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Reformatted Hard Drive "flashing "?"and Smiley face Folder after OS reinstall"

Hello All,

I have acquired an ibook from my friends Mom but it had a bad Virus in it so thinking I knew what I was doing I reformatted the drive and installed the OSX disk that came with the laptop "there are two install disks 1 and 2 but only the first disk was installed it didn't ask for the second disk. When it rebooted I got a flashing folder with a "?" and a Smiley face. First off this is my first Mac I have owned so I'm lacking the acquired knowledge to pursue fixing this ibook.

So what should I do? I have searched on the Internet for some answers but with no out come. So I found the apple support communities and I'm praying that I can find good advice here to resolve this issue I am having. I also other disks that came with the laptop, 3 software restore disks and an Apple hardware test disk along with the 2 OSX install disks.

Any help given would be very appreciated if someone can guide me into the right direction with getting my ibook back to working condition. I can provide additional information if need.

Thank you for your time to read this.

Kind regards

Mike

iBook, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on May 1, 2011 8:45 AM

53 replies

May 2, 2011 10:55 PM in response to MikesFirstMac

I've posted your problem in the Mac OS X v 10.3 and earlier discussions, and linked to this post (so you don't have to post the whole thing again over there) since I'm out of ideas.

I do wish you'd tell us which version of the OS those full install discs you tried to use, though, to be sure they are compatible with your iBook.

Good luck.

May 3, 2011 2:31 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

I had suspected the discs were for the Late 2002 iBook, and the iBook was an Early 2003 version (don't worry about it - it's fine). This would have meant that the discs were meant for the model prior to the one you were trying to use. When I saw the installed hard disc was 30GB (27.xx GB) this meant you had the right iBook for the discs. Only mention this to stop someone else suggesting it.

Checked all the images in the photo gallery. It wasn't the error I was expecting from a suspect or damaged install disc - I've had a few. I suspect that you have customised the install to remove all the clutter and optional installs you don't need, ie. Asian Language Fonts, obsolete versions of the software like Internet Explorer, all the Printer Drivers (get the up-to-date drivers for just the printers you use over the web). This would also cut down on the chances of the error IF it was to do with some small damage to the disc.

BUT having seen the screen with the error, it's not what I've seen when there is an issue with the install discs. I'd think that this is perhaps a hardware issue. Perhaps RAM, Or are there any devices attached, USB or otherwise ?

May 3, 2011 3:44 AM in response to Simon Teale

The possibility of attached devices is a good suggestion, but I've already asked him to remove the extra RAM, and that did no good, so unless it's the logic board RAM, it's not a RAM problem.

I first suspected the wrong CD set, but I had determined earlier that they were the correct CDs for the iBook.

This has me scratching my head.

May 3, 2011 3:51 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

roam has suggested (in that other thread) that you try resetting the PRAM.

If that doesn't help, you can follow the link on that page to reset the PMU.

May 3, 2011 6:54 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

I did do this

resetting the PRAM

the disks I'm using are original disks 10.2.1 version going threw the whole process again right now with see what happens. And I don't have anything else hooked up to the laptop not even a mouse 🙂 Just the Power supply cord

May 3, 2011 7:28 AM in response to MikesFirstMac

If that doesn't help, the next step would be to reset the PMU.

May 3, 2011 8:22 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

ok I did that also, what is expose to happen after I do this? I still have the extra ram out of the laptop that you noted I should remove.

iBook (800 MHz 32 VRAM)<<<<That's what I have

If the computer is on, turn it off.
Reset the power manager by simultaneously pressing and then releasing Shift-Control-Option-Power on the keyboard. Do not press the fn (Function) key while using this combination of keystrokes.
Wait 5 seconds.
Press the Power button to restart the iBook computer.

This is the second way to do it I have a Dual USB and a firwire but I dont have the little reset button shown in the picture....

iBook (Dual USB), iBook (Late 2001) and iBook (14.1 LCD)

If the computer is on, turn it off.
Disconnect the AC power adapter.
Remove the battery.
Press and release the reset button (shown here) located above the Audio/Video port on the left side of the iBook (Dual USB) computer by inserting the end of a paper clip into the small hole and gently pressing the switch once.
Wait 5 seconds.
Reconnect the AC power adapter.
Put the battery back in the computer.
Press the Power button to restart the iBook computer.

"And also I did another harware test and everything says it passed only Airport no device found."

May 3, 2011 2:00 PM in response to MikesFirstMac

Does it actually have an original AirPort Card installed? (Not an AirPort Extreme Card?)

If it has an AirPort Card installed, try removing it. Since it doesn't show up during the hardware test, if there is one, it may be causing problems.

You can go ahead and reinstall the extra RAM, since that obviously was not the problem.

Again, which version of the OS was on the full Install disc you attempted to use to install?

May 3, 2011 7:38 PM in response to Ronda Wilson

I'm using are original disks 10.2.1 and it don't have no airport card if that a card for the wireless that sits ontop of the ram.

May 3, 2011 8:47 PM in response to MikesFirstMac

MikesFirstMac wrote:

And the other disks I tried are full version and did the same thing the disks did that came with the laptop

Which version of the OS are these "full version" discs that you tried?

May 4, 2011 6:36 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

They are the same version OS X 10.2.1 But they are burned DVD disks and they did the same thing the original disks did. That's why I'm think it's not the Disk's :/

May 4, 2011 7:37 AM in response to MikesFirstMac

You said they were the full install discs. This implied a full retail version. All bets are off with something copied from some other discs.

If you can try a full retail install set of Mac OS X 10.2.1 or later, it may work. There's no way to say whether it is a problem with the Install disc until you try it with a legitimate set. If you know someone with a full retail Install set of 10.2.1 or later (10.3 or 10.4 should work, too, but it can't be a set that came with another Mac), you could check it out to see if an install from a full retail set of the OS will work. (I can understand not wanting to invest in an install set of CDs until you know it will work.)

As Taylor recommended, one option would be to call Apple and ask them for a replacement set of your original CDs. If they have them available, they will send them to you for a fee.

I really don't see what else the problem could be.

May 4, 2011 8:36 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

Ok I will bring it somwhere to see what they can do with it . If not it goes in the trash lol

I have full retail install set of Mac OS X 10.2.1 disks along with othe retail disks aswell. And I have been trying trying to use them and they are not scratched or damaged in anyway. Like stated from the start of my post it did do a complete install but when I rebooted nothing was there but a flashing "?" and smiley face folder. Then when I tried to do it again that's when I would get the error when it tried to install the OS again.

Thank you again for all the help with everything but I'm at the end of my rope with this.. Will try one more time when I get back from class talk to you later.

Mike

May 4, 2011 9:59 AM in response to MikesFirstMac

I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing as far as "full retail install discs" are concerned.

If they are gray discs, they are not the retail version. Gray discs are full install discs, but they are not the retail version. They are system-specific and only reliably work with the Mac with which they were bundled. In addition, there is a retail version of Mac OS X 10.2 (the first one — 10.2.0) which won't work with your iBook because it has to have Mac OS X 10.2.1 or newer.

The retail version of Mac OS X 10.2 is a set of two white discs with a big X on them.

If you have this set (10.2.3, or anything that looks like this which is 10.2.1 or better), then they should work. If they don't work, then you have a bigger problem than defective discs.

May 4, 2011 11:41 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

Ok Problem solved I ONLY have the grey disks 😟And non of my disks look like the disk you have posted. I can just imagine how much they will BEAT me up for new disks 😟 Thank you so much for all the help you have provided me with I have learned alot from you:):):)

Reformatted Hard Drive "flashing "?"and Smiley face Folder after OS reinstall"