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iMac flashing question mark
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bordiga
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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Dec 11, 2003, 07:22 AM
 
hello

i have an old iMac that gets the flashing question mark on startup, i've tried booting from Techtool Pro, but i get a promt saying that the drive is unreadable and asks me if i want to initialise the disc.

is it too late to save the disc and it's data? i take it that by initalising the disc i will wipe it of any data that is on there?

thanks for your time.

btw OS is 9.2
     
Nivag
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Body in London, mind elsewhere
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Dec 11, 2003, 08:25 AM
 
By the sounds of it, the hard drive is a lost cause and anything that was on there is lost.

What happens if you try the System cd? also you might want to try Disk Warrior or Drive X if you can get a copy.

If all else fails i would replace the HD for a new one. Because if a drive fails once theres a good chance it'll go again.
     
Athens
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Great White North
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Dec 18, 2003, 03:22 PM
 
Originally posted by Nivag:
By the sounds of it, the hard drive is a lost cause and anything that was on there is lost.

What happens if you try the System cd? also you might want to try Disk Warrior or Drive X if you can get a copy.

If all else fails i would replace the HD for a new one. Because if a drive fails once theres a good chance it'll go again.

I would try norton to, some time it can rebuild the CatalogB tree and other directory files, but Disk Warrior is the best for that. And dont bother getting another hard drive, its most likly software corruption only, reformat and you should be fine. If you hear a click click clank sound from your hard drive then you need to worry.
Blandine Bureau 1940 - 2011
Missed 2012 by 3 days, RIP Grandma :-(
     
dwelluppon
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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Jan 15, 2004, 03:10 PM
 
When a question mark comes up it usually means it can't find the system folder. If you start up with the OS cd, check to make sure the Macintosh HD is correctly titled. It IS case sensitive. If it is titled corectly, open it up and see if the System Folder is titled correctly. It must have a capital "S" in "System", and a capital "F" in "Folder" in the title.
     
   
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