MacBook Freezing

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MacBook Freezing

Hey all,

So my MacBook has been freezing up on me recently and I can't figure out why. I called Apple and they gave me instructions on how to delete some cache files and to reset my startup items. I did that and it continued to freeze (bouncy ball shows up and I can't access or close anything). Someone told me I had too much on my memory so I deleted over 70 G of crap I didn't need and it STILL freezes up after only a few minutes of being turned on.

Currently I can not even get it to turn on, when I press power a file sign with a question mark on it flashes at me.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Oct 21, 2010 8:36 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 21, 2010 9:20 AM in response to SchaubleK

SchaubleK wrote:
Currently I can not even get it to turn on, when I press power a file sign with a question mark on it flashes at me.

Welcome to Apple's discussion groups.

Try doing a "single-user boot": http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8475.html

If that doesn't work, try booting with an option key held down. If you're not shown your boot volume, then there's something seriously wrong with it.

If that doesn't work either, boot from the system install disc that came with your Mac by holding down the "C" key while the disc in in the Mac. At that point go a step or two into the installation process until you see a Utility menu. Run Disk Utility from that menu. If Disk Utility doesn't see your boot drive, then it may have failed. If you can see it, then try a "Disk Repair" operation on it.

By the way, if the disk in your Mac was in the process of failing, that could explain why it was freezing.

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Answer 2

Oct 25, 2010 5:44 PM in response to SchaubleK

HI and welcome...

when I press power a file sign with a question mark

Not a good sign. That can mean several things. One, your Mac can't find a System Folder to boot from, or two, it means the startup disk is failing or failed.

Try booting up while holding down the Option key. Normally that will prompt the Startup Manager window so you can select your startup disk to boot from.

More help here.

A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac

Carolyn 🙂

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