Startup- Grey Square with ? in the middle

Whenever I boot it up I get the white screen then the grey square with the ? sign in it for 2 or 3 secs then the apple and it boots up. I think this is because I had boot camp on here then told it to repartition as one partition again. So im thinking its looking for that windows partition at startup then just bypassing and booting into OS X. Any way to get rid of it?

Have ya looked at your Applications > System Preferences > System > Startup Disk, and clicked on the Mac OSX icon on the local disk, or partition disk?
Then restart and see if it goes straight to your local system ... I'm thinking your MBP is looking for a network boot because that is what it is being told.
Or have you already checked that setting?
So, you had BootCamp in a separate partition, which no longer exists? Don't go there, much ... why did you cancel that setup? Is there an "uninstall" that did not get completed properly, or did you have to just hard-flush the 2nd artition?

Similar Messages

I have a square box in the middle of my computer that says compaq

Good morning everyone, Hello my name is Jacqueline smith and I have a problem with the square box in the middle of my computer that says loading compaq and it want go away. I can go on the internet but this box is the middle of the screen. Can someone please help me take it off, I would surely appreciate it?

Hi jacky263,
Does this happen everytime you restart your computer? Do you know when the box first appears?
It sounds like a process or background application is getting hung up somehow and is not closing.
If you know the application that generates the box, you can go into Task Manager (press CTRL + ALT + DEL and then select "Task Manager"). Once in TM, see if there are any applications or processes running that are associated with the Compaq box on the screen. Then end the application or process.
Once you find the application causing the issue, you can try to keep it from loading at startup using MSCONFIG (from the Run box on the Start menu).
Let us know how it goes.
...an HP employee just trying to help where I can, but not speaking on behalf of HP.

I go onto ordinary websites and then all of a sudden this grey box appears on the middle of my screen, then it automatically restarts my computer. I am not really sure what to do and how to get it fixed

I go onto ordinary websites and then all of a sudden this grey box appears on the middle of my screen, then it automatically restarts my computer. I am not really sure what to do and how to get it fixed. Any help would be great. Thanks

what does the box say? Is is a black box with grey writing?

When i try to sync photos from iPhoto to my iPad using iTunes, the "Selected Folders" option is greyed out with only the "All Folders" option available, how do i change this?

When i try to sync photos from iPhoto to my iPad using iTunes, the "Selected Folders" option is greyed out with only the "All Folders" option available, how do i change this?

I add the keyword 'sync' to any photos I want added to the iPhone/iPad.
Then, during the regular process of syncing the iPhone/iPad with my computer (mac), the photos with that keyword would be copied onto the iPhone, iPad.
I've been doing it this way ever since I was shown how to; ie after I got my iPhone 2 years ago. And every time the process worked - until the last few weeks. Suddenly it doesn't do it any more.
I believe I have upgraded software (either iTunes or iPhoto or both) during this period. I try to keep my software updated but have noticed previously that the new version often is disappointing.
I've not tended to use Smart albums much.
MM

Screen just keeps cycling a four-square panel in the middle for hours. Is this normal?

Screen just keeps cycling a four square panel in the middle for hours - is this normal?

Hi yacht61,
I would say that is definitely not normal! Are you having trouble logging in or converting a file? For starters, please try the following:
Clear the browser cache and try again.
Try a different web browser.
If the problem occurs when you're converting a file, try converting a different file.
Let me know if the problem persists, and also whether it occurs when logging in or converting.
Best,
Sara

What to do when my Macbook air won't load from startup. It hangs in the middle during the black apple screen at the beginning

my Mac book air will not start up it hangs in the middle of the status bar when I turn it on and will not move.

Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
To restart an unresponsive computer, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until the power shuts off, then release, wait a few more seconds, and press it again briefly.
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a startup failure is to secure the data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since the last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to start. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Start up from the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.” The article refers to starting up from a DVD, but the procedure in Recovery mode is the same. You don't need a DVD if you're running OS X 10.7 or later.
b. If Step 1a fails because of disk errors, and no other Mac is available, then you may be able to salvage some of your files by copying them in the Finder. If you already have an external drive with OS X installed, start up from it. Otherwise, if you have Internet access, follow the instructions on this page to prepare the external drive and install OS X on it. You'll use the Recovery installer, rather than downloading it from the App Store.
c. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, start the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
d. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
Step 2
If the startup process stops at a blank gray screen with no Apple logo or spinning "daisy wheel," then the startup volume may be full. If you had previously seen warnings of low disk space, this is almost certainly the case. You might be able to start up in safe mode even though you can't start up normally. Otherwise, start up from an external drive, or else use the technique in Step 1b, 1c, or 1d to mount the internal drive and delete some files. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation.
Step 3
Sometimes a startup failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 4
If a desktop Mac hangs at a plain gray screen with a movable cursor, the keyboard may not be recognized. Press and hold the button on the side of an Apple wireless keyboard to make it discoverable. If need be, replace or recharge the batteries. If you're using a USB keyboard connected to a hub, connect it to a built-in port.
Step 5
If there's a built-in optical drive, a disc may be stuck in it. Follow these instructions to eject it.
Step 6
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to start up, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can start up now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
Step 7
If you've started from an external storage device, make sure that the internal startup volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Start up in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to start and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know the login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
When you start up in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, the startup volume is corrupt and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to Step 11. If you ever have another problem with the drive, replace it immediately.
If you can start and log in in safe mode, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on the startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) Check that you have at least 9 GB of available space, as shown in the window. If you don't, copy as many files as necessary to another volume (not another folder on the same volume) and delete the originals. Deletion isn't complete until you empty the Trash again. Do this until the available space is more than 9 GB. Then restart as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)
If the startup process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
Step 8
Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select the startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.
This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then restart as usual.
Step 9
If the startup device is an aftermarket SSD, it may need a firmware update and/or a forced "garbage collection." Instructions for doing this with a Crucial-branded SSD were posted here. Some of those instructions may apply to other brands of SSD, but you should check with the vendor's tech support.
Step 10
Reinstall the OS. If the Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
Step 11
Do as in Step 9, but this time erase the startup volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically restart into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer the data from a Time Machine or other backup.
Step 12
This step applies only to models that have a logic-board ("PRAM") battery: all Mac Pro's and some others (not current models.) Both desktop and portable Macs used to have such a battery. The logic-board battery, if there is one, is separate from the main battery of a portable. A dead logic-board battery can cause a startup failure. Typically the failure will be preceded by loss of the settings for the startup disk and system clock. See the user manual for replacement instructions. You may have to take the machine to a service provider to have the battery replaced.
Step 13
If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.

G3 won't startup (grey screen with happy mac)

My sister has a iMac G3 that all of a sudden stopped working. When it's turned on, we get the chime, a grey screen and a happy mac, that's all. It just sits there. I've tried restarting with the C down, using the PRAM trick, putting in a CD startup disk (though not the one it came with), disconnecting the USB drve/hub, but get nothing. We've had problems with the CD drive before, so I wouldn't be surprised if that was broken too. Any help would be appreciated. It's a blue iMac (maybe a 350mhz?. Thanks in advance
iMAC G3 (350mhz) Mac OS 9.0.x

You may need to replace the PRAM battery. A weak or dead battery has been known to cause startup problems.
If you can startup from a Mac OS installation CD, you can run Disk First Aid from the CD (for Mac OS 9) in the Utilities folder, and verify (and repair if necessary) the internal drive.
If you suspect the CDROM drive, you can also try disconnecting the CDROM drive internally to see of this will allow the iMac to start up. Sometimes, a bad drive will prevent another drive on the IDE bus to not be recognized.

After preferences have been opened and closed, instead of folding back into the menu bar a grey square stays in the far left hand corner of my screen. This is then replicated on every screen. I can't seem to solve this, any ideas?

After using the preference pane, it does not fold away back into the finder bar but leaves a grey square in the top left corner of the screen. When I switch to another screen within spaces, the grey square still appears.

I have the exact same problem.. I tried disabling all add-ons and I'm only using the default theme... still no change. Whenever I close the preferences window it becomes an obtrusive grey square in the top left corner of the screen. It even obscures other open applications and won't disappear until I quit Firefox...

Have latest updates for mac and iPhoto. several of "events" now show as grey squares with a plan tree, no thumbnails when scrolling over as before. Photos show when clicking on icon but not visible as a group. What gives?

Have the latest updates on my iMac and iphoto. Recently several "Event" folders have turned to grey with a palm tree in the corner. Before there was a "key" photo to help identify the event. The event title is still at the bottom of the square but no key photo. When i click on the icon, the photos that it contained show up, but when closed again disappear. How do I correct this annoyance?
Also: One event that contains about 12 photos has a problem---some of the photos when clicked will enlarge and show individually on the screen and print out, while others when clicken on show a black background with an exclamation mark and will not print. Thoughts?

Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your iPhoto library database
LN

Photos show but disappear; grey square with broken line edge is there

I have a problem with some pictures that simply disappeared. What is left in IPhoto library and the folder I put them in is a group of broken line gray squares. What is really strange is that all of the information is still there, date, time, etc. for the photos taken. What is even stranger is that when I grab the scroll bar and move up and down, they are there for a second before going away again.
Since I have the info, including the name DSC01906.jpg, for example, I have done a spotlight search but, they are not there. I am thinking they must be somewhere since they are visible for an instant as I scroll through but, can't fine them? Can anyone help.
The story of how it happens is long but, here goes:
I was importing a group of pictures from the camera using a USB card reader, approx. 350 pictures. Got the disk is nearly full message and before I could do anything, the import stopped at about 83 pictures imported. I had the system set to automatically delete so, I guess it deleted the ones imported from the card.
I created a folder and moved the 83 shots into it and everything was fine. they were there, visible, etc. I removed some files from the HD to get more room and imported the rest of the pictures. I put them in the same folder and all was well.
Then I got a message that Iphoto had found some pictures that had not been imported? So, I clicked to import. The first one up was a duplicate so, I told it not to duplicate and to do the same action will all the others. They were the first photos and it did not import any since they were all duplicates.
When it was done, the gray squares was all that was left.
I have done everything I can think of to find them. They are visible for a second but, the files are not there far as I can see.
I am still traveling and will try to unerase them from the card when I get home. Have a copy of Norton and hope that will work. If anyone has a better idea for that, let me know too.
But, I still feel that the pictures must be there somewhere since I can see them before they go away.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

reifer:
Norton will not work. You can recover the photos on the card with MediaRECOVER. In Demo mode it will show you what files it can recover before you commit to purchase.
I don't need to tell you that you should now set iPhoto to NOT delete after importing and do it with the camera. Much safer.
I think your best bet at recovery of the library would be to rebuild it with iPhoto Library Manager. It creates a new library without changing the original one. Here's how:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: It can take some time to create the new library if you have a lot of photos. One user reported that with a library of about 5,000 images it took about 12 hours so plan ahead.
How much free space do you have on your MacBook? It is hightly recommended that you maintain a minimum of 10G or 15%, whichever is greater. If you get down to less than a DVD or CD you won't even be able to burn files to a disk as the system requires that much space for a temporary disk image. You can get to the point where the laptop won't even boot. I strongly recommend you clean up some space ASAP.
Do you Twango?

Mac book pro has grey screen with apple in the middle

my mac book pro has a grey screen, apple in the middle and a spinning wheel. i have tried the command r. nothing is working

Mac OS X- Gray screen appears during startup
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 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.

Downloaded yosemite and my iPhotos pics now appear as a grey square and triangle with an ! in it with in the new photos program

I have a mac book pro and i just downloaded yosemite. after i downloaded yosemite i went to the new photos program as he iPhoto icon was no longer there and i followed the instructions. i then opened my pics and they all seemed to be there but when i enlarge them or double click on them all i see is a grey screen with a grey square with a grey triangle with an exclamation point in it. so in reality the pics aren't really there! maybe they are somewhere else but i do not know.
just so you know: before i downloaded yosemite i did all the upgrades my computer said i needed to do, no iPhoto upgrade was listed. i didn't do any specific backup before downloaded yosemite but i do have a time machine connected to the computer so i do believe that i therefore have a backup. i am not exactly sure what version iPhoto i had but perhaps my iPhoto and the new photos program are not compatible. i say that because when i went into applications and clicked on iPhoto (as it was listed there) it said "in order to open "iPhoto" you need to update to the latest version. the version of iPhoto installed on this mac is not compatible with os x yosemite. download the latest version for free from the mac app store." so i searched the app store and it says that version is not available. the app store does list iPhoto in my purchased products but it only says update and not download. i clicked on update it doesn't appear to do anything but do a spinning circle for a few seconds and then nothing further. i don't know what to do next! what happened and how do i go about fixing this problem?

The exclamation mark means that the app has lost the link to the actual file.
First step: try and make sure the iPhoto Library is working correctly:
Go to the App Store and check out the Purchases List. If iPhoto is there then it will be v9.6.1
If it is there, then drag your existing iPhoto app (not the library, just the app) to the trash
Install the App from the App Store.
Sometimes iPhoto is not visible on the Purchases List. it may be hidden. See this article for details on how to unhide it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4928
One question often asked: Will I lose my Photos if I reinstall?
iPhoto the application and the iPhoto Library are two different parts of the iPhoto programme. So, reinstalling the app should not affect the Library. BUT you should always have a back up before doing this kind of work. Always.

Downloaded yosemite and my iPhotos pics now appear as a grey square and triangle with an ! in it in the new photos program

I have a mac book pro and i just downloaded yosemite. after i downloaded yosemite i went to the new photos program as he iPhoto icon was no longer there and i followed the instructions. i then opened my pics and they all seemed to be there but when i enlarge them or double click on them all i see is a grey screen with a grey square with a grey triangle with an exclamation point in it. so in reality the pics aren't really there! maybe they are somewhere else but i do not know.
just so you know: before i downloaded yosemite i did all the upgrades my computer said i needed to do, no iPhoto upgrade was listed. i didn't do any specific backup before downloaded yosemite but i do have a time machine connected to the computer so i do believe that i therefore have a backup. i am not exactly sure what version iPhoto i had but perhaps my iPhoto and the new photos program are not compatible. i say that because when i went into applications and clicked on iPhoto (as it was listed there) it said "in order to open "iPhoto" you need to update to the latest version. the version of iPhoto installed on this mac is not compatible with os x yosemite. download the latest version for free from the mac app store." so i searched the app store and it says that version is not available. the app store does list iPhoto in my purchased products but it only says update and not download. i clicked on update it doesn't appear to do anything but do a spinning circle for a few seconds and then nothing further. i don't know what to do next! what happened and how do i go about fixing this problem?

The exclamation mark means that the app has lost the link to the actual file.
First step: try and make sure the iPhoto Library is working correctly:
Go to the App Store and check out the Purchases List. If iPhoto is there then it will be v9.6.1
If it is there, then drag your existing iPhoto app (not the library, just the app) to the trash
Install the App from the App Store.
Sometimes iPhoto is not visible on the Purchases List. it may be hidden. See this article for details on how to unhide it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4928
One question often asked: Will I lose my Photos if I reinstall?
iPhoto the application and the iPhoto Library are two different parts of the iPhoto programme. So, reinstalling the app should not affect the Library. BUT you should always have a back up before doing this kind of work. Always.

Grey 'smudge' the middle of the screen??

OS X Yosemite
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory 4GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Startup Disk Macintosh HD
Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB
Not sure exactly when it started but I noticed it about half an hour ago and have come straight online to 'troubleshoot' the problem. The is a grey smudge/shadow in the middle of my screen and I am unable to remove it by cleaning the screen or restarting my computer. I have seen similar issues posted with no resolve so I don't know if people discovered a fix or just gave in and took the computer into the Apple store. With no way to transport the computer safely into the city centre, I would like to avoid doing that if at all possible.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Rebecca

This is a well documented issue:
https://www.google.com/search?num=20&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:e n-US:official&channel=sb&biw=1859&bih=955&q=imac+2011+screen+smudge&oq=imac+2011 +screen+smudge&gs_l=serp.3...16500.17383.0.18707.6.6.0.0.0.0.91.389.6.6.0....0.. .1c.1.58.serp..2.4.246.hDwVn2rPeQE&tbas=0
Unfortunately I also share the same issue with you, only 2 years earlier, and basically all iMac of that model are bound to have that problem eventually.
In short, somehow dust is able to get into and accumulate INSIDE the LED component, specifically between the glass and the first layer of the LED display unit. Note that this is NOT between the LED and the protective glass which you can touch, it's IN the LED itself and you will have to dissemble the display unit to have any chance to fixing it, which is a high-risk surgery unless you are a techie.
Many of us, myself included, just decided to live with it instead of taking the risk, though it's your call at the end of the day.
Here is a youtube video FYI so you can see exactly what you will have to do to fix it yourself, good luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGBpCIQKlg

Grey screen with file folder blinking question mark in middle of folder

My Macbook suddenly turned off leaving me with a grey screen. In the middle of the screen there is a file folder blinking with a question mark in the middle of the folder. It will not turn back on even if I attempt to restart it. What does this mean and can I fix it myself or must it be sent to apple.

This may help: A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac.
If none of the solutions work then you will need to do an Archive and Install:
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.) 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, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger) and/or TechTool Pro (4.5.2 for Tiger) 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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