Flashing question mark folder at startup

Cannot startup iMac 20 10.6.3 -all I get is a flashing question mark folder. Tried doing all the safe boots, switching the ram, starting from disc... Nothing seems to work.
And cannot reinstall operating system; all discs cannot be be seen.
Also cannot reset the ram... No chimes, either.
F@&k!!!
This is also a replacement mac and I'm on my 5th freeking iPhone, I've been a mac user my whole life... yes I grew up with the apple(still works). Now it seems these apples are rotten...seriously getting pisssed off!!!!!!

imac 2.4ghz 4gb ram, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on May 9, 2010 3:55 AM

22 replies

temnoff Author

Level 1

1 points

May 11, 2010 5:24 AM in response to Richdave

4HDD/11/40000000:sata(0,0)
it took the hardware test all day to find the error, and I had to enable looping; didn't find any errors the first two runs

Richdave

Level 1

8 points

May 11, 2010 4:02 PM in response to temnoff

HDD, SATA cable, logic board are the likely causes it seems

temnoff Author

Level 1

1 points

May 11, 2010 5:56 PM in response to Richdave

that's f@%king awesome...imacs that can't even last a year = =
i'm really wondering why i keep supporting this fruity brand...they should change their name to "lemon"
F@^K!!

temnoff Author

Level 1

1 points

May 11, 2010 8:43 PM in response to Richdave

it's 15 months old and it is already a replacement machine...tried repairing via utilities, says there is no problem.

Richdave

Level 1

8 points

May 15, 2010 6:36 PM in response to temnoff

andrewtemnoff wrote:
it's the motherboard and HD...

How did you determine this?

temnoff Author

Level 1

1 points

May 16, 2010 2:32 AM in response to temnoff

i really can't believe i'm being forced to switch sides...
but why buy a ferrari if the engine is broken...??

temnoff Author

Level 1

1 points

Jun 1, 2010 7:30 AM in response to Christobalito

apple is total crap now...my brother's 27" imac just died after 8 months(still under warranty though)

anyways...is the machine still under warranty?

<Edited by Host>

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Flashing question mark folder at startup