Macbook freezes at boot up ~ just shows folder with question mark :(

Hi all ~
We purchased a second hand Macbook. Unfortunately, that means no install disks. I'm hoping someone can help me with the following issue.
The laptop freezes during boot up and won't turn on. A white screen comes up. It has a grey folder with a question mark. Tried rebooting several times with no luck. I found the reset instructions (Press the control key, the command key, and the power button simultaneously and hold for three seconds to try to restart the computer). When we tried that, the computer makes a loud beep, then freezes again on the white screen.
Any ideas? I don't know what to do at this point! Would buying upgrade disks help at all?
Thanks!
XO ~
Kandye

Hi Kandye,
the seller should have provided the OSX installation disc together with the MacBook.
Since these are machine-specific discs there isn't much he can do with them without the MacBook.
Can you ask him if yhe simply forgot to send them ?
Anyway, the question mark indicates that the MacBook can not find an OSX on the internal harddisk to boot from.
Whether the harddisk is just completely empty or this is a hardware problem is difficult to diagnose without the OSX discs.
It is possible to go out and buy yourself some OSX installation discs for either Leopard or Snow Leopard, but if not upgraded the standard size of RAM memory (512KB) is too small for either off them.
OSX Tiger discs for an Intel-based MAc are nowhere to be found except Apple themselves (if they still have some...).
regards
Stefan

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Macbook freezes at boot up ~ just shows folder with question mark :(

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