Question mark screen?

I have the question mark flashing on the screen and have troubleshooted every possible problem without dismantling my MacBook Pro, however I dropped my laptop and it decided to work again for about 10 minutes, the app bar began to flash and the mac stopped functioning so i turned it off now I am back at the question mark screen ?

Looks like a cable problem.
If you wish, you can take the computer to Apple store to have it checked out.
Probably you have already reset SMC and PRAM.
Best.

Similar Messages

Late 2008 macbook 13" prompts mac OS can not be installed on this computer after booting from disc as l get the folder with the question mark screen. New HDD or ?

From the little research l have done, l have been convinced l may be having a dead hard drive though after having tried all the other troubleshooting tips found here, when trying to boot l get the grey screen and folder with the question mark suggesting it can not find the files neccessary to boot hence l tried booting with the disc and the message l get is that mac OS X can not be installed on this computer, though after doing the hardware check etc they all say okay. I've even tried erasing the drive and trying to instal the OS afresh with no luck. Any ideas or l must just get a new hard drive?

Pretty sure BGreg hit the nail on the head. If your hard drive was failing, you would still be able to at least attempt an install, provided your ard drive was mounting. You usually get that message when the disk is incompatible with the computer. If it is the proper disk, you might try erasing the disk (provided your info is backed up) using Disk Utility (under Utilities in the menubar) and choose the Mac OSX Extended (Journaled) format.

G4 probook shows question mark screen after install?

Hi folks,
I have had to upgrade a silver g4 pro book from 10.3.9 to tiger and somethings wrong...
After the install i restarted as requested and after restart all that was displayed was a grey screen with the same black box telling me to restart.
I did another restart: same thing.
another restart and now i have a rey screen with a question mark in a small box.
Obviously i can not activate or see any other functions or apps.
Has anybody experience or knowledge of this?
many thanks,
james

After the install i restarted as requested and after restart all that
was displayed was a grey screen with the same black box telling
me to restart.
This sounds like what is called a kernel panic. Have you ugraded/installed any additional RAM besides what was pre-installed by Apple?
Did you purchase/use a Tiger retail install package to install Tiger on your PB?
Did you check the hard drive for any directory problems with Disk First Aid repair via Disk Utility when booted from the Tiger install disc before proceeding with the installation?
Did you update your backup before the installation?
Assuming the Tiger install disc remains in the drive, try starting up from the install disc by selecting/holding the 'C" key during during startup.
Select your language and at the Installer screen, navigate to Disk Utility via the Installer menu bar. Select the hard drive located at the very top of the drives and volumes window and under the First Aid tab, does the S.M.A.R.T. status indicate verified?
If so, select Macintosh HD in the drive and volumes window and under the First Aid tab, select Repair Disk.
If any problems are reported and successfully repaired, run repair again until no problems are reported. If there is a problem reported that cannot be successfully repaired, try running repair disk several times.
If there isn't a problem reported or a reported problem is successfully repaired, afterwards repair disk permissions from the same location.
When finished, quit Disk Utility and the focus will return to the installer. Quit the installer and you will be prompted to restart.

Battery question mark screen

Hi! I just got my new Palm Pre, I charged the phone and after a while the palm screen showed up and I was able to access the phone and create the profile. Then it asked me of restarting the phone but after that it only shows the battery with a question mark and I'm not able to access it. that's the only thing that shows. I tried to reset, but with no luck.
What can it be? Need help!!!
Post relates to: Pre p100eww (Sprint)

Hello naty_retana and welcome to the Palm forums.
You get that error message when the Palm thinks that there is no battery installed in the phone. I would remove the back plate from the phone, remove the battery, reseat the battery, and then attempt to power up the phone.
Alan G

Portfolio with question mark screen

My computer locked up last night and when I tried to turn it back on, it started clicking and went to a grey screen. Now, it goes to that grey screen every time I try to boot it up.
After a while, a portfolio with a question mark shows up on the grey screen and the computer shuts off after about five minutes of a blinking portfolio with a question mark.
It's quite weird. Any help?

Sounds like your hard drive is acting up. Insert the system disk #1. Boot the system holding down the option key, and choose to boot to the CD. Try and repair the disk.

White battery logo with question mark screen - can't get into usb mode (and now black screen)

I noticed that my hp touchpad was shutting down while in standby. I imagined it was a autoupgrade and so when it booted up and started installing the new webos I panicked and hit the power and home buttons to prevent the upgrade because I have CM7 alpha 3.5.
When I booted it up again I could only see a battery icon with a question mark in the middle. I can't make my win7 pc recognize the tablet and nor does the hp doctor for the same reason.
Does anyone have a clue how I can fix this? I know that some people in the past had this same issue that was caused by faulty usb cable or not having the battery correctly inserted (for other webos devices) but this is not the case. Just before I canceled the upgrade I had 20% battery and I had it plugged in and charging.
After letting the battery empty itself out I charged it overnight and now I have no response from it. Even after pressing the home and power buttons for minutes.
Thanks.
Post relates to: HP TouchPad (WiFi)

I agree on the updates, I wish it wasn't automatic. I completely, totally agree.
Keep in mind, you can't complain about having CM7 messed up from webOS updates. CM7 is not supported on this hardware by HP. CM7 is all on you.
There was no webOS upgrade in your case. The upgrade was stopped midstream, possibly damaging the TouchPad.
I asked 'why did you do that', because I actually want to know why in the world anyone would ever stop a firmware upgrade. It's like teasing a crocodile with chicken meat and wondering why it bit your hand off. You seem to know your way around technology, so I can't understand why you'd stop a firmware upgrade. I'm sure you know how dangerous that is. I did, in fact, provide a constructive suggestion. But not a solution, because I don't know of one. I haven't run across anyone who stopped their TP's upgrade process midstream. I am sure it's happened before somewhere, I just don't know about it.

My early '06 iMac won't boot, just clicks with question mark on screen. SMC reset, Pram reset can bring it up, works OK for a day or two, then back to no boot. disk utility finds no problem with disk

anytime I get it to boot, it works for a day or two then goes back to the Question mark screen.

Hi! It could be HD issue. You should back up your data in the computer first when you can boot to normal desktop. boot to install disk to run disk utility - if it got error over there, you should bring the computer to repair centre to fix it. You also could try to erase with zero out and install again And see will that be fix the issue!

Flashing Question mark: New hard drive not working Macbook Pro late 2008

After following several peoples advice on this forum I decided to upgrade my Macbook Pro late 2008 with a Seagate (1TB) Solid State Hybrid Drive 2.5 inch.
Heres the device.
http://www.morecomputers.com/spec.aspx?pn=ST1000LM014
After creating a mountable boot on a External hard drive with Mavericks install I removed the current hard drive and replaced with the new seagate drive. However it didn't seem to recognize the external hard drive (it is quite old but works perfectly) and went to a flashing grey question mark screen and wouldnt do anything else. Ive tried holding down command-r and option-r but I get nothing. Its just the same flashing question mark. I have done this several times and the same result.
I put the old drive back in and it works fine.
I am trying to work out is the problem with the mountable external hard drive OR is it the hard drive is not compatible with my computer?
Appreciate your help
Gary

Sorry I think you may be confused.
I am trying to install the new Seagate hard drive to my mac (not as an external hard drive).
I replace the macbook pro hard drive with the seagate drive:
http://www.morecomputers.com/spec.aspx?pn=ST1000LM014
I then started up the machine with a usb external hard drive with a boot copy of mavericks on it. However, it just displayed a flashing question mark and wouldnt start booting the osx.
I am trying to work out is the problem with the mountable external hard drive OR is it the hard drive is not compatible with my computer? Im guessing it must be hard drive. Would it be better to use a USB pen drive as the external hard drive is quite old?
Does anyone know what the problem could be as the hard drive is brand new.
Appreciate your help
Thanks, Gary

Boot Drive failed to be found - Question Marks ???

I recently used SuperDuper to clone my primary OSX 10.4 Tiger startup disk to a second internal hard drive in my Intel MacPro, and now I am experiencing strange behavior when booting from the Cloned drive...
To start with, let me first say that upoin successfully cloning my main OS onto the secondary internal drive, I removed my primary drive from my machine and replaced it with a cleanly formatted blank drive for data storage...in other words, there is currently only one capable startup disk in my machine at the moment...
So when running my OS from my new Clone OS drive, everything works fine when the OS is running, and things are fine and dandy...When I restart my computer, the machine loads right back up as if everything is totally normal and functioning perfect.
But then I went ahead and shutdown the machine for a short while, and upon returning and attempting to power up again, the startup process brings me to the FLASHING QUESTION MARK icon shortly after hitting the power button (as if for one reason or another, its not seeing my OS)...
The only way I can get the machine to work again, is by force-quitting the flashing question mark screen thereby powering back down; then restarting holding the 'option' key, and choosing my Clone boot drive from the list of startup discs (as it does show up as the only available drive in this list...)...Then my computer loads back up again, and things are working as normal, again, as if there were no problems...I test restarting a few times - no problem...I then re-test shutting down and powering back on again...QUESTIONS MARKS AGAIN!!
Anyone have any idea what the heck is going on, and how I should go about handling this?
any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!

Are you sure you have the startup disk set correctly in System Preferences -> Startup Disk?
If so, try zapping the PRAM. Reboot while holding down command-option-p-r. Continue holding them down until after the third startup bong, then release. After the Mac boots, try setting the prefs again and see if it sticks then.
If not, I suspect you might have a dead PRAM battery. Try shutting your Mac down, then disconnect the power cord and the internet. Reconnect the power cord but leave the internet disconnected. Boot the Mac. If your time and date is set to sometime last century, you need a new PRAM battery.

Use a G5 startup DVD on iBook G4? (Blinking question mark)

I recently tried installing Leopard on my iBook G4 (which currently runs Tiger 10.4.11); it was my brother's software disk and he already had it installed on his computer, so it wouldn't let me - I learned the hard way.
I attempted multiple times to boot and install from the install DVD, but it would usually freeze or crash, so I gave up the effort.
Now whenever I turn on my iBook, i briefly get the screen of a folder with a blinking question mark in it. Then after a few seconds, the Apple logo shows up and the computer boots normally. Everything seems fine, but that blinking question mark screen bothers me. I'd like to restore the system software, but I don't have the install discs.
I DO have the software restore discs for my iMac G5, which also runs Tiger (10.4.11). Can I use this to restore the software? Is it a "universal" version of OSX 10.4 suitable to run on a G4, or is specially tailored for the G5?
I bought the iBook used, so there were no install discs, which worries me. But if I can use the discs that came with my G5 to at least perform restore duties, that'd be good.

Check the setting in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
(53439)

I have a PowerMac G4 running ProTools that no longer boots up. All I get is a file folder on the screen with a flashing question mark in it. Ran the Utility disk and all systems passed. Any ideas?

I have a PowerMac G4 running ProTools that no longer boots up. All I get is a file folder on the screen with a flashing question mark in it. Ran the Utility disk and all systems passed. Any ideas?

You need to use the computer's install disks to repair the hard drive or install a new OS.
(58033)

Grey Screen with Flashing Folder with Question Mark

Hi,
I need some help with an issue I'm having on my Mid-2012 Macbook Pro (13"; OSX 10.9.2; 8GB RAM). I've had issues with this Macbook for the past year. I've worked with Apple Support and had it into the Mac Store prior to the warranty expiring (Dec 2013). I have the exact same model with all of the same specs that my employer purchased at the same time for work as my work computer, and I haven't had any issues with that one.
Previously, the system would slow down excessively and eventually start hanging. Occasionally the screen would start flashing. Apple phone support had me wipe the hard drive and re-install the OS and all of my file, apps, and setting from my Time Machine backup. That worked for about four months, and then it started again. Since it was getting close to the warranty expiration, I took it to an Apple Store. They ran a bunch of diagnostics, said the hardware was all fine but the OS needed to be re-installed. They did that in early Dec, and everything was cool again until about three days ago. Three days ago, it started slowing down and freezing again (even when doing non-memory intensive tasks such as broswing the web with only a couple of tabs open and no other applications open). Last night, it froze hard and wouldn't shut down, so I had to cold boot it. When I tried to power it back on, it came to the grey screen with the flashing folder with the question mark (which I know means it can't find the boot sector). I waited until this morning, and it stil wouldn't boot. I then rebooted into Startup Manager, and the HDD was there. I selected the HDD, and it booted fine and ran fine for a couple of hours (I was able to do a Time Machine backup). Then it froze up solid again. I waited for an hour or so before cold booting (don't like doing that), and when I tried rebooting, I got the flashing folder with the question mark. I tried booting into the Startup Manager again, but this time, my HDD wasn't listed. I then booted into the OSX Recovery utility (CMD R on boot), went into the Disk Utility hoping to do a disk repair, but my HDD wasn't listed. I have an external SATA to USB adapter, so I pulled the HDD, hooked it to a USB port on my other (identical except it doesn't have problems) Macbook Pro. Once my other Macbook booted, the HDD from the bad Macbook Pro showed up fine. I ran a verify and repair disk on the HDD from the bad Macbook, and it didn't show any issues.
So I figured I'd be really brave. I took the HDD from the bad Macbook Pro and put it in my work (good) Macbook Pro (I took the HDD out of my working work Macbook Pro). It booted fine. I then did the verify and repair disk (again no errors) and verify and repair permissions (it found a few, but no more than it has in the past). I ran it that way for about an hour with no issues. That led me to believe that the HDD for my personal Macbook was fine, and it must be an issue with the SATA cable or the mainboard.
Here's where it gets odd. I put the HDD from my work Macbook Pro into the bad Macbook Pro thinking it wouldn't even recognize it. It did recognize it, and it booted fine. I ran it like that for about 30 minutes. It did have a couple of short freeze ups, but it didn't lock up solid. I didn't want to push my luck and possibly damage the HDD for my work Macbook, so I shut down the bad Macbook Pro ended the experiment at that point.
I put the original HDD back in the Macbooks where they originally came from. I then ran the Apple Hardware Test (press and hold D on startup) on the bad Macbook Pro; I did the extended testing option. It ran for about an hour, but it didn't find any issues with the bad Macbook Pro.
I put the HDD from the bad Macbook back in my working Macbook and wiped the disk and reinstalled OSX from a Time Machine Backup from last week (before the problems occured). Put it back in the bad Macbook and still no luck. Finally I tried resetting the PRAM because I saw that as one of the options on this discussion board.
I've searched and read everything I can find related to this, but I can't find anything that works, and I'm at my wits end. Can anyone point me in a direction of what might be wrong and what else to try?
Thanks!
Mike

You performed thorough and methodical troubleshooting, and this appears to be the most important result:
I put the HDD from my work Macbook Pro into the bad Macbook Pro thinking it wouldn't even recognize it. It did recognize it, and it booted fine. I ran it like that for about 30 minutes. It did have a couple of short freeze ups, but it didn't lock up solid.
Given compatible hardware, you ought to be able to swap hard disk drives in exactly that manner, so it shouldn't surprise you that it worked. However, installing the "known good" HDD in the problem machine should not have resulted in any freeze-ups at all.
You can conclude the hard disks (both of them) are serviceable and whatever fault exists probably lies elsewhere. Often the SATA cable is damaged or not seated properly, and is likely to fail more than anything on the logic board. Inspect the logic board's SATA connections and make sure there are no contaminants or damage. The two drives and two logic boards are going to have slightly different component tolerances, so perhaps the defective one is simply exceeding some limit.
Apple Hardware Test is very cursory and essentially tests for the presence of operable hardware. It is far from an exhaustive test, and only a report of a failure can be relied upon for accuracy. For a more thorough test you would need to have Apple evaluate it using the time-consuming Apple Service Diagnostics. Even then, they may come up without a clue, and eventually someone will suggest a logic board replacement which can be expensive.
It is an unusual problem, and I don't know how much time Apple would invest in diagnosing it before they conclude you really ought to buy a new Mac instead. They might surprise you though in that a "depot repair", if yours is eligible, is a very cost effective option so consider it.
Given your ability you might also consider purchasing a replacement logic board from PowerbookMedic, or even sending it to them for a flat rate repair.

When I boot up my I get a grey screen with a flashing folder with a question mark

I was trying to set up a bootable Linux flash drive for another computer using UNetbootin and I accidentally selected an empty partition on my hard drive instead of the USB I was trying to use. It went through the install process, and I didn't realize it was on my computer rather than the USB. The computer worked fine, so I thought nothing of it.
Today, I go to mess with my computer and it is frozen at the login screen. I restart it, and now I just get a blinking folder with a question mark. I try to go into recovery, but it isn't there. Internet Recovery works fine, but when I go to use Disk Utility or to reinstall the OS it cannot find the internal Hard Disk.
What am I supposed to do here? I don't want to lose all my data.

greenbil1
You can contact AppleCare to buy a replacement set of the oringinal Install discs for a nominal cost. You will need the serial number and a credit card to place the order.

My macbook fell and since then a white screen with question mark appears

hey guys!
i really need to know what to do, my macbook fell while it was on. it froze so i restarted it, but the white screen comes in with the apple begining sound and everything but the screen stays blank for about two minutes and then a folde with a question mark appears. i tried putting in the cd that came with it, samething happened but after a while the appe sign appears and the computer started off my installation disc, so i try re installing everything, but when i get to the screen that asks to select a destination, there is nothing available.
i realize that the best thing to do is to go to an apple store and then sort everything out, but i am in haiti where the nearest apple store is in miami, i really need your help and i'm desparate cuz i cannot do anything without my laptop... please send me your help as soon as possible.
thanks in advance

Your hard disk has been damaged. At this point, it will need to be replaced with a new one. You'll need to call AppleCare and they'll have you mail it in for repairs. I'm not sure what the usual turnaround time for that is internationally, but in the United States it's about a week. I'd tack on a few extra days to get the laptop to and from Haiti.
Either way, your computer will need to be repaired and the data that was on your hard disk will be lost. (Unless you take the machine to a 3rd party repair shop that specializes in recovering data from damaged hard disks.)

Black Screen, Grey Screen, then flashing question mark, now frozen....

hi everyone,
i know i have probably the most common problem - and i've tried to read all about the logic board problems which i'm fairly certain i have.
I realize i will most likely have to buy a new macbook - but before i do - i need to retrieve files that are on my ibook g3 (bought in early 2003).
This is what has happened in the past 2 days:
1. I can hear the power start up (and chimes) but screen is completely black.
2. Tried resetting PRAM and PMU, now blank grey screen sometimes appears.
3. Now, grey screen with flashing question mark in the middle alternating with mac face. So i assumed this meant it couldn't locate my hard drive. So i found my ibook install disc and inserted it and restarted while holding down "C" key.
4. Grey screen - with Apple (thought this was success) - then it turned to a large grey circle with a line through it (a slash). And then suddenly frozen.
Since then it has just been a lot of lines through the screen alternating with completely grey screen, etc. along with any of the above-mentioned outcomes. I tried pushing on the lower-left-hand corner of the computer and yes, it affects the display - more or less lines, etc.
How can i get my old files off of it? Do i buy a new macbook and connect them via fire wire cable and try that way? or will that not work if the above is happening? Or is it possible for someone (myself or perhaps IT professionals) to remove the hard drive from my old ibook and place it somewhere where i can copy over the files?
Any help is appreciated - i know this is a popular topic - i've just had so many weird outcomes in the past 2 days i'm not exactly sure which solution (if any) would work for me right now.
Thanks so much!

Hi Ronda -
I do have access to another mac (mini) with firewire at my work. Or I might go out and buy a new macbook this weekend as well (preferable since I don't really want my personal files on my work computer, etc.) But yes, i need to get my old files off of this one.
I have never added additional memory or anything to it really since I got it. So it should be the original specs:
iBook (14.1 LCD 900 MHz 32 VRAM)
256MB memory
Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Hard drive: 40GB
Not a lot of space was remaining if i recall. I did get the 'disk full' notice a few weeks ago, but i did end up deleting a lot of stuff. Needless to say, i'm sure it was quite full, but not at maximum when this happened.
Update: Last night i tried to start it up again, and it would ONLY go to a black screen this time (ie. no display at all). What do you think i should do?

Question mark screen?

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