question mark folder when i startup?

I can get the messed up computer into target mode, but my good laptop won't show that it's connected. I do have the firewire connected and it does work. I can get my good computer into target mode on the other one if i hold down controll on the host(broken) laptop. Is there any hope for salvaging the information on the broken laptop?

The only way to avoid such headaches is to have a good backup.

If you do not regularly backup your data, you may see the result.

One solution is to take out the disk, put it in an external case, and try to recover what may be recovered, this depends on the disk. Disk Drill is a free app for recovering files, there are specialized shops for this, but for beautiful sums. A happy end would be to just have some bad contacts of the disk, in this case recovery will be of course easy if you place the disk in an enclosure.

If this sounds too difficult to you, try to find someone who may help.

I have all these probs, and tried all suggested solutions but failed. Except one, the installation disc fix. I can not find mine. Have appt later this AM in nearby Genius Bar. Is the disc absolutely critical for them to fix?

hi. i stupidly went into my hard drive, after backing everything up, and put all my files in the trash to try and empty my computer. i then turned my computer off (also stupidly) and when trying to turn it back on it goes to the white screen and switches between a picture of the apple then a folder with a question mark and then a circle with a line through it. i think this is because i put the necessary startup files into the trash. is there any way to reinstall those files?

Tried solution 2, its the only one that had any luck, and still flashed with the folder...

my hard drive doesnt even show up in the disk ultility and none of those options helped. Still getting the white screen with question mark folder

If the disk does not show up in Disk Utility, that disk does not exist or, in a good situation, its contacts are broken. First check disk connection and, if OK, its integrity.

i took the hard drive out and plugged it into my newer macbook pro. I used the disk utility and repaired and verified it and it said it was all ok. so i plugged it back into the mid 2010 mac and used the disk ultility and the hard drive showed up this time. so i restarted the computer without the cd and i am still getting that folder with a question mark.

This means you had a simple contact problem, solved by taking it out and putting it back. That bad contact may revert, but it is simple now to realize the cause.

I am having this ? Folder problem as well. I tried all of these things and none of them helped except the repair disk option. It recognized my hard drive but when I hit repair disk after about three seconds it says:

invalid node structure. The volume macintosh HD could not be verified completely and then it says error: Disk utility can't repair the disk.

I've tried like 30 times now and it says the same thing every time.will somebody pleeease help!?

In the overwhelming majority of cases when ? shows up at boot = disk must be replaced.

In rare cases, it may mean a bad contact, which means the disk is good, but the contacts must be cleaned. Also in rare cases, the system is corrupt.

Therefore, you have three basic causes, briefly described above. The easiest way is to install system unto an external disk or even flash drive, if 16 GB or more, 8 Gb or less do not suffice. If an external disk is OK, then you may proceed with checking whether a bad contact is the cause or the whole disk. Take it step by step, there cannot be a clear and safe solution without taking it gradually.

In my case what happened was the cable from the hard drive to the logic board is bad. At least that is the next step. The first step is replace the hard drive because in most cases that is the first step. If it still does not recongize the hard drive then it could be the wire to the logic board which is the step i am on now. The last step is getting a new logic board put in. These steps came directly from the apple store when i went in to ask what i needed.

i need help with my macbook 2007 i erased the hard drive and then tried to install osx snow leopard and it wont install plase help i get a folder with a question mark and i dont have the original disk i have the disk to my mac book pro please help

If you are trying to use a gray install disk from your MacBook Pro it won't work. Those disks are made specifically with only the drivers for the Mac that they shipped with.

You need a retail Snow Leopard install disk like this.

flashing ? in a folder on my kid's MacBook.

tried resetting PRAM, same result.

tried booting in safe mode, same result.

tried booting holding apple button, same result

tried booting in target disk mode, appears to work. shows up in system profiler, but nowhere on desktop (external devices are checked). tried a different cable. tried a different desktop computer. tried hotplugging. all same result.

tried booting up using various versions of OSX disks. all self ejected

interestingly, a disk in the MacBook drive does show up on the desktop, just not the hard drive.

any idea on where to go from here? thanks in advance.

Steve