Q: my macbook air has a flashing file with a question mark

I bought a MacBook air from a friend of a friend for 100$ (good buy right?) and they said all I needed was a new hard drive, they wouldn't tell me exactly what was wrong even though I would ask certain questions as to what they did to get it in that state, but no luck even when using the disk utility, wont let me erase or restore anything.. I did some research and am planning on just purchasing a new hard drive all together, my question is , would my problem get fixed and work fine. as I don't want to spend money on a part I don't need . anything would help. im not a mac person so anything will help

MacBook Air, new mac user

Posted on Jul 12, 2016 11:22 AM

I have this question too

Q: my macbook air has a flashing file with a question mark

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by macjack,

macjack Jul 12, 2016 11:27 AM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 9 (55,682 points)

Mac OS X

Jul 12, 2016 11:27 AM in response to Johnnyskye

The flashing ? means your Mac cannot find a startup volume.
If a flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
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by macjack,

macjack Jul 12, 2016 11:29 AM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 9 (55,682 points)

Mac OS X

Jul 12, 2016 11:29 AM in response to Johnnyskye

Johnnyskye wrote:

my question is , would my problem get fixed and work fine.

Yes, if the only problem was the hard drive.
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by Johnnyskye,

Johnnyskye Jul 12, 2016 11:32 AM in response to macjack
Level 1 (5 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 11:32 AM in response to macjack

its a file with a question mark. and what is a start up volume?
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by macjack,Helpful

macjack Jul 12, 2016 11:48 AM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 9 (55,682 points)

Mac OS X

Jul 12, 2016 11:48 AM in response to Johnnyskye

A StartUp volume is your boot disk.
A file with a ? is the file system. Try starting up holding the Option key, and choose your startup volume/disk.
Symptom is the same:
If a flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
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by Johnnyskye,

Johnnyskye Jul 12, 2016 11:50 AM in response to macjack
Level 1 (5 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 11:50 AM in response to macjack

I tried it the first day I got it, I went to the utility disk and it wouldn't let me erase or restore anything , as well as using the back/time machine option.
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by lllaass,

lllaass Jul 12, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 10 (188,027 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Johnnyskye

What exactly happened when you tried to erase and restore?

Johnnyskye wrote:

I tried it the first day I got it, I went to the utility disk and it wouldn't let me erase or restore anything , as well as using the back/time machine option.

What specific MacBook Air?
How to identify your MacBook Air - Apple Support
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by Johnnyskye,

Johnnyskye Jul 12, 2016 1:12 PM in response to lllaass
Level 1 (5 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 1:12 PM in response to lllaass

something about not being able to locate disk something like that, id have to recheck what exactly it said, I haven't touched it since that day
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by lllaass,

lllaass Jul 12, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 10 (188,027 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Johnnyskye

What specific MacBook Air?
How to identify your MacBook Air - Apple Support
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by Johnnyskye,

Johnnyskye Jul 12, 2016 1:45 PM in response to lllaass
Level 1 (5 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 1:45 PM in response to lllaass

model a1466 the 13 inch MacBook air
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by lllaass,

lllaass Jul 12, 2016 1:57 PM in response to Johnnyskye
Level 10 (188,027 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 1:57 PM in response to Johnnyskye

There are 9 MacBook Airs with the identifier
http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=a1466
In any event, that model Mac has Internet Recovery.
Try booting to Recovery
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314
and see what Disk Utility says about the internal drive.
If present try repairing/first aid.

If repairable, the reinstall OS via Recovery.
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by Johnnyskye,

Johnnyskye Jul 12, 2016 2:19 PM in response to lllaass
Level 1 (5 points)

Desktops

Jul 12, 2016 2:19 PM in response to lllaass

ok Id have to look at it when im off work, and get back to you .
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Q: my macbook air has a flashing file with a question mark

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by macjack,

by macjack,

by Johnnyskye,

by macjack,★Helpful

by Johnnyskye,

by lllaass,

by Johnnyskye,

by lllaass,

by Johnnyskye,

by lllaass,

by Johnnyskye,

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by macjack,Helpful