My notebook will not start up----I see only a question mark in a small folder. What to do?

Booting From An OS X Installer Disc
1. Insert OS X Installer Disc into the optical drive.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the "C" key.
4. Release the key when the spinning gear below the dark gray Apple
logo appears.
5. Wait for installer to finish loading.
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.

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I did an automatic update to my daughter's iphone and it did not complete teh update. I tried to restore my updated setting but now my iphone will not start. I see the apple and a white line that never moves past 15%.

I did an automatic update to my daughter's iphone and it did not complete the update from version 6.0 to I believe 8. I waited for hours but the line stopped at 70%. I tried to restore my old settings but now my iphone will not start. When I try to start the
phone, I see the apple and a white line that never moves past 15%.

Hi JG14usa,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
I understand that you attempted an update on your daughter’s iPhone but the update will not complete. For this type of situation, it may be necessary to place your iPhone into recovery mode and restore. Please use the instructions located in the attached article to complete this process.
If you can't update or restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
Best regards,
Joe

HP Mini 2133 notebook will not start up but recharging light works and on off and hard disk light

My HP Mini 2133 will not show anything on the screen however the power light and hard drive lights all work and the fan comes on and it will charge up anyone help

It could be the power supply, shorted device of any kind attached (bad printer, flash drive, keyboard, mouse, network connection), memory problem, video card fan not spinning and the video card could have overheated, bad capacitors (rounded or leaking a brown or dark substance). The first think you should do is make sure it is not under warrantee. If it is, contact HP. If it isn't, remove the cover and inspect the board for bad capacitors, fans not turning, disconnect all non essential items like the hard drive, DVD, floppy if you have one, all external devices (yes the monitor) and turn on the computer. Does it appear to stay on? If yes, shut it down by holding in the power button for 5 or more seconds or flipping the power switch on the power supply or pulling the plug. Connect the monitor and then one item at a time leaving the hard drive with your important data as the last item. If it didn't stay on. Try to use only one piece of memory and try each memory slot, try the next piece etc. If that doesn't work, the best guess is the power supply (if you have an ohm meter - test the power supply first).
Reminder: Please select the "Accept as Solution" button on the post that best answers your question. Also, you may click on the white star in the "Kudos" button for any helpful post to give that person a quick thanks. These feedback tools help keep our community active, so you receive better answers faster.

Mac does not start and a cartel with a question mark appears. what does it means?

it's the second time it happens. I start Mac and a folder with a question mark appears, then I close and restart and Mac opens normally. What's going wrong? Thank you for any help

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
The question mark appears when your Mac can't find a bootable volume to start from, and it may indicate that your hard drive is failing.
Open Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD in the sidebar and verify the disk. If it finds a problem, you will have to repair the disk, starting your Mac from the Snow Leopard DVD

Flashing Question Mark ? on small folder icon at start up... nothing else

I have tried following...
Start up while holding shift key
Inserting install CD while holding C key
Unplugging power cord.
Pressing reset button while holding Option, R and P keys
Im still getting flashing ? mark at start up. I tried running Disk Aid Repair and found this..
Mount Check found serious problems
Volume Bit Map needs minor repair, 4, 547
Volume Header needs minor repair 1, 0
Also when I inserted the Software CD and tried to re-install in kept asking me if I wanted to Initialize disc, but this action would erase the disc, so I choose to cancel. So I don't know how to re-install the software from the CD ??
There is also a Software Restore CD and a Hardware Test CD, which I have both tried to use, but the Software Restore CD did not actually allow me to click on the " restore" button after choosing from the 3 options.
When I tried to copy or duplicate or make an alias of the System Folder from the Software Install CD, it said I could not because the Disc Is Locked ? I was hoping the System Folder is the problem and that if I dragged a copy onto the desk top it would be there when I re-started the computer, but I can't et that to happen... So where do I go from here ?
So far... not a good Christmas. Thanks Eric OS 9.1
G3 500MHz 20GB CDRW Slot Loading Inidgo, early 2001 with 576 extra ram

Hi, Eric -
When I tried to copy or duplicate or make an alias of the System Folder from the Software Install CD, it said I could not because the Disc Is Locked ? I was hoping the System Folder is the problem and that if I dragged a copy onto the desk top it would be there when I re-started the computer, but I can't et that to happen...
The 'disk is locked' message is referring to the CD itself - since an OS Install (or Restore) CD can not be altered in any way short of destroying it, it is treated by the OS as if it were a locked disk.
In addition, it would do no good to copy the System Folder from anOS Install or Restore CD to the hard drive - the System Folders on those CDs are specialized, and will work only when on the original media (the CD they are on); they will not be able to boot a Mac when copied to a hard drive.
More importantly, apparently your hard drive has suffered some kind of damage, as Tom has suggested. This damage has made it unreadable in its present state - hence the offer by the OS or installer on the CD to re-initialize the drive. When the OS recognizes the presence of a drive but can not read it sufficiently to mount it, it assumes it is an un-initialized volume and so offers to do that.
With luck, it will be a matter of nothing more than directory damage, which Alsoft's DiskWarrior should be able to repair. You should be able to find DiskWarrior at most any outlet which handles Mac software. If you're in or near a large city, there should be several such, perhaps including an Apple Store. If you're in a remote small town (like I am), there may be no outlet close by which carries it.
You would not be able to use a downloaded version of DiskWarrior - since the machine would need to be booted to a drive other than the one being repaired (usually this means booting to a CD), where would you put DiskWarrior?
There is also another possible problem with DiskWarrior - the current versions of DiskWarrior, v. 4.x, come on CDs which boot only to OSX. If the firmware on your iMac G3 has not been updated to the current version, then you should not boot your machine to that disk (or to any disk which boots to OSX).
The solution is to locate an older version of DiskWarrior - ideally v. 2.1 or v. 2.1.1. Those versions noot to OS 9.2.x, and are safe for use on an iMac which has not had its firmware updated.
Alternatively, if you have a Zip drive available, you can get a copy of DiskWarrior v. 3.x. The 3.x versions of DiskWarrior include a copy of DiskWarrior v. 2.1.1, which can be copied to a Zip disk. You can then boot the iMac to an OS Install CD and run DiskWarrior from the Zip disk. Of course, you would need to use another Mac to copy DiskWarrior to the Zip disk.
A clarification -
Does your iMac boot at all to the hard drive? That is, if you wait long enough, does the flashing questionmark eventually disapper and the machine boot to an OS on the hard drive?

On start there is a question mark in a file folder what do I need to do?

When starting a file with question mark in it, what is wrong?

@LowLuster is of course correct. You will need to either restore from TM or upgrade the hard drive and restore from Time Machine.
Here is an excellent article on what to do:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-5281

Hp Pavilion 15 Notebook will not start or charge

I bought this notebook I believe a year ago and at first it had a minor issues of not turning on but it was resolved soon after that. As the year went by no problems what so even I didn't use the laptop too much but it was working well. Recently however I started using it more frequently and installed a few games on it. These games were obviously meant to be played on a high end gaming computer but I worked around tweaking some settings on my computer and besides the CPU being worked at its max the games ran smoothly with minor problems but these were normal considering game crashes happened on even the most top grade pc. However a few days ago after a little while of playing games I closed all my programs and closed the laptop like I normally do and set it on my desk to charge. I come back maybe 2 hours later and it doesn't turn on, no lights, no fan, not even a charging light. I have tried doing a hard reboot take out the battery everything currently as I speak the computer is on my desk with the bottom of the computer open with the hard drive exposed along with other things. I have no idea what is wrong but maybe it's a mother board problem or CPU fried I don't know but I need help and was hoping if I knew what the problem was if I could just order the parts and replace it. Model: 15-e012nr<br>Product: E0L71UA#ABA, Serial: [Personal Information Removed]

Hi MarviiW
Thank you for visiting the HP Support Forums. I'm sorry to inform you that your post has needed some editing to remove personal information. From our Rules of Participation:
Protect privacy - yours and others'. Don't share anything about yourself that you would not want to see on a road-side billboard. Don't post contact or other personal information-your own or anyone else's-or any content that you receive in one-to-one communications without the author's consent. For example, don’t post your computer’s serial # or contact information publicly, and do not allow someone you don’t know to remotely take control of your computer.
If you need people to contact you directly, either ask them to send you a private message or subscribe to the thread so you will be notified when there are replies. You may also click on your name anywhere in the forum and you will be taken to your profile page, where you can find a list of threads you have participated in.
Sharing personal email addresses, telephone numbers, and last names is not allowed for your safety. If you have any questions feel free to send me a private message in reply.
Thank you
Omar
I Work for HP

My notebook will not start up. what do i do?

Presario CQ56, Compaq
with Windows XP
Says, "No bootable device - - insert boot disk and press any key"

Please run the extended Tests on the hard drive using the bios Diagnostics Menu, post back the results.
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/How-to-test-RAM-and-HDD-Hard-Drive/td-p/...

Notebook will not start The application wsa unable to start correctly (0x000185)

The application was unable to start corrctly (0x0000185)

Hi
Try F11 option and try performing system restore and check if the unit works fine.
Let us know how it goes!
"I work for HP."
****Click the (purple thumbs up icon in the lower right corner of a post) to say thanks****
****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
Regards
Manjunath

Firefox suddenly stopped responding. I couldn't close Firefox, then restarted my computer. When I did, Firefox constantly gives "Not Responding"; will not start. I tried reinstall, and am getting a stalled installation. What can I do?

OS: Windows XP
Numerous crashes out of Firefox in recent uses, before this latest catastrophic crash.
Installation is also stalled.
I cannot open any Firefox window and have it find the internet now, so am stuck using Internet Explorer to log in here.
Past crashes have been about once every 18 hours, not including some crashes of Flash roughly every 3-5 days.
Should add that I couldn't kill any Firefox process using the Windows Task Manager, which is a first. And, (re-)install hung for more than an hour now, not proceeding.
Norton scan showing no viruses, and it has the latest definitions. This seems confined to a problem in Firefox.
Trying again to install and get this running, trying to open Firefox again fails, using what I presume was the latest previous install. I can't re-install still.
I did briefly see a program called SysFader trying to run when I was opening the Firefox window (unsuccessfully), but just did a search in my hard drive for a file or folder named SysFader and there are no matches. I don't know if they are related.
Nearly a day later and no apparent progress.

(Moved content to main question area.)

My MacBook Pro will not start up. I only get a grey screen with the spinning wheel. No blue page appears and the grey screen remains. Tried starting with the Shift key but ineffective as well.

Can't get my MacBook Pro to start up. Have shut it down several times and tried restarting but all I get is a grey screen with the spinning icon. Apple Support online suggested starting with power button followed immediately with the shift key. Same results. Also tried power button with shift key, command, and V. Black screen appeared instead with lots of data language but still no starting. This final page was suppose to result in an internal system check and restart but nothing happened and the black screen remains.Where do I go from here? Scheduled for the Genius Bar tomorrow but would like to resolve this beforehand.

You may be having a hardware problem that you cannot resolve on your own. Nevertheless...
...hold down the command and R keys whilst booting to try to get to your Recovery partition. If you can, use Disk Utility to try to Verify your boot drive (usually named "Macintosh HD" unless you've renamed it). If the verification fails, try to repair your hard drive. If everything appears to be OK, restart.
If you can't get into your Recovery partition, your problem is likely hardware related. If so, keep your appointment and see what the Apple techs have to say.
Clinton

The apple TV remote will not click to the right (only to the left, up or down). What to do?

pretty much what it says above! Remote works in all respects except it won't click to the right - which means I can;t reach the 'computers' tab and access programs

Power cycle the ATV.
Remove and replace the battery in the remote.
Try a different remote to rule out the remote being the issue.

My MacBook Pro will not start up. Is there anything that I can do to see if I can start it up before I need to go in for an appointment?

My MacBook will not start up. The only response I can get out of it is the battery light on the side which shows it as being full. Is there any wizardry that will magic it back to life by a sequence of buttons or something?

Try holding the power button down for ten seconds and then try booting it.
Try to reset SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

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My notebook will not start up----I see only a question mark in a small folder. What to do?

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