Internet Recovery. If you have one of those models, you can't reinstall 10.6 even from the original media, and Internet Recovery will not work either without the original owner's Apple ID. In that case, contact Apple Support, or take the machine to an Apple Store or another authorized service provider to have the OS installed.
2. If you do own another Mac
If you already own another Mac that was upgraded in the App Store to the version of OS X that you want to install, and if the new Mac is compatible with it, then you can install it. Use Recovery Disk Assistant to prepare a USB device, then start up the new Mac from it by holding down the C key at the startup chime. Alternatively, if you have a Time Machine backup of OS X 10.7.3 or later on an external hard drive (not a Time Capsule or other network device), you can start from that by holding down the option key and selecting it from the row of icons that appears. Note that if your other Mac was never upgraded in the App Store, you can't use this method.
3. Partition and install OS X
a. If you see a lock screen when trying to start up from installation media or in Recovery mode, then a firmware password was set by the previous owner, or the machine was remotely locked via iCloud. You'll either have to contact the owner or take the machine to an Apple Store or another service provider to be unlocked. You may be asked for proof of ownership.
b. Launch Disk Utility and select the icon of the internal drive—not any of the volume icons nested beneath it. In the Partition tab, select the default options: a GUID partition table with one data volume in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. This operation will permanently remove all existing data on the drive.
c. An unusual problem may arise if all the following conditions apply:
          OS X 10.7 or later was installed by the previous owner
          The startup volume was encrypted with FileVault
          You're booted in Recovery mode (that is, not from a 10.6 installation disc)
In that case, you won't be able to unlock the volume or partition the drive without the FileVault password. Ask for guidance or see this discussion.
d. After partitioning, quit Disk Utility and run the OS X Installer. If you're installing a version of OS X acquired from the App Store, you will need the Apple ID and password that you used. When the installation is done, the system will automatically restart into the Setup Assistant, which will prompt you to transfer the data from another Mac, its backups, or from a Windows computer. If you have any data to transfer, this is usually the best time to do it.
e. Run Software Update and install all available system updates from Apple. To upgrade to a major version of OS X newer than 10.6, get it from the Mac App Store. Note that you can't keep an upgraded version that was installed by the original owner. He or she can't legally transfer it to you, and without the Apple ID you won't be able to update it in Software Update or reinstall, if that becomes necessary. The same goes for any App Store products that the previous owner installed—you have to repurchase them.
4. Other issues
a. If the original owner "accepted" the bundled iLife applications (iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band) in the App Store so that he or she could update them, then they're irrevocably linked to that Apple ID and you won't be able to download them without buying them. Reportedly, Mac App Store Customer Service has sometimes issued redemption codes for these apps to second owners who asked.
b. If the previous owner didn't deauthorize the computer in the iTunes Store under his Apple ID, you wont be able to authorize it immediately under your ID. In that case, you'll either have to wait up to 90 days or contact iTunes Support.
c. When trying to create a new iCloud account, you might get a failure message: "Account limit reached." Apple imposes a lifetime limit of three iCloud account setups per device. Erasing the device does not reset the limit. You can still use an iCloud account that was created on another device, but you won't be able to create a new one. Contact iCloud Support for more information. The setup limit doesn't apply to Apple ID accounts used for other services, such as the iTunes and Mac App Stores, or iMessage. You can create as many of those accounts as you like.

Error 7 occurred at open/create/replace file

Hello,
I have searched the forum and could not find any useful information regarding my problem, so hope you may shed some light. MyVI can create a new csv (text) file by using the time to name the file, so every time the new file will be created with a different name and file path is not a relative path. I can run the VI in both development environment and stand along executable without any problem. But,
One of my colleagues cannot run the executable exe on her machine because Error 7 occurred at Open/Create/Replace File in xxxx.vi Possible reason: LabVIEW: File not found. The file might be in a different location or deleted. Use the command prompt or the file explorer to verify that the path is correct.
My question is why only she cannot run this exe on her machine. I have checked a few different PC in my office and all of them can run this exe without problem, so I am pretty sure the code is fine.
I have already ask her to do,
Run the executable as administrator
Save the new file to other drives (not C: drive)
but she still cannot run the executable. I dont think this is a premission issue, otherwise, LabVIEW would give a different error, Error 8 I believe.
Both her PC and my PC is running Windows 7 professional 64-bit. The only difference I can see is that she is based in US and I am based Australia. Does anyone have any idea? Please help.
Thanks,
Sherman

I’m not sure but expecting like below,
As you said, your creating file name with Time. Make sure file name is correct and there is no special characters (like, / or : ). If your formatting time to string with “Format Date/Time String.vi” (while creating file name), based on UTC format, string will change.
UTC format specifies if the output string is in Universal Time or in the configured time zone for the computer. If TRUE, date/time string is in Universal Time. The default is FALSE.
Make sure you have access rights to create files into mentioned folder. Try to create new file manually.
Munna

My computer is showing a File Folder with a ? Symbol! PLEASE HELP!!!

My computer froze while I was doing homework so I tried to restart it and when I did, It doesn't show the apple logo but rather a File Folder with a ? Symbol! I tried reselecting the hard drive but it didn't show! I looked up how to fix this and tried it all and non of it helped me:/ I CANNOT lose my information on my harddrive cause I have very IMPORTANT work on there! I have mac OS X Lion! So I don't have a start up disk for that and the one i have is stuck in my computer right now! Apple won't help me and I need my computer soon! PLEASE HELP!!!

Reinstalling Lion Without Erasing the 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 the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You can also re-download the Lion installer by opening the App Store application. Hold down the OPTION key and click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. You should now see an active Install button to the right of your Lion purchase entry. There are situations in which this will not work. For example, if you are already booted into the Lion you originally purchased with your Apple ID or if an instance of the Lion installer is located anywhere on your computer.
Five ways to eject a stuck CD or DVD from the optical drive
Ejecting the stuck disc can usually be done in one of the following ways:
1. Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the left mouse button until the disc ejects.
2. Press the Eject button on your keyboard.
3. Click on the Eject button in the menubar.
4. Press COMMAND-E.
5. If none of the above work try this: Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder. At the prompt enter or paste the following:
/usr/bin/drutil eject
If this fails then try this:
Boot the computer into Single-user Mode. At the prompt enter the same command as used above. To restart the computer enter "reboot" at the prompt without quotes.

MacBook HDD dead; looking for a replacement if data recovery isn't possible

The HDD in one of my MacBooks has died - ticking at startup, and the file folder with the exclamation point ( ! ) on it upon boot. This just happened randomly one day, as I was watching a movie and the movie froze. I shut the computer down for the night, and the next morning this was what I was presented with upon startup.
I've tried a number of things - rebooting, cold restarting, resetting the PRAM, and booting from the OSX CD to use disc utility, nothing works. In disc utility the HDD isn't even recognized (it doesn't show up all all, only my SuperDrive). I've even removed the HDD and set it up as an external one to my second MacBook with no luck (it, again, doesn't mount, and so isn't detected in disc utility).
Now the issue that I have is, will it be possible to salvage this drive (if for nothing else than just the files on it)? The files aren't dreadfully important, and I don't want to spend a whole lot of money to recover them. I've tried using the demos of File Salvage, Data Rescue II, and Drive Genius 2 but none of them have been able to help me. Is there another way to mount the drive, so that I can access and/or recover my files?
If there isn't, I'm going to purchase a new HDD (this is under warranty, so it'll be replaced, but I want a backup/upgrade as well). What is the maximum capacity HDD that a MacBook will be able to use? I know that it's a SATA HDD, and I can easily get HDDs that are 500GB, but will those be compatible with my computer?
Thanks in advance.

It does sound as though your drive has expired...try placing the bad drive in your freezer for a while and then place it in the external case you mentioned and see if you can get it to mount....I have seen reports here that it can help the drive to mount although I have not tried it myself...
As to the size of the drive..it needs to physically fit in the MacBook...9.5 mm in height and 2.5' SATA...storage capacity is not the issue...500 GB's is fine

What is the problem when I turn on my macbook and all I get is a picture of a file folder with a question mark in it?

First my Macbook is almost 5 yrs old and is probably on it's last leg. The other day it froze and was making some pretty loud clicking noises. I turned it off by holding down the power button and tried starting it up again. At that point the screen was just blue and the noise came back on. Then a file folder appeared in the middle of the screen with a question mark in it. Does this mean the hard drive crashed or something? We blew a hard drive once before (though it didn't happen like this) but I just wanted to check before I go to the store. If it's something that is bad then I may just be sending this one to the grave and replace it with an iPad. Any insight into this problem would be appreciated. Thanks.

That folder with the question mark icon means that the MacBook can't find the boot directory. That can either mean it can't find the hard drive or the Operating System data on the hard drive is somehow corrupted.
Put your install DVD into the optical drive (CD/DVD drive) and reboot. As soon as you hear the boot chime, hold down the "c" key on your keyboard (or the Option key until the Install Disk shows up). That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
When it does start up, you'll see a panel asking you to choose your language. Choose your language and press the Return key on your keyboard once. It will then present you with an Installation window. Completely ignore this window and click on Utilities in the top menu and scroll down to Disk Utility and click it. When it comes up is your Hard Drive in the list on the left?
If it is then click on the Mac OS partition of your hard drive in the left hand list. Then select the First Aid Tab and run Repair Disk. The Repair Disk button won't be available until you've clicked on the Mac OS partition on your hard drive. If that repairs any problems run it again until the green OK appears and then run Repair Permissions.
If your hard drive isn’t recognized in Disk Utility then your hard drive is probably dead.

MacBook Pro flashes file folder with question mark and startup manager will not run

My son's MacBook Pro won't boot (gets the flashing file folder with question mark). When I try to open startup manager (holding "option" key during boot does not do it). Other posts suggest inserting the install disk, but I am pretty sure that for Lion, there was no disk, it was just off the website through the App Store. Any further suggestions?

Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing the 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 the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

When I power up my Mac-Pro I only get a flashing file folder with a ? inside the folder. I suspect my hard drive is maxed to capacity can anyone help me as to what I should do?

When I power up my Mac-Pro I only get a flashing file folder with a ? inside the folder. I suspect my hard drive is maxed to capacity can anyone help me as to what I should do?

Whatever the problem is you no longer have a bootable system. You need to try reinstalling OS X.
Reinstall Snow Leopard without erasing the drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard 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 Utilities menu. 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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro 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. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing the 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 the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
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 click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

HT4859 Replaced File/folder recovery

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