flashing folder question mark

You need to use the Disk Utility on a Mac OS X install DVD to repair the internal drive. If the Disk Utility doesn't report any problems, reinstall the OS. If the Disk Utility doesn't see the drive, check if it's plugged in properly; if it is, the data needs to be restored from backup or by a professional data recovery service.

(67195)

Ok, one of three things possibly occured.

1: The firmware "forgot" what the boot drive is.

2: The hard drive is dead or some other hardware issue (disconnect other hardware and reboot)

3: Somehow software got messed up so now it's not considered bootable

1: Reboot the Mac holding the option key down, you hopefully should get a selection of bootable drives with a arrow underneath each one.

See the OS X boot drive? (pray here) now click it and it will boot, head to System Preferences and set the Startup disk to it once again, that will tell the firmware who's boss. Your done, count your blessing and make a backup of the files off the computer to a storage drive.

Most commonly used backup methods

Run through the relevent list of fixes here as best as you can (1-5)

#5 should see if the drive is dead or not as it won't appear on the left side.

Step by Step to fix your Mac

2: If you don't see anything holding the boot key down.

The drive could be dead, however, it might be the Mac, software or the cable, the drive itself, if removed from the Mac and a SATA to USB adapter used ($12-$30 online) it might work just fine on another Mac, or a Windows PC with MacDrive installed to get at the files. (filevaulted no way) you won't know this unless the drive is physically removed from the Mac.

If the drive is truely dead, then there are very expensive platter recovery services for a few grand will take it apart and image the drive. Drive Savers is one for instance.

3: If you don't see a bootable option holding the option key down,

that could mean it's just not bootable, the drive may still work and the data can be recovered. Sometimes something goes wrong with the retention of key info on the drive, so it appears not bootable.

For this you need to create this bootable external drive, then you can hopefully access the internal drive and recover files

Create a data recovery, undelete boot drive

Once you have gotten the files off then you need to perform this proceedure from the 10.6 disk on the entire internal drive.

How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

Bonfire859 wrote:

We cant install the disk because there is a disk already in. Any suggestions on how to eject it?

Reboot holding the option key down, when the drives appear (if any) then press the eject key on the keyboard.

You can then stick the 10.6 disk in, select it when it appears and click the arrow to boot it.

If you didn't create a separate partition for Time Machine on the internal drive, no, and if you did but the drive died, it's useless.

(67196)

Bonfire859 wrote:

We have removed the DVD and inserted My 10.6.6 OS disk. Her Mac is a little older, were not sure what version OS she has most recently updated/installed.

Ok, thing is about the 10.6 disks is this.

You can't use a 10.6 gray or black disk that came from one Mac with another model of Mac, it's because there are specific hardware drivers on those disks for the specific Mac.

If the 10.6 disk your using is the 10.6.3 white retail disk, that will work with older Intel Mac's that came with 10.6.2 or earlier, however if you ever have to erase and install OS X, it doesn't contain the free iLife that's on the 10.6 gray or black machine specific disks.

You mentioned your using the 10.6.6 disk from your Mac on hers and it's a little older, so it won't work, you need to eject it and use the correct disk for her Mac.

You don't know the opearating system version on her computer, you can't boot from it to find out, at least not yet.

Did you try the option key method and see if there is a OS X boot drive to boot with?

Do you know what model of Mac it is? If the OS was ever upgraded or not? Or only just Software Updated?

I have a database program here that if I know what the Mac is, the screen size and it's year I can find out what OS X version came with the machine.

Do you have any OS X disks for her Mac?

If not, you might have to order the 10.6.3 Snow Leopard retail disks form Apple online for $29, that will work for all Intel Mac's that came with 10.6.2 or earlier.

Mac's that came with 10.6.3 or later from the factory need to call Apple for the machine specific disks.

There is a record at Apple of purchases, it's possible to find out the machine model this way.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A

https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do

https://support.apple.com/kb/HT4132

Do you have a Firewire cable?

You can attach the two computers and hold T and boot hers, the hard drive appears on the desktop of your computer to retrieve files.

Sometimes Mac's have Firewire 800 and 400 ports, there is a adapter to bridge 800 to 400 ports.

https://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661

Ok, I have to go and tommorow morning I'll check in on this, but I'll be gone all day.

So the database program is called MacTracker, you can download that with your Mac and try to figure out what OSX version is installed on her machine and it's model.

Sometimes a Mac came with 10.4 or 10.5 and later it was upgraded to 10.5 or 10.6, so the disks she brings may only be the original disks, she also needs the upgrade disks (contains the full OS too) as that's the real OS X version on the machine.

A 10.5 or 10.4 disk will no longer boot the machine if 10.6 was installed and updated to 10.6.8.

If this is too much for you, it's possible to call in a local PC/Mac geek or take it to them for fixing up also, there isn't a need to do this all yourself. 🙂

I've provided tons of information, if you manage to wrap your head around it all you can fix things up yourself almost.

If you need to extract the drive out of the computer, here's some videos for that.

http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

Have fun. 🙂

Bonfire859 wrote:

It appears her Mac has come on (making strange noises along with normal spin up noises)

That's a bad sign of a dying hard drive, it might be too late.

If I close DU then it wants to "Restore System" using timeline.

You can't use the 10.6.6 disk with another model of Mac as it's machine specific.

You will need to wait until she brings her machine specific disks or you have the 10.6.3 white retail disks (and her machine originally came with 10.4-10.6.2) then you can use those.

I have this same issue, except I have the new MBP with Retina Display and this does not come with a disk. Any ideas as to what I should do?

I have this same issue, except I have the new MBP with Retina Display and this does not come with a disk. Any ideas as to what I should do?