Startup = blinking file folder icon?

After waking my Intel iMac from sleep mode I selected "Mail" too quickly and got the spinning beach ball for a while. I put the iMac back to sleep, woke it, same problem.  I turned it off using the off button on the back of the iMac, because I was unable to turn it off using the menu option. When I turned it back on I got a blank screen for about a minute, then a blinking gray icon of a small (1 inch) file folder. HELP! This reminds me of the old days of system conflicts.

From what you say, it looks like the hard drive has dead. The blinking file folder appears when your Mac doesn't find any bootable volume.
The best you can do now is to take the Mac to an Apple Store or reseller and get your hard drive repaired or replaced. I hope that you have a backup of your files

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    15" Macbook. When i power on all I get is white screen with a blinking file folder icon with a question mark on it.N

    You may have a bad hard drive.  The flashing folder with the ? indicates that the system cannot find your hard drive.  Use the installation disc that came with your machine.  Insert it into the disc drive and restart the machine holding down the "C" key .  When the restart shows the Apple screen you can release the C keyWhen the installation screen appears, click on the utilities button.  Does the left side of the disc utilities screen show your HD?  If not, then your HD is bad or it could be a loose connection. ifixit.com has a good tutorial on how to replace the HF in the Macbook.  Follow the instructions to remove your HD.  Reinstall your HD and boot up your machine to see if it recognizes your HD.  If it does't, you probably will need to replace your HD>
    Is your machine still under warranty?  If so, take it to your nearest Apple Store for repairs as the repairs will be covered under your warranty.  If you bought AppleCare when you bought your computer your warranty is for three years.  If you didn't buy the Apple Care, then your warranty is only good for one year from the date of purchase.

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    My MacBook Air has a blinking file folder icon on a blank screen with a ? In the middle of the icon. I've tried turning my computer off and on three times with no luck.  Any recommendations on how to fix the problem? 

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  • What does a blinking file folder with a question mark indicate?

    What does a blinking file folder with a question mark indicate?  I cannot get past it or do anything with the unit.

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  • TS1812 Hi Everyone, I have tried all the solutions mentioned by apple and still have a white screen with a blinking file folder with a question mark in the center, anyone have any ideas or experienced this?

    Hi Everyone, I have tried all the solutions mentioned by apple and still have a white screen with a blinking file folder with a question mark in the center, anyone have any ideas or experienced this?

    Nooo or you would use OS X Recovery Mode: Disk Utilty and then Startup Disk.
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    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os/os_x_mountain_lion?view=discussio ns
    Recovery Mode
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
    ExpressLane
    https://expresslane.apple.com/
    Mac OS X Help
    http://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/
    Isolating Issues in Mac OS
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1388
    https://www.apple.com/support/osx/
    https://www.apple.com/support/quickassist/
    http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/help/
    http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/tour/
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    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304725

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