TS1440 A flashing question mark appeared when I started my MacBook Pro, I've tried all the suggestions and nothing has worked. How can I back up my current files so I can reinstall Mavericks?
I recently did a manual reboot after my MacBook Pro had frozen, and instead of the usual Apple and loading icon, it gave me the flashing question mark on a folder, which I've never encountered before. I looked up some possible reasons on my PC, and after reading that there's a problem with my HD I tried looking up how to back up my files so that I can do a clean reinstall of Yosemite (latest ver.). However, I've never used anything like Time Machine or anything else that could back up all my files, so it didn't sound like I could do anything about that at this point. I've also tried going into Disk Utility and attempting to repair the disk image. There was only 2 available, disk0 and the base system. I verified the base system, and told me there was nothing wrong (it didn't give me the option to repair anything either, on both available options). I don't think this is the right thing though, since my drive was called MacBook Pro HD. So basically this is the point I'm at now. Is there anything I can do that will repair my HD without erasing all my files?
I've tried all the suggestions and nothing has worked.
I verified the base system, and told me there was nothing wrong
Hold the option key on boot to see if you can select your Macintosh HD.
A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
You can boot into Recovery and re-install the OS X on top of what you have. It will preserve your user data.
command R on boot.
Recovery http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
Similar Messages
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Hello,
A flashing question mark appears when I re/start my MacBook Air 2013. Then, I pressed POWER & OPTOIN buttons and internet options appeared for internet recovery. After internet recovery, the OS X utilities appears with four options (Restore from Time machine, Reinstall OS X, Get help online and Disk utility). But none of them seemed helpful. On the last option Disk utility, the icon created only with 33KB and other disk 1 Mac Os X Base system. On First Aid, the icon Repair disk is disabled. So I could not click on repair disk. Could you please suggest me how to solve this problem asap? Thank you so much for your help in advance!You can try the following:
Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard 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.
Erase the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the
left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on
the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on
the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
because it is three times faster than wireless. -
When I try to start up my macbook, it makes the startup noise, but won't go any farther than the white/grey screen. I've tried the commands and nothing has worked. Please help
Hey marleyrose,
Thanks for the question. I understand that you are experiencing issues with your MacBook. The following resource may provide a solution:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570
Thanks,
Matt M. -
I did the update today and now itunes can't see my ipod, uninstalled iTunes and all the recommended things, nothing has worked.
It worked just fine last weekend. I have windows 8.1 and a brand new pc, new iPod also, the new Nano. now after the update today, iTunes says iPod has been detected but could not be indentified properly. I can see it in windows. I tried the reset on the iPod also. what else can I do?? HELPuninstalled iTunes and all the recommended things
Doublechecking. Have you tried a complete uninstall of both iTunes and all the other related software components and then a reinstall? If not, try the instructions from the following document:
Removing and reinstalling iTunes and other software components for Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 -
I cannot eject a CD from my MacBook Pro. I tried restarting the computer and holding down the mouse and restarting it to no avail. On Finder, nothing is showing up on the CD Drive. Any ideas on how I can eject it?
How force eject disc: Apple Support Communities
Mac Mini: Eject DVD Apple Support Communities
https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/49129/forceject-too
Get help with the slot-loading SuperDrive on your Mac computer - Apple Support -
I forgot my iPod's password and then restore it. but I lost all the pictures and apps in it. how can I get them back?
I need help please.
thank youThe backup does not include synced media like apps and music. You can redownload them by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store
If you used PhotoStream get them from your stream. See:
iOS: Importing personal photos and videos from iOS devices to your computer -
new airport: can't get my macbook or my imac to join my wireless automatically, my other stuff still joins without problems but i have to join manually with the book and the imac ?? I've tried all the settings and every thing else I can think of.....
Running on Lion, never had a problem before until the old airport died and I replaced it.try connecting the device in _*recovery mode*_, then restore from your backup.
also, make sure [_*Apple Mobile Device Service*_|http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1567] is installed and started.
JGG -
My Apple ID has been disabled. I have tried every suggested recovery method including the ones recommended by Apple. Nothing has worked. Can anyone offer a suggestion.
Thanks,Contact iTunes store support. They deal with disabled IDs all the time. You can reach them here: http://www.apple.com/emea/support/itunes/contact.html.
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My PC repeatedly asks for authorization when opening I-tunes library (wont let me play tunes), have tried ALL the suggestions to remedy authorization but to no avail. Anyone got any other suggestions I could try please? I would have thought I-tunes itself should come up with a precise answer to this sort of problem after all this time??
From the menu bar, select
▹ System Preferences... ▹ Network
Click the Assist me button and select Assistant. Follow the prompts. You may get a warning that Wi-Fi is not available, that you're too far from the base station, or that you're using the wrong password.
Assuming that you've ruled out those possibilities, click the lock icon in the lower left corner of the preference pane and authenticate, if necessary. From the Location menu at the top of the window, select Edit Locations. A sheet will drop down. Click the plus-sign button to create a new location. Give it any name you want. In the new location, set up the Wi-Fi service with the same settings you used before. Click Apply and test. -
So basically, I recently got a MacBook Pro, and the first thing I did when I got it, was set up my user account. However, I soon noticed that the only options for a user account icon were icons that my MacBook came with (flowers, footballs, piano etc.) or if I took a picture with my webcam. I know that I'm supposed to have an option of selecting a picture from my iPhoto library etc. but my mac isn't letting me do that. It's not giving me the option of 'edit picture' which I know directs you to your photo library.
<---- see, the 'edit' button doesn't highlight unless I click on a picture.
I'd appreciate it if someone could help.... thanks a lot!
-DurkitYou don't have to do it that way. All you need do is click on the image then click on this icon:
This is the Edit symbol, apparently. -
I have recently switched to Firefox from Google Chrome, and I am finding that I am unable to open any pdf files from the web in any way in Firefox. I cannot download them and open them in Adobe Reader, and I cannot preview them in Firefox, nor can I use the Adobe plugin. I have tried to use the solutions posed by users on this site, but none of them have worked. Any time I make a change to settings to try to solve this issue, the change never allows me to view the pdf file, and the setting reverts to the previous setting after the browser has been restarted. I don't care how I view the file, but I need to either be able to view it as a preview or I need to be able to download it.
I don't know if this is any help I have had a problem where the pdf files were not opening correctly which I think was the problem here. I spent hours of head scratching and have now found out what the problem is. Right click on the Adobe Reader Icon on the desktop. Select properties and then the compatibility tab. You will see the uppermost section in this screen is Compatibility mode. I have Windows 7 and mine was set to Windows XP. I changed that to Windows 7 and now the problem is resolved. In short use the above instructions to check you are using the right compatibility mode for the version of Windows you are using and your troubles should be over!!
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ever since i uploaded the new firefox i cant get my texts and pictures back to the size i had them before. ive tried everything i could think of to get this problem fixed. now my texts are running into each other because the texts windows are so small and the texts are so large. i love firefox but ever since i uploaded this new one i cant use it.
Reset the page zoom on pages that cause problems: <b>View > Zoom > Reset</b> (Ctrl+0 (zero); Cmd+0 on Mac)
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Zoom_text_of_web_pages
You can use one of these extensions to adjust the default font size and page zoom on web pages:
* Default FullZoom Level - https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/6965
* NoSquint - https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/2592 -
i need help with my ipad mini it wont turn on i have helled the home button down and the sleep button together and nothing is happening
What happens if you plug it in to charge?
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HT1349 I placed a CD into the player and nothing happened! How can this be removed?
I purchased my i-mac this week and came to try a CD ( Mac for Beginners). To my astonishment nothing happened and the CD
is still located with the mac!
I would welcome any guidance advice or support to remove this.
ThanksStart Firefox in [[Safe Mode]] to check if one of the add-ons is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Tools > Add-ons > Themes).
* Don't make any changes on the Safe mode start window.
See:
* [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]]
Do a malware check with some malware scanning programs.<br />
You need to scan with all programs because each program detects different malware.<br />
Make sure that you update each program to get the latest version of their databases before doing a scan.<br />
* http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php - Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
* http://www.superantispyware.com/ - SuperAntispyware
* http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx - Windows Defender: Home Page
* http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - Spybot Search & Destroy
* http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php - Ad-Aware Free
See also:
* "Spyware on Windows": http://kb.mozillazine.org/Popups_not_blocked
* [[Searches are redirected to another site]] -
I have the flashing question mark, but when I press option/alt, I'm only prompted to start the internet recovery. Afterwards the Mac OS X Utilities pops up, but there's no start up disc when I try to reinstall Mac OS x or anything.
Hello, sullivja.
Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.
Here is an article I would recommend going through when experiencing this issue.
A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1440
Cheers,
Jason H.
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