I have a little man and a question mark
I bought a iMac G3 and when I turn it on,there is a little man and a blinking question mark on a folder.
Hey--I've been having the same problem--grey screen with 'happy mac' alternating with '?' on folder icon during start up. Start up never completes. It just hangs there forever.
I'm thinking my startup problems are related to downloading iTunes 6.0 last week. I had iTunes 4.0 befor, but after receiving an iPod Nano for Christmas I downloaded the more recent iTunes. Ever since then my iMac would freeze up after just a few minutes of use. A few days later it began "sticking" during startup.
So that's where I'm at right now.
Anybody have any ideas?
Can I reload the OS X system software while it's frozen in startup?
In doing so will I lose all data?
Or can I retrieve my data after reloading this software?
Thanks.
Similar Messages
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What does it mean when you computer crashes and when you turn it back on it shows you a blank blue screen with a little folder and a question mark in the middle? It's a old imac from 1997.
I don't have original discs that it came with.
Then you still can use the second option with the keyboard combo I posted, called "resetting the PRAM."
Also when you way hold the c key down do you mean turn computer off and turn back on holding the c key?
Yes, or you can simply restart. As you don't have the CDs, this isn't on the plate any more.
The internal backup battery is not expensive and, in most iMacs is user-replacable. If yours has a tray-loading optical drive like this one:
it takes a major teardown to replace the internal battery. If this is the case, you'd be better off to leave the computer plugged in all the time; that eliminates the main reason for having a working battery.
If it has a slot-loading optical drive like this one:
things are much easier. The battery is visible through the RAM access door on the bottom of the computer case. The manual:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iMacG3_2000UserManual.PDF
has sketches of how to access the RAM and therefore the backup battery. Unfortunately, the pdf on the manual goes up sideways on-screen and the RAM instructions are pretty deep into the manual. It's probably easier to scroll (for a while) to the section on adding RAM and print the applicable pages.
When you work on the battery, some sort of non-conductive pliers or large tweezer or forceps help unless you have tiny fingers. Make sure to note the polarity of the old battery and install the new one in the same orientation.
The battery itself is readily available. If price is no oblect, you can get it for a small rasom from Radio Shack Store ("Tandy" outside the US) as part number 23-026.
Online, they are dirt-cheap even after adding shipping. I buy backup batteries form this outfit:
3.6v Newer Technology Lithium 1/2 AA PRAM Computer Clock Battery -
Little man and camera shows up when I boot up my computer on my screen.
I sent my Powerbook G4 into Apple because my speakers had started to not have the volumne they had before. All I know is that they replaced my hard drive and my speakers are not any better....and I had Tiger installed and it came back with Panther.
Ever since, when I boot, I get this little man and a camera come on when I boot up my computer.
My spotlight doesn't work...I can't find files.
I wonder what the problem can be.
Any nice person out there have any ideas?
Thanks.http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1538
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My screen turns gray with a blinking folder and a question mark
My computer started going really slow so I tried to restart it. When it started to turn back on the screen just went gray for a minute or two then a darker gray folder with a question mark on it started blinking in the middle of the computer. little help?
Hi,
Before you buy a new hard drive, you may be able to get it fixed free of charge.
MacBooks equipped with Seagate hard drives model ST96812AS (and possibly other Seagate models)
with firmware 7.01 have experienced a higher than normal failure rates. The failure mode is that the heads detach from the positioning mechanism.
You can use System Profiler to see what type of hard drive is installed. If you have gotten the screen with the folder and blinking question mark, and you do have a Seagate ST96812AS installed, I recommend calling AppleCare or taking your Macbook to a retail service center. There is a good chance you may be able to get the drive replaced, even if your MacBook is no longer covered by a warranty.
The hard drive is considered to be a user serviceable part, so you might not have to send the entire computer in, but rather swap only the hard drive via mail.
Best wishes for a problem resolution,
Bill -
Macbook pro starts up but i see picture of some files and a question mark
So I was on my laptop today and it just outta nowhere froze , the song i was listening stopped and i couldn't change the page, i could move the trackpad but nothing else.
so i clicked on the off button and turned it off.
then i tried to turn it on again but while loading it just stayed blank and this picture of some files and a question mark on them appeared, i have no idea what's going on.
I turned it off again and turned it back on and the little apple appeared and it was loading but then a sign appeared like one of prohibited (the one that's a circle and has a slash across it) and idk what to do! i'm so frustrated all my school files are there and idk why this happened in the first place.
i turned it off and just put it to charge.
lately i've been using it a lot and i had a few things on when it froze , so im just gonna leave it off for a while but what can i do?
how do u solve this? has anyone had this happened to their macbook pro already? i bought it just last year idk why this is happening.The folder and question mark means it cannot find a valid OSX Boot Volume, you need to Boot from your original install DVD (hold c at start) and then run Disc Utility from the top menu bar and run both 'Repair Disc' and 'Repair Permissions'. If it still doesn't boot from the internal hard drive then you need to boot from that install DVD again and do an archive (re)install of the operating system. (Your User data will be saved that way)
-
Forwarded pictures turn into little squares with flashing question mark
Occasionally someone forwards me some email with supposed picture attachments but the pictures don't forward and are represented by little squares with flashing question marks.
Any idea what causes this?
(I use Mac mail and Safari).
-LouiseThere are a few things that cause this, I've found.
Sometimes it's because the email includes images in a format that Mail doesn't like, but it can also be because the attached graphics had their names changed (or were deleted completely) by an outgoing- or incoming-mail virus scanner, or because the graphics weren't really included in the email, but were really just HTML links to images stored on a web site somewhere, and the site has gone down or moved the images.
You can usually tell which has happened by looking at the message's attachments. If there aren't any attachments, then either they've been deleted or stripped from the message, or the message points to dead Internet links.
If there are attached files, you can look at them to see if they have names that look funny (e.g., many virus programs add the word "DEFANGED" to file names), and might have been changed. Also see if they come up with the right icon (Picture icon saying JPEG, GIF, BMP, or PNG, usually). If they're just plain white generic file icons, then they might be something that your computer can't read.
Power Macintosh G5 Dual 2GHz Mac OS X (10.4.6) -
I did the back up as instructed... Installed a larger hard drive and followed the restore instructions... Now I get a white screen with a folder icon and blinking question mark. When trying to set startup with new drive I get a bless tool error... Help!!
If you have installed a new hard drive , you will need to have formatted it in Disk Utility correctly. This may explain your problem.
Boot into your 10.6 Install disk again at the top menubar > Utilities > select Disk utility and in there select your new hard drive, and select the tab Erase and choose to make the format as Mac OS Extended Journaled. When that is finished look in the main window to make sure that the partition map scheme says GUID Partition Table.
Now go to the Restore tab and reinstall from your backup. -
My Apple Macbook 13.3" Laptop-Black 2008 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo will not boot up and instead I get a grey screen with a folder and a question mark over it. I've tried Option key, and Control S keys and it still will not boop up. Can anyone help?
If you are running Snow Leopard:
Reinstall OS X 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.
If you are running Lion or later:
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing drive
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Mountain Lion or Mavericks
OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
if possible because it isthree times faster than wireless. -
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 -
My MacBook has a grey screen with a folder and a question mark in the middle what does this mean?
My MacBook has a grey screen with a folder and a question mark in the middle what does this mean?
It means a valid system cannot be found. You need to reinstall OS X.
If you have Snow Leopard:
Reinstall OS X 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.
If you have Lion or later:
Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing drive
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Mountain Lion or Mavericks
OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X
OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X
OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
if possible because it is three times faster than wireless. -
Macbook Air - White/Grey Screen with a folder and a question mark
Out of the blue , my macbook air stopped starting up and strted to show me a white/grey screen with nothing but a folder and a question mark . After searching on the internet for solutions and trying to reset my PRAM setting , it still wouldn't boot up . I opened up disk utility and going through internet recovery , I ran the first aid verification on my MAC OS X Base System and it said that it found no problems . I can't restore or erase by the way and i really wouldn't erase my files as I have very important files on my mac . Moving on , I tried to reinstall OS X , but apperently it needs a disk to install OS x on and since none appear , I tried using an USB . After creating a partition and erasing everything on my USB , not happy about that , it wasn't big enough for the OS . So now I am basically stuck in the mac white screen Limbo .
Any sort of help would be fantastic and please do keep in mind that this is a macbook air and I do not have a place to put DVDs into . All I have read on different forum pages didn't help so i decided that it would be a good idea to create my very own thread . I am not very sure about the Mountain Lion version ,but I am not very sure that it matters .Out of the blue , my macbook air stopped starting up and strted to show me a white/grey screen with nothing but a folder and a question mark . After searching on the internet for solutions and trying to reset my PRAM setting , it still wouldn't boot up . I opened up disk utility and going through internet recovery , I ran the first aid verification on my MAC OS X Base System and it said that it found no problems . I can't restore or erase by the way and i really wouldn't erase my files as I have very important files on my mac . Moving on , I tried to reinstall OS X , but apperently it needs a disk to install OS x on and since none appear , I tried using an USB . After creating a partition and erasing everything on my USB , not happy about that , it wasn't big enough for the OS . So now I am basically stuck in the mac white screen Limbo .
Any sort of help would be fantastic and please do keep in mind that this is a macbook air and I do not have a place to put DVDs into . All I have read on different forum pages didn't help so i decided that it would be a good idea to create my very own thread . I am not very sure about the Mountain Lion version ,but I am not very sure that it matters . -
TS2570 i see a folder and a question mark when i restart my macbook pro
i see a folder and a question mark when i restart my macbook pro
There are four general causes of this issue:
1. The computer's PRAM no longer contains a valid startup disk setting when there aren't any problems with the disk itself. This can be checked for by pressing the Option key and seeing if the drive appears.
2. The internal drive's directory structure has become damaged. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to perform the repair.
3. Critical system files have been deleted. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to reinstall them.
4. The internal drive has died or become unplugged. This is the most likely case if the computer took a sharp impact or there are unusual sounds coming from the hard drive's location.
(79011) -
What does it mean when i have a flashing folder with a question mark in it when i try to boot up?
what does it mean when I have a flashing folder with a question mark in the middle of it when I try to boot the interface?
It means the system cannot find a bootable OS. Reinstall OS X.
How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
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, Leopard or Snow Leopard.) 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. Now restart normally.
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. 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. -
My apple computer has a white screen with a file and a question mark
I have a white screen with a ? in a file. I have tried holding the option,command, P R buttons while turning it on. No help Does anyone have anymore ideas?
The flashing question mark says, " I cannot find the Startup Disk you said to use."
Hold down the Option key while starting up. This should cause your Mac to draw an Icon for each bootable device.
If none are drawn, you Startup Disk has been damaged.
If Recovery_HD is shown, choose that, launch Disk Utility, select your Macintosh_HD, and ( Repair Disk ). -
Account with an icon of a face and a question mark
Same issue of other user in Yosemite Apple Support.
Following advises on that thread I also installed the ETRECHECK software tool, report is as follows:
Problem description:
At the login screen I find an icon with a face and a question mark in it - with a message it needs an update.
EtreCheck version: 2.1.5 (108)
Report generated 02 gennaio 2015 12:37:26 CET
Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.
Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.
Click the [Adware] links for help removing adware.
Hardware Information: ℹ️
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) (Verified)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2
1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core
16 GB RAM Upgradeable
BANK 0/DIMM0
8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Video Information: ℹ️
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Color LCD 1280 x 800
System Software: ℹ️
OS X 10.10.1 (14B25) - Uptime: 1:22:54
Disk Information: ℹ️
APPLE HDD HTS545050A7E362 disk0 : (500,11 GB)
EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB
Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 498.89 GB (467.03 GB free)
Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked
Core Storage: disk0s2 499.25 GB Online
MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8
USB Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
Gatekeeper: ℹ️
Mac App Store and identified developers
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]
User Login Items: ℹ️
iTunesHelper Applicazione (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)
Dropbox ApplicazioneHidden (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.235 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.235 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10
Safari Extensions: ℹ️
Pin It Button [Installed]
Save to Pocket [Installed]
Add To Amazon Wish List [Installed]
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Flash Player [Support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Time Machine not configured!
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
14% WindowServer
3% hidd
2% Safari
1% Dock
0% fontd
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
333 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
155 MB mds_stores
137 MB Safari
137 MB Finder
86 MB Dropbox
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
7.76 GB Free RAM
4.88 GB Active RAM
3.28 GB Inactive RAM
1.26 GB Wired RAM
4.73 GB Page-ins
0 B Page-outs
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
Jan 2, 2015, 11:15:06 AM Self test - passed
Jan 2, 2015, 12:06:57 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Dropbox109_2015-01-02-000657_[redacted].cpu_res ource.diag [Details]
---------- is there any troubleshooting for delete that fake account every time I start my Macbook Pro?
thanks and regards
EdoardoSmiley face with a ? means a bootable system is not found.
There maybe a problem with either system software or hard drive itself.
Try this.
Repair Disk
Steps 2 through 8
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836
Best.
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