Mac Book (2009) Question Mark Folder ... Help!!

Hello, I have a mid 2009 Macbook, and i bought it off e-bay i while ago. My school happens to give these computers to students so that they can take them home and they also give these computers away on ebay when a class leaves and i bought it from them . The computer worked fine the first day that i got it, But then the next day the question mark with the folder popped up. I had never seen this before, and i have seen on here the resolutions to fix the computer, but how can i fix it if it wont restart or start up? i have no documents on the computer because i just got it so i dont care about losing any information on the computer. There is a Certain disk that I've heard about the Mac os x, should i purchase that? and if that dosent work, do i go to the mac store and get it fixed? and if i do get it fixed how much would it cost? Please Help Me!!!
P.S. The computer screen stays on the blinking folder with the question mark and then shuts off after 10 mins, i know its prob. the hard drive cause its an old computer but how do i fix this
Thanks
-Erika

The 10.6 Snow Leopard DVD is in the Apple online store. You can get it for $19.99. You will need to be running 10.6.8 to access the App Store to order Lion or Mountain Lion. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
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. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc. 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) until the apple shows up. That will force your MacBook to boot from the install DVD in the optical drive.
Or if you are running 10.7 Lion or 10.8 Mountain Lion, boot from the recovery partition (Command +R on boot) and use Disk Utility to repair your OS 10.7 or 10.8 partition.
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. After repairing use Startup Disk from the same menu to choose your hard drive for restarting from your hard drive.
If your hard drive isn’t recognized in Disk Utility then your hard drive is probably dead.

Similar Messages

Fix a Mac with flashing question mark folder?

My Mac is showing a flashing folder with a question mark in it when I start it up.
I've looked it up and most people say to reinstall it with the installation disk. Problem is, the Mac is a hand me down so I don't have the disk...
Is there any other way to fix it?

Press Option.
If you see the internal drive, click on it and then select it in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
If not, you'll need a different Mac OS X system to resolve it.
(114641)

Grey screen/ flashing question mark folder help!

my macbook starts up into the grey screen (no logo or indicator) and will eventually go into the flashing folder with the question mark. After hours of scouring forums I have tried the following things:
restart holding c with install disc in -> macbook spins disk, thinks, ejects disk
restart holding option -> grey screen, this time with movable cursor, does not advance from there. i left it for about ten minutes- should i leave it longer?
reset PMU as per Apple article -> no effect
reset PRAM as per Apple article -> no effect
i'm beginning to become resigned to the fact that it might be an HDD issue. i feel as though i should still be able to boot from disc. i could be wrong. just wondering if anyone has ANY other suggestions before going to Apple for repairs.

If the computer is under warranty the cost is carried by Apple. If it isn't, here's what I'd do...then again, I'm a tech and have access to lots of equipment. First I'd remove the drive (easy to do. turn off the computer, remove the battery, remove the little gate, remove the drive. The instructions are in the little booklet that came with the computer) and put it into an enclosure, connect to another computer and run drive diagnostics. If the drive can be repaired I'd format it, clone from my backup, and return to the computer. If the drive is dead I'd buy a new drive, clone from my backup, and be back up and running. There's a third, remote possibility - that the problem is the logic board and not the drive. But it is remote.
What I'm getting at here is that yes, you can do it yourself but...you probably don't have an enclosure for a 2.5" drive so you'll probably just have to assume the drive is toast and buy a new one - check out NewEgg or Macsales.com. Without the external drive enclosure you give up the chance of restoring the drive and recovering data. Then again, if you can't anyway you'll have wasted $$$ on an enclosure you didn't need.
Instead of worrying about what you've heard, call the local store and get a quote on replacing the drive and installing a drive that you bring yourself. That'll give you a ballpark figure to work with and you can move forward from there.

TS2570 i have an intel imac and im getting a grey sceen. I get the flashing question mark folder. iv changed the H.D 2x and tired to install a new os into it but no luck. The mac isnt going into safe mode or anything. help?

Intel imac 2009. Grey screen with question mark folder. Changed harddrives 3 times now. Tired 5 keyboards on all Usb ports and a hub and keyboard wont boot to startup or safemode of anything but hub gets power. disc drive wont eject or accept a disc cuz keyboard commands not being sent to computer. Help?

Keyboards must be connected directly to the USB port, not through a hub.
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
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 the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.

Mac book pro flashing a question mark folder

What does it mean when my mac book pro is flashing a question mark folder and will not boot

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.
(86432)

Question mark folder on my mac book pro start up screen?

Anybody have any idea of what to do when the computer turns on and you see a question mark folder on the start up screen?
I left my laptop on in my studio when I went to eat lunch, it was a really hot day today,
Ideas? Solution?

Likely it's just the firmware forgot what the boot volume is supposed to be.
Hold the option key down while booting, this is Startup Manager and you'll get a selection of bootable options.
If your OS X boot volume is there, it will show. If you stuck the 10.6 disk in there, it will show eventually.
If you see OS X boot volume, select the arrow and once inside, then set the Startup Disk in System Preferences, this will tell the firmware what your boot volume it again. Eject the 10.6 disk. Done.
If only the 10.6 boot disk shows, then there are no bootable options on the internal drive, it could be a software problem or it hardware problem.
Run through this list of fixes
Step by Step to fix your Mac
If the drive works, and you can't boot from it, you can recover data
Create a data recovery, undelete boot drive

Flashing question mark folder- Mac Help instructions arent working

My computer froze yesterday and when I re-started it, it had the flashing question mark folder.
I tried all of these steps http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1440
and these steps http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
I can't get anything to pop up upon start up other than the folder (ie when I hold down the C key with the Instal DVD in it thinks for a minute, spits out the DVD and the folder comes back).
If anyone has any ideas I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm even fine with erasing my hard drive if need be, I just want to get the computer back up and running.

You can go no further unless you're able to boot from your installation DVD. If your machine came with Snow Leopard installed, that would be the gray disc that was in the box. If you upgraded to Snow Leopard, then it would be the retail disc you used to upgrade. No other disc will work.
With the machine powered on, insert the disc. Hold down the power button until it shuts off. Press the power button again to turn it back on, then immediately hold down the C key. Keep holding until you see the Apple logo on the display.
If this procedure doesn't work for you, and you've done everything you say you've done, then you have either a hardware fault or a damaged disc.

Upon restart from dead battery Macbook freezes showing gray folder with question mark. Help! Any ideas?

Upon restart from dead battery Mac Book freezes showing gray folder with blinking question mark. Help! Any guidance greatly appreciated.

Hello and welcome,
try this support site:
A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
If you're lucky it just forgot where your startup disk was. If not it will be more work.

I see that i have a problem after installing my new hard drive on my macbook pro mid 2009 version. I put a new hard drive, with all of my information from my old drive installed on it, into the computer. but now have the blinking question mark folder

i see that i have a problem after installing my new hard drive on my macbook pro mid 2009 version. I put a new hard drive, with all of my information from my old drive installed on it, into the computer. but now have the blinking question mark folder. I see that it means that it isn't reading the new hard drive.
did i miss a step between transferring all of my information from my old hard drive to the new hard drive and installing the new hard drive into the computer. I believe that i installed properly. it was quite easy.
thanks for your help

It means there is no bootable system on the drive. If you still have access to the old drive, then I suggest you boot from it then clone it to the new internal drive. Use OPTION boot to boot from the Recovery HD on the old drive:
Boot to the Recovery HD:
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.
     1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu then press the Continue
         button.
     2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
     3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
     4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it
         to the Destination entry field.
     5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to
         the Source entry field.
     6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
Source means the external old drive. Destination means the new internal drive.

I need to reinstall lion OS on my MAC mini. I have the 'question mark folder'.

It is a mid 2011 mac mini. It boots to the 'question mark folder'. I installed lion server over my lion OS. After trying to remove the server app unsuccessfully, I id a command-r boot and erased the Macintosh HD where my OS was wiht the intention to reinstall. THe on-screen instruction I thought said I had to reboot after to use the recovery HD so I di. Now when it boots, it jsut goes to the 'question mark folder' and does not load. I only have the bluetooth keyboard so will the mini recognize the command-r on boot? It doesnt appear to.
Thansk for any input,
Ken

Had the same problem w/ a Mac mini server. The only thing that helped was not the timing, but a disconnection of all cables from the machines: power, keyboard, etc., and a wait of one minute which according to Apple support - resets some config on the machine. After I did that, Command R worked just fine.
BTW, According to Apple, you have to hold Commmand R just after you hear the chime, and keep holding it until you see the recovery utility. Another alternative can be holding Command Option R for network recovery.

Flashing world icon, sad mac & question mark folder

Hi. Since installing 10.4.3 my system won't boot. I downloaded and installed the update then restarted the machine, the screen go's dull grey and then a square icon with the world inside it start to flash, a few seconds after that a sad mac/question mark folder flashes then the system appears to start. The disk spins up, the Apple logo appears then after a few more seconds the disk graudually grinds to a halt and the system shuts itself down. Why would this be happening, someone told me that it sounds like it's trying to netboot (whatever that may be) How can I resolve this issue and get my system back? Thanks.

Try holding down option (alt) at boot to get the open firmware boot selection screen then select your internal drive as the book disk. After start up completes (if it does) go to System Prefs/Startup Disk and reselect the internal disk, restart and it should be fine.

Blinking question mark folder - Please help to restore from USB

Hello,
I haven't been able to my Mac about 5 days now and I hope someone can help me.
I initially had Yosemite then using disk utility I erased the hard drive, after that I was going to install Yosemite again as a fresh copy and mac froze so I had to restart now its showing a blinking question mark folder. I was able to do an internet recovery but it was trying to install Lion.
I currently have a copy of Maverick and would like to install that. I am at this screen as show in the picture: I have selected the source as the Maverick file on
the USB and the destination as the HD; should I click restore and would that install the Maverick OS or is there another way?
Thanks
the

nazfaz wrote:
Is there a way to install Yosemite since I had downloaded it via my ID?
You have to reinstall OS X Lion, setup your account, log into the App Store with the Apple ID you used to download Yosemite and you should see it in your Purchases tab. Then you can download it and install it. What I would do is download it, quit the install and save the Install OS X Yosemite.app file out of your /Applications folder to another location so you can create a USB thumb drive installer. Then go back into /Applications and run the install app to upgrade from Lion.
Unless you have an OS X Yosemite USB thumb drive installer, you can't install Yosemite again until you do the above paragraph and upgrade.
If you have the Install OS X Yosemite.app on another Mac to create a USB thumb drive, create it and boot from it to install Yosemite.

Flashing question mark folder on macbook pro startup. PLEASE HELP

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

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

Mac mini (late 2012) when booting shows flashing question mark folder

Hello, so after installing software update to my mac mini *late 2012* it froze for few mins so then I rebooted it and now it wont boot it shows flashing question mark folder, I can't use the boot buttons because it asks me for a frimware password and I dont remember setting one up so how can I fix it .

If you need to reset the firmware PW see:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57542601-263/efi-firmware-protection-locks- down-newer-macs/

My Macbook Pro won't start up. All I get is a grey screen showing a grey folder bearing a question mark. Help please!

My Macbook Pro won't start up. All I get is a grey screen showing a grey folder bearing a question mark. Help please!

The folder with the question mark indicates that the machine is unable to find a bootable volume on startup. This is typically caused by one of three things:
1.) The internal HD has failed or is failing and needs to be replaced
2.) There is significant directory damage to the volume that requires repairing in order to boot
3.) Some other internal component failure between the HD and logic board
I'd ranked them in the order that is most common (from my personal experience). Boot to the OS X Recovery tool and attempt to repair the startup volume. If that fails or the drive is not detected it's usually a tell tale sign of a failed HD.

Mac Book (2009) Question Mark Folder ... Help!!

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for