My 2006 macbook has flashing Folder and '?'

My 2006 macbook won't boot and I can't see it's hard drive on my imac when in target mode. I can reverse the target mode and run the imac from the macbook but still don't see the macbook hard drive. I have the OS install disk it shipped with but the optical drive doesn't seem to work. In target mode (with the macbook as host and with the install disk in the imac) I've tried to boot from startup disk but can only see the imac's drive. I'm guessing the hard drive is dead but would I be able to use it as a host with a dead hard drive? Any tips?

The flashing folder/? Means the MacBook cannot find a bootable operating system. In this case the hard drive is not working or the operating system is corrupted. Since you cannot see the hard drive at all from the iMac and Disk Utility on there, the hard drive is not working.
When you say the optical drive does not seem to be working, have you tried starting the MacBook with the system install disk in the drive while holding the C key down?
f that will not start, then you need to get a new hard drive...I would NOT buy one from eBay. There is no guarantee you will get a working drive from there or have any recourse if it is bad. Go to people that can be trusted like OWC, http://www.macsales.com they guarantee everything they sell.

Similar Messages

IMac Has Flashing Folder and Weird Buzzing/Reading Noise on Startup! Help!

My 2008 iMac froze last nite, and now wont turn back on. It boots to a gray screen with a flashing folder with a question mark on it.
The weird part is that as soon as i turn it on, it makes a loud buzzing/reading noise, as if its trying to read a disc or hard drive. It buzzes like this about ten times, and then stops.
I cant find my install discs, so im currently at a total standstill. Any other solutions besides reinstall? Also, what is the weird buzzing/reading noise?
Thanks!

Ok I got the 10.5 install discs, but I still cant boot. I tried holding C and it gets to the Apple logo, but then the screen goes gray and says "you need to restart your computer"
When I try holding D to run diagnostics, it gives me the language choice and then says something like this system does not support hardware test.
I cant boot into single-user mode unless i have the install disc in, but then it just checks the install disc and says it's fine.
Any thoughts?
Message was edited by: SugarFree13

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.

Flashing Folder and Question Mark, no installation disc

Yesterday, Safari froze up while I was it which I have never had happen before. So, I manually shut my Macbook off and tried to restart. When I did so, I received a gray screen with a flashing folder and question mark. From my research, I have found that usually this means that my laptop can't find the operating system and this issue can usually be resolved by inserting the installation disc. Problem is, I bought my Macbook secondhand and never got an installation disc. Does anyone know of a way around this issue? Or if buying the Snow Leopard upgrade for $30 instead of buying a whole new package for about a hundred dollars more might resolve this issue?
Thanks so much,
Kristin

Yes, quite a quandary. You have some options:
1. Call AppleCare and ask for customer support. You can order replacement discs for the model you have.
2. Purchase an OS X retail installer suitable for your model, like Snow Leopard, that you can use to determine if you can repair the hard drive or will nee to reinstall OS X. If the latter and you are using Snow Leopard, then you just install it. The installer will determine whether to upgrade or not automatically. As long as your drive is OK Snow Leopard will not erase the drive so all your files are safe. If you use an earlier version of OS X then you want to choose the Archive and Install option. See the following:
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.) 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 quit DU and return to the installer.
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.

Hi all, My macbook has been dropped and completley smashed...

Hi all,
My macbook has been dropped and completley smashed...i.e bent battery, smashed screen,etc I have already ordered a new macbook air, the question is i need to get my data of the old one as my last back up was exactly 6 months ago, is that possible ???
Many thanks

If your MacBook was off when dropped, the Hard Drive can sometimes survive a crash that will break the screen.
To access it, you will need to remove the drive and place it in a 2.5" format drive enclosure. If you dropped today's MacBook, it would require a SATA connector inside. Some really old ones may be ATA drives.
USB interface on the outside will be really slow, but is really cheap. If you think you might want to use the enclosure later for anything except backup-only, upgrade to a FireWire enclosure. OWC has a few different ones:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb/add-ons-and-hubs/enclosure-kits

Mac book pro 13 inch flashing folder and question mark

when i restarted my computer last night a white screen appeared with a flashing folder and a question mark. I'm just trying to determine what the issue is, is the hard drive shot? I've inserted my installation disc to re download the software but it will not recognize anywhere to download the software to...

Check the Disk Utility. If the drive shows up there, repair or erase it. If not, it's either become unplugged or is dead.
(66650)

Flashing folder and question mark on Macbook start up?

I was playing games on the Macbook when suddenly it froze. So I held down the power button and now on the start up; all there is, is a flashing folder with a question mark. I've tried going to Disk Utility and such, but all I see is "disk1." Please help! I'll try any option! I just don't want to take the Macbook in. I don't have the time and money for it.

From the sounds of it, your hard drive is dead. Whenever you get the folder with the question mark. it indicates that the computer cannot find an operating system. Your operating system is installed on your hard drive. For some reason, your machine cannot find the hard drive. Most hard drives last from 3 to 5 years before they fail. Put your OS X install disk in the drive and boot from it by holding down the "C" key while turning your computer on. You can then get to the disk utilities and see whatyou machine reports for drives. If your hard drive does not show up, that's a good inication your gard drive has gone south. If you are somewhat handy with computers, you can probably install a new hard drive yourself. If you have access to another computer go to ifixit.com where you can find all kinds of info and videos on repairing and updating your mac. I wish I had better news for you, but I'm afraid your hard drive has bit the dust. I went through the same situation with my 2007 black macbook I do hope you had all your files, etc. saved on a backup disk because it is very difficult and expensive to retrieve files from a dead hard drive. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

IMac won't boot and has flashing folder with question mark on gray screen

I just bought a new iMac. I have been trying all week (with no success) to transfer files and apps from my previous iMac. The last time I tried to transfer, I used target mode on the old computer. It looked as if it was finally working, so I left with 2+ hours remaining on the transfer. When I returned, the computer was frozen and nothing would work. So I held the power button to turn it off. When I tried to turn it back on, there was only a gray screen with a flashing folder with a question mark. I feel like I have tried everything listed in other discussions. The only thing I am not able to try is to reinstall Lion because the new computer did NOT come with an OSX disc of any type. Any suggestions?

Go to > OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery

Mac book is starting up funny. I have a flashing folder and question mark or just a grey screen. IT at university is backed up all week and said it's the hard drive! Ugh need help in class now will be calling ASAP! Help please.

I get either a grey screen or a flashing folder question mark. IT at my university said it wouldn't be till after the weekend and than still a few days to get it fixed so she told me to try to back it up myself because that's the only sure fire way to ensure I get all my Info. So any hints or help? They did a hardware test and they think it's my hard drive. I did a r+command restart
And it won't let me verify the disk.... Or download mountain lion.. Okay I know I sound clueless but can anyone help me?

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 appears when you start your Mac
Mac OS X- Gray screen appears during startup
In most cases the problems may be caused by:
Problem with the computer's PRAM - See Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM.
Boot drive's directory has been corrupted - Repair with Disk Utility.
Critical system files are damaged or deleted - Reinstall OS X.
The disk drive is physically non-functional - Replace the hard drive.
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:
Boot From 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.
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.

Macbook crashed : Flashing folder with question mark (noise on hard drive)

My macbook (intel core duo) just crashed a few days ago. This is what it's doing:
The screen displays a a flashing folder with a question mark. I did find an article in apple for that : http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042
But the think is, it (macbook) turns off after a while. I did try to boot up with the installation CD, but it can't find my hard drive. So, I thought it must be a hard drive problem. And I could hear that the hard drive makes a noisy sound. So, before I run to bestbuy or futureshop to get a new hard drive, I wanna make sure that it's really the hard drive that went kaput!
I was trying to install the leopard. It just crashed when I went surfing, and editing on iMovie.

I have a MacBook 13" Core 2 Duo, 160GB HHD, 2GB memory. My hard drive appeared to "crash" a few days ago. Whenever I pressed the power button, I would eventually get a grey screen with a folder with a "?" in front of the folder icon. I decided to re-install OS X thinking this would resolve the issue. During the install process, I would eventually get to the point where I am asked which drive to install OS X. The computer didn't recognize the internal hard drive. I do have an external hard drive for backups and the computer did recognized this one (WD MyBook).
I have since bought a new internal hard drive (Seagate 200GB 7200RPM 2.5" Mobile with Shock guard), installed it and went through the process of re-installing OS X. Again, the computer doesn't recognize the new internal hard drive. And again, the external hard drive is recognized.
For the time being I've installed OS X in the external hard drive. But now I have a new internal hard drive but is useless since the computer will not recognize it.
Anyone installed a new internal hard drive and experience the same thing as I have? Anyone with possible solutions or any advice you can offer?
Thanks.

Mac Book Pro has blinking folder and will not start.

MY Mac Book Pro mid 2010 has the blinking folder and is froze, I have entered into the Internet recovery mode and tried to reinstall OSX system. And in the Disk Utility there is no hard drive to select. What is the next step?

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 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 Folder and a 4SNS Error - too Late ?

Greetings
I recently came home to find my iMac making some rather noisy sounds.
Apps locked and unresponsive.
After restarting I go the flashing folder with the ?.
Inserting the OS X install disk didn't work and neither did a few other things that are suggested with this problem. OS X disk is not very good condition.
Inserting the OS X Applications CD containing the AHT I ran the initial test.
The result was 4SNS/1/40000000: TH00 - 9.00
A quick google shows that this is a system sensor - related to the temperature of the HDD.
During the process of trying to determine the FF? I note that the iMac is very hot and the fan running. Surprisingly as the fan only ever comes on in summer and/or when I'm gaming, which is hardly ever as I use a PC for that.
As I type I'm running a extended test, iMac still very hot, test running for about 25mins so far. Fan has reached the same noise level as when I got home to hear it.
Further google reading suggests that the HDD might be fried?
Silly me, don't back up. And to be honest there really isnt anything that I dont have on the iPad that I cant lose - like family photos. So it's just apps and a few word files that I could live without.
But my questions are:
Is HDD likely to be fried now because of faulty sensor?
Is it too late to back up to another external HDD?
Obviously a trip to the Apple store / authorised repari is in order?
Should I stop this extended test? Not sure what it's going to prove.?
Thanks

Try booting in Safe Mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455
Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck
I tried booting in Safe Mode by holding down shift while starting, but it just went to the flashing folder with the ?-mark in it. Then I tried to enter single-user mode by holding down cmd-S while starting (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1492), in order to try the fsck-thingy, but still just the flashing ?.
When I start my computer it makes bad noises from the bottom right side. I fear that the HD is broken , it sounds as if it is working very hard, making scratchy and clicky noises.
I also tried using the computer as a FireWire target in order to retrieve some data (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661). When I bootet the "broken" computer and held down T the FireWire symbol appeared on the screen. But on the host computer I could not find the target computer.
Any more ideas?

Flashing folder and question mark on start-up... again.

I took my iMac in about two weeks ago because it froze, I did a hard restart, and when it booted back up it showed the flashing folder with a question mark. The guy who worked on it said my hard drive got messed up, and put in a new one. I just got around to turning on my computer, and it's doing the exact same thing, even though it has a whole new hard drive. The only difference is, now when I insert install disc 1 to run disc utility, the hard drive actually shows up in the program, when it never did before.
Am I being a complete dunce and not doing something right?

Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disk. 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.)
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Erase button.
After the formatting is completed the new volume will appear in the DU left side window. Quit DU and return to the installer. Now proceed with the OS X installation.

Macbook has been hacked and Genius Bar cannot help..anyone here please?!

My MacBook has been hacked, the mouse started moving on its own and clicking etc. the next day someone called my home and told me my system had been hacked, which I guessed was the mouse activity. So I downloaded the programme they asked me to, stupidly, which enabled them to remotely control my computer. The screen went blue and they started opening my documents / creating folders etc. I had a nasty feeling the whole time and when this happened i force shut down my latop. Ever since then sporadically the mouse will start playing up and clicking onto things etc. Everytime this happens I immediately shut down. I have been to Apple 3 times and had my computer wiped but it still happens. trackpad has been tested and is fine. I have called my internet provider and they say nothing looks out of the ordinar. Called a non emergency police number and other than advising me to change passwords and Bank details, which I had already done, no one can help me. I have adjusted my computer security settings, unplugged my internet cables etc. I literally can't think what else I can do to try and fix this. I work freelance design and my laptop is so important, I'm getting so frustrated that nobody can help!! please get in touch if you can help me!! Thanks a lot.

This might also help:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8682105_check-macbooks-hacks.html
1Turn on the MacBook.
2Click on "System Preferences" in the Apple menu. Once the window opens, click on "Accounts," then click on "Login" Items.
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4 reasons why Mac is slowWondering why your Mac is getting slow over the time? Learn more now.macpaw.com/Slow_Mac
3Use the "- sign" to remove items that you do not recognize from the list.
4Note the applications you were using when the problem first occurred and review any software that was recently installed.
5Check your network activity in your Activity Monitor by locating this file in your Applications/Utilities folder. It will display a list of the processes, statistics, applications, and programs that are currently being used by the computer.
6Note any consistent action in the Activity Monitor. If you see purposeful activity, then it is likely that an unauthorized user has connected to your computer using remote access.
7Click on the "System Preferences" window in the Apple menu and launch the System Preferences application. Open the Sharing reference window.
8If Screen Sharing is enabled for the computer, note users who are currently allowed access to the computer. If you see suspicious activity, disable the Screen Sharing application.
9Disconnect from the network, unplug the Internet cable and turn off the computer.
10If problems persist, consult a computer technician.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_8682105_check-macbooks-hacks.html

MacBook gives flashing folder on startup, won't boot into single user!

Arrgh.
If I choose a startup disk, flashing folder still appears. I don't have my original cds with me currently. Any ideas?
thanks!

Hi Neil,
Welcome to macbook forum.
Flashing folder mean your HD doesn't have proper OS
to boot up.
Maybe your OS X was corrupted or the HD is failed.
Without the installer CD to help you boot up, you
cannot do much.
Good Luck
Hi,
i have the same problem.
a folder is flashing on startup.
all started when i tried to rename a file from an external hdd.
the system became frozen and i forced it to quit.
and on the next startup the flashing folder appeared on the scren.
i inserted the startup disc that came with my product and i tried to re-install the software.
BUT there is no hdd in my laptop...
it doesn't show up.
i do not know what to do.
the main problem is that i bought this macbook before 10 months from the Apple store in Manchester, U.K. and now i live in Athens, Greece and there is not official Apple customer service or repairing service.
i hope that my machine hasn't become useless...
MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.9)

My 2006 macbook has flashing Folder and '?'

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