Question mark in finder header

Hi,
I just noticd a '?' at the top of my finder window. when I click on it is says 'item can't be found' yet all my stuff is accessible. It wasn't there before, think it appeared this week...***? How do i remove this or resolve issue?
Thanks!

Hiya!
Seems to have worked...hope i don't have a bigger problem, lol. Thanks!!!

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Flashing question mark and finder upon start up of power mac G4

Hi
I recently bought a powermac g4 which had a new un formatted hard drive in, upon turning the computer on it had the flashing finder and question mark.
i tried formatting the drive using my macbook which resulted in, upon turning the computer on a grey screen appeared with the apple logo then white texts behind, stating "panic (CPU O caller) and then alot of other text which ends at the bottom of the screen with panic:we are hanging here
I posted this problem in another question a few days ago and was told i needed disks to boot the computer, due to a intel mac not being able to boot a PPC mac so i bought a copy of snow leopard
so i erased the drive using disk utility, making it un formatted again
But when trying to use the disks i inserted them holding down the C key upon start up
but the computer just has the finder and question mark symbol again
Thank you for your time

If it's the G4 Mirrored Drive Doors (MDD) in your signature, you've done well to get one. If you can live with the noise, they're a real workhorse - they were a real beast 10 years ago. I still have mine, bought from new the day they came out.
So you're going to need either:
the original discs (2 install DVDs and 4 restore CDs, and iMovie2 and AHT, or
Mac OS X 10.3 retail
Mac OS X 10.4 retail
Mac OS X 10.5 retail
If you want OS9 on it you're going to need the original discs. You could head over to the Macintosh Garden forums (use google) and ask there, a lot of MDD owners over there, always looking out for more MDDs to buy and preserve and original discs for them too. There may be someone in your state / region there who may be able to assist with the original discs.
If you want OSX 10.3, 10.4 or 10.5 eBay or similar may be your best bet. A little tip I used for getting the original OS discs when I missed them - individually the discs can be expensive, particularly OSX 10.4 and 10.5 - I buy mine bundled with a Mac when it's sold locally, seems to keep the price down if it's bundled with an old Mac that would have $50 shipping. So I pick up the Mac, keep it and seel the OS if I don't want it, for more than I paid for both. Just perserverence on eBay/ etc.

Question Mark in Finder Window

Just bought a new mac book and im noticing something odd. When I open the finder window there is a "?" mark at the top of the window located between the button with the "gear" on it to create a new folder and between the 4 view buttons. When I click it I get a pop-up box with the Finder icon in it that says "the item cannot be found." My Mac Mini does not have this. Any thoughts as to what this means? Im relatively new to Mac so please forgive me if this is something I should know.

newtxmgf,
If you're running Leopard, that's where the Quick Look button should be.
In the Finder, choose View>Customize Toolbar and see if you can drag the Quick Look button up there and get rid of the question mark.
Matt

BIG Question Mark in Finder Windows

My Hard drive Finder Windows (any programme) OS 10.4.6.
are suddenly showing a large Question Mark between the 'view buttons' and the 'action wheel icon'.
When 'clicked' the question mark gives a message "The Item Cannot be Found".
All items in each individual folder within the window open normally.
Why is this suddenly happening, and can I get rid of the Question Mark somehow.?
Many thanks.
Lance. UK
iMAC FP. Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Before there was a "sidebar", OS X Finder had a "toolbar" where a user could drag arbitrary items (files, folders, applications) for quick one-click access. Although it may not be obvious with the brushed metal finish, "Finder" windows still retain this function.
However, if the original item to which the toolbar shortcut points is deleted or otherwise becomes inaccessible, its icon will be replaced with a question mark (the same thing happens with "Dock" icons).
The shortcuts can be removed from the window by holding down the "⌘" key and dragging the icons off the toolbar.

Question Mark in Finder Windows

All of my Finder windows have a large question mark to the right of the Action icon. When I click on it I get a message saying the item can't be found. What is this?

I also got this reply from another board:
"That would be a file or folder that you had previously dragged to that area. Things that you drag there are like bookmarks, pointing to the actual file or folder. If you have a question mark, that means that the original file or folder has been deleted. So you should just hold down the Command key and then drag that question mark off of that area and it will disappear in a puff of smoke."

Question marks in Finder window

When I open a finder window in my spouse's new Mac mini (10.5.4), there are two question marks in a row that appear just to the right of the Action drop down. When clicked on, a dialog pops up saying "The item cannot be found"

hold down the command key and drag the question marks off the toolbar.

Light gray question mark in Finder window

In OS 10.4.11, I have just noticed there is a light gray question mark just to the right of the little cog wheel icon (I think it's called "action"; it's a pull down menu.) I don't get any explanation when I run my cursor over it. When I double click on it I get a Finder message: "The item cannot be found." What item? I never put anything there in the first place. It seems to be benign, but so do a lot of things just before they blow. Mostly I just want to know what it is. The phrase "question mark" is one of those series of words that cannot be used as a search. It is too common. Thanks in advance for any help.
MGuilfoile

Thanks, but it isn't from a previous set up. I bought this computer new and have never added anything to the Finder menu bar. It is strange, but control-clicking (or option clicking) allowed me to get rid of it. I just wish I knew what it had been for. What would one put there?
MGuilfoile

Annoying question mark in finder window

There is a very annoying question mark in the finder window of my Mac,
When I click on it it directs me to a skype disk image that I keep on an external hard drive with other backups. How can I get rid of it?

that's a broken link.
right click (or control click) on the icon and select remove item.
or right click and select "customize toolbar"
you should be able to drag it away and when you release it, it's gone.

Delete question marks from finder window

I have several question marks on every finder window (from previous external HD's)
How do I remove them?
Thanks in advance.
Mark

Try this. Ctrl click on each ? and choose remove.

Question mark and finder folder

My Friend gave me his Old Imac G5 and when i boot it a question mark and the finder folder blinks
my friend says to install OS X because its running on nothing and I have been trying to install
OS X 10.6 but it wont respond to the Disk it just keeps blinking after a while it starts making this
loud noise as if its running something, the furthest ive got it to a blue screen with a replay icon button
towards the left and an arrow button pointing right but cant do anything after that, i dont know what to do.
My other problem is the i have the latest wireless keyboard and wireless magic mouse so i cant connect
them thru wifi until i have my imac running so im using a normal Dell Keyboard....

were would be the place to find the original system install CD.
Ideally, your friend:
My Friend gave me his Old Imac G5
The Apple Store may have original system install discs but I would be surprised since no Apple Store in the US that I know of sells them any longer.
It will not be free, but if they have one that would be the best option. Otherwise you will have to peruse the used market. In the US that could be Amazon Marketplace or eBay. I do not know where you would start in India, but many eBay sellers ship worldwide.
Make absolutely certain you are getting a full retail installation CD and if it is Leopard or Tiger, make sure it is for your G5 and not an Intel iMac. System specific disks are grey in color and will not work except for the exact system with which they were included.

Question Mark in Finder Screen

When I click on my hard disk icon and look at, say, the Applications folder, there is a question mark. When I click on the grey question mark, it says the item can't be found. How do I get rid of this. When I enlarge the window, I do see what the file is. It is a file that I changed the name of and supposedly deleted. Why is it appearing?

Command-click it and drag it out. It's there because it was previously put there and not automatically removed with the file.
(74215)

Question mark on finder window?

I'm running 10.3.9 on my iMac. I can't find my original installation disks.
Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks

I'm sorry, I'll try to be clearer. There is a "?" embedded in the top right-hand corner of each finder window just to the left of the search pane. It is very pale.
This seems to indicate a problem with the operating system? I'm wondering if I can fix this through installed utilities, or should I try to purchase a new set of 10.3.9 re-install disks or should I upgrade to 10.4 and how difficult that would be.
Thank you.

Flashing Question mark and Finder Folder at Start UP!

Hi there,
I just installed a new processor with upgraded firmware with mac os 9.1 as my OS. Well I have a start up tone but thats it. I have used a cd to choose which disk I want my computer to start up from but now I only get a start up tone and a gray screen during boot up. I have tried to reset my PRAM more than 4 times and it hasn't done anything. I have also reset the processor but that hasn't done anything either. I don't wish to do a clean installation because I don't want to reinstall my old 450 mhz processor. It would be great if I could have some help. thanks

Hi, DC502. If I understand you correctly, you have been able to boot to a CD with the new processor installed — is that correct? If so, what OS version is on the CD, and is the same version on your hard drive? Does the new processor (what make and speed is it, by the way?) have any minimum OS or hardware requirements, and have you checked to make sure you are meeting them? What firmware update did you apply?
If you aren't able to boot even to a CD, check the processor upgrade to make sure it is solidly seated, not crooked or uneven in its slot. Reset the CUDA after every internal hardware change. Perform all testing with all external devices except monitor, keyboard and mouse disconnected from the computer.
Please post back with further details if these ideas don't help.

What does a flashing question mark icon mean, alternating with the finder icon, at startup?

When I power up a small folder appears against a grey screen. Insode the folder are alternating question mark and finder icon.

It means that your iMac cannot find an operating system to boot from.
What version of OS X are you running?

PowerBook G4 Folder With Blinking Question Mark & Finder Icon At Startup

Hi I'm a MacBook Pro user but I just dropped my friend's PowerBook G4. It froze afterwards so I held down the power button to restart it but then everytime it starts up, a folder with a blinking question mark and finder icon shows up.
I tried restarting with the ctrl + command + power button but it shows up with the folder everytime.
She didn't have her installation disc 1 but right now disk 2 is in the laptop and we can't get it out.
How can I resolve this? Thank you!

The folder with the blinkiung ? indicates that the Mac can't find a bootable OS. Try restarting holding down the track button to get the disk out of the drive.

Question mark in finder header

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