My Intel iMac only shows a blinking folder with a question mark when powering it up. What can I do besides running the hardware test of the original installer disc.
My Intel iMac only shows a blinking folder with a question mark when powered up.
I did run the hardware test of the original installer disc and no trouble was found and I am out of options. Does anybody have any advice what to do next
If the drive shows errors then repair, if after the 3rd pass of Repair Disk in Disk Utility it still shows errors it's telling you it's time to be replaced. Take it to your local Apple Store or AASP for repair, when it comes back use your backup (either Time Machine or bootable clone) to restore so you can pick up where you left off.
Similar Messages
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Blinking folder with a question mark
I just bought a 2008 MacBook and all as sudden it starts showing a blinking folder with a question mark in it. Anyway to fix this?
The question mark on a blinking folder is to tell you there is no Operating System on the computer. Since this is a 2008 MB it can run Snow Leopard (operating system 10.6). You can buy a copy here:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
If the MB can be upgraded further you can buy more recent OS from the App Store. -
I had to restart my iMac and when it came back on the screen shows a file folder with a question mark. What should I do?
Did you move any system files? It's looking for the system folder. You can startup from the system CD by inserting the CD and restarting the computer and at the same time hold down the C key. The computer will boot from the CD. At that point run the disk utility and check your hard-drive. It the problem persists then do a fresh clean install of the system folder and that should help you get back on track.
Good Luck. -
MacBook Pro won't boot at start. I get a white screen with a blinking folder with a question mark in the middle. Any ideas?
Read this article...
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US -
Getting a flashing folder with a question mark when starting Imac.
I got this flashing folder with a question mark on it when starting my Imac this morning. Im running on Osx 10.6. I put it in target disc mode and connected it to my macbook pro. I opened the disc utility app on the macbook and found my imac. I "verified" it and found an error. When I clicked "repair" the disc utility app froze and crashed. When I opened it again my Imac didn't show up. I've restarted both computers several times with no luck. Whats my next step?
Hi.
Try restarting your iMac while holding down the option (alt) key until the spinng gear appears. You should momentarily be presented with a list of startup drives to select.
Choose Macintosh HD (your normal startup disk drive) and click the right-arrow.
When your iMac boots, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and again select your normal startup disk. Then click Restart.
I hope this is helpful.
EDIT - disconnect the machines from each other first. -
When turned on our Macbook flashes a folder with a question mark in the center screen, then it shuts down after a few minutes. Doea anyone have any ideas how to boot the computer back up?
CheersThat 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 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. Just press the Return key on yourkeyboard 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 handlist. 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. -
When I try to start my computer a flashing file folder with a question mark is on the screen. I can't open anything up. What does this mean?
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 its location.
(104258) -
Blinking folder with a question mark at startup.
Dear all.
I am a newby with Macs and I just found an iMac G3 266Mhz. (Why anybody would throw a Mac away is beyond me but anyhow)
When starting up I just get a blinking folder with the question mark.
I can start up with an CD of Mac OS 9.2 but when wanting to install the software I get an error message about my firmware not being up to date etc etc... when going through the things I have to do for an firmware upgrade I get an error message saying disk locked....By browsing through these pages I found that that was most likely due to starting up from the CD.
But now I'm not able to start up from any other folder then the CD.
If I select to start up from the hard disk I just get the folder icon with the question mark again.
Please please please can anyone help me....or I am doomed to using PC´s forever.
IrolHi Irol
You're in a sort of catch 22 situation. You have to run the firmware upgrade while running from the HD.
Anyway. Try this
Start up from the CD as you did before then copy the firmware update app onto your hard drive .
While running from the CD open the HD and look for the "System Folder"
What does it look like? Is it a plain folder or is it a folder with the picasso face?
It should have the picasso face.
If it's a plain folder do this.
Open it and locate a file called "System" - it will have the picasso face. Drag the file out of the system folder onto your desktop.
Now close the system folder.
Now with one swift action - drag the picasso file and drop it onto the closed system folder - do it quickly so that the folder doesn't open. Then wait a moment.
The picasso face should appear on the systgem folder. Now try starting the mac normally.
Does it work?
If so, run the firmware updater. There are two versions, one for a tray loader and one for the slot loader. It you get the wrong one it will tell you, It will also tell you if the firmware is up to date.
Anyway, if you can't start the mac other than from the CD it is most likely that there is some corruption on the disk. A good tool to use is Diskwarrior - it's a bit expensive but it's a staple of my toolkit - it's far more efficient than both Norton and Techtool.
Another alternative - but probably more difficult. is to run from an 8.6 or 9.0 CD if you can find one - ebay?
Just to say - the flashing question mark is the system's way of saying "I cannot find a valid start-up folder"
Hopefully one of the above will get you going.
The fact that you can start the mac up from the CD says that the mac itself is OK - I wonder if it was thrown away because the owner couldn't sort it out. -
MacBook turns on but doesn't go to home screen, instead a folder icon with a question mark on it keeps flashing.
It means that your mac is unable to boot, try doing a safe boot http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455 first, if that does not work insert your OSX disc (the one that came with your mac) and boot to that, post back with a report.
Is your backup 'bootable' (Carbon Copy or SuperDuper) or non-'bootable' (Time Machine)
Message was edited by: Csound1 -
I currently have Mavericks but my original OS X disk that I have I'm pretty sure is Mac OS X 10.6.6. I'm not great with computers but am usually able to fix problems I have had with mine in the past. I have reinstalled and reset my computer to factory settings before, but I am locked out of my computer completely & can't get to my files to save them & I really dont want to lose them. I was in Safari earlier opening a file, the page started to not respond & froze up my whole desktop so I did a hard shutdown & restarted my computer. I haven't been able to get back into my account ever since. If my only choice is to lose my files & reinstall everything, I need detailed instructions because I actually attempted to do this at first, out of desperation to fix my computer & the installer was asking me to select what disk I wanted to reinstall lion to yet I dont have a disk for that nor do I know what it exactly is asking of me? Please help
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. -
Why do I get a blinking folder with a question mark after remote locking my Macbook?
Hi,
I wanted to try the remote lock feature of iCloud.
I remotely locked my 17 inch Mid 2009 MacBook Pro. I received the confirmation email stating that the machine had indeed been locked.
When I went to the machine to unlock it, I was surprised to see a grey screen with a blinking folder. I had expected to see a place for me to enter my PIN. Rebooting the machine revealed the folder again.
What is going on? Did sometihng go wrong resulting in my somehow wiping my hard drive?
Thanks in advance for any help on this.Here is the email:
Doulos has been locked.
Doulos was locked at 4:40 PM on March 11, 2012 with the following message.
“Remote Locked!”
If you retrieve your Mac, unlock it using the passcode you created to lock your Mac.
iCloud Support | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy -
I had to install a new hard drive for my macbook after my last one had obviously crashed and was making clicking noises. The problem is I can't install OSX on my new one and I'm getting extremely frustrated. What could be going wrong? I've reset PRAM and done everything I could find suggested online.
Have you tried inserting the Snow Leopard Install disc and using Startup Manager to select the Snow Leopard disc as the startup disk? Once you get started up from the Snow Leopard Install disc, the rest of the instructions can be found in the manual for your MacBook Pro. Here are the ones for mine:
Installing Mac OS X and Applications — New Hard Drive
from http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf
To install Mac OS X and the applications that came with your computer, follow these steps:
1. Start up from the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your computer, and choose your language.
2. From the menu bar, choose Utilities > Disk Utility.
3. Open Disk Utility and select the new drive in the list to the left. Note: If you are formatting the primary drive, use the Disk Utility program on the Install disc.
4. Click the Partition tab.
5. Click on Options, and verify GUID is selected if this is the startup drive.
6. Name the volume “Macintosh HD.”
7. Apply the change by clicking the Partition button.
8. At this point, either
• Quit the Disk Utility application, and proceed with the Mac OS X installation. Follow the
onscreen instructions. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions. Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install Disc 2.
or
• Leave the Disk Utility application open, and restore the backed up files from the image
you created before removing the hard drive.
Installing Applications
To install just the applications that came with your computer, follow the steps below. Your computer must have Mac OS X already installed.
1. Back up your essential files, if possible.
2. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your computer.
3. Double-click “Install Bundled Software Only.”
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
5. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions. Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install Disc 2
6. Restore the data by reinstalling the backed up files from your backup to the new drive. -
File folder with a question mark is flashing on sreen, what do I do?filw
file folder with question mark is falshing on ta grey screen. what do I do?
Your MBP cannot locate the OS or HDD. The HDD may have failed or the connection is faulty,
Examine the following articles for additional information and how to solve the issue:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5281
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3353
Ciao. -
Ibook Clamshell Shows folder with a question mark when its turn wont start
I have an ibook clamshell which was passed down to me from my cousin it was workin fine for a while and i just put it aside so i could save up and upgrade it to tiger. But just yesterday i turned it on and it did what i guess was a disk check which had one button on the left which was to retry the search and another to continue forward.when the search is done it doesnt show anything and when i click forward the page jus either blink(a really quick flash ()rarely though) or does nothing.I have only tried rebooting the clamshell to resolve the problem. Im not sure of the spec of this computer but i know its a ibook clamshell graphite, 1 usb port,,1 ethernet port i believe thats what the firwire or fireware port is, and one other port that the size of a telephone line. Sorry but i am un aware of the mhz and it does not have an airport card installed in it. So if anyone has any idea what i can do to save my laptop besides purchasin a new one please help me thank you.
...1 ethernet port i believe thats what the firwire or fireware port is...
The Ethernet port is not the FireWire port.
The picture below shows (from left to right)
Internal 56 Kbps modem
10/100 Base-T Ethernet
USB (Universal Serial Bus) 1.1 port
FireWire
Video/Sound output
The ports on a non-FireWire iBook are shown below: -
I'm not sure how this screen is appearing, but I tried powering up my computer this morning and it immediately presents a grey screen, then displays a blinking folder with a question mark in the middle of it.
I am looking for troubleshooting advice and procedures to bypass this screen and allow my computer to complete it's start-up.
Thanks-
Gary D. Aston, Jr.
[email protected]The folder with a question marks is usually an idication that the Mac can't find the system file to boot from.
Since you never told us which system your Mac was running there is nothing more to say.
Allan
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