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Folder w/ flashing question mark...tried everything!
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2004
Status:
Offline
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We have a Macbook that is having a problem that seems to be unfixable, so I thought I'd employ the advice of you folks.
When starting up, it does nothing for about 45 seconds, then a folder with a flashing question mark appears. I've tried inserting the system CD and booting from that, it won't do that either, despite spinning the CD up. I've tried zapping PRAM, etc, etc. I can't get into Disk Utility obviously since I can't get to the CD. Any ideas?
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2004
Status:
Offline
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Update: We got it to start from the CD, and Disk Utility doesn't show the hard drive at all.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: California
Status:
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i had this a long time back.
start in safe mode and look under apple > system preferences > startup disk and check to see if mac osx is checked as your startup disk, and if not, then select it.
when this happened to me, somehow my startup had been changed to network startup, and i kept getting the ? folder on startup.
also, since you were able to start from a cd, i have a feeling that it's not your hd. i could be wrong though
alex
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Status:
Offline
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Happened to my macbook back in november....sadly it was the hard drive that went....
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
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Originally Posted by brassplayersrock 
start in safe mode and look under apple > system preferences > startup disk and check to see if mac osx is checked as your startup disk, and if not, then select it.
That's good advice, but he stated that the drive wasn't present when he booted from disc.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status:
Offline
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pull out the hard drive and stick it back in to re-seat it.
Other'n that - bring it in for service.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2006
Status:
Offline
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If Disk Utility and Disk Warrior don't even see it, then it is dead. Unfortunately, repeated attempts to mount it, repair it, whatever tend to decrease the likelihood of recovering the data if you need to go that route. It is ghastly expensive. But you do have a full, complete back up, right? 
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
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Definitely try Disk Warrior. I have seen drives that are not mountable be completely restored by Disk Warrior.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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