Q: eMac won't boot to hard drive - Flashing Folder at Startup

I did have this eMac working with this Hard Drive months ago. Now I just get the Folder with the Flashing icon at Startup. So I installed OSX Tiger on a Firewire External Drive & it Works perfectly running from the FW HD. The Internal Hard Drive then shows up on Desktop. I run Disc Permissions & Verifications on the Internal Drive & everything comes up Perfect. It just won't Boot to the Internal Hard Drive. I even used Super Duper to make a Clone of the Firewire Hard Drive that is running, but Still I get the Flashing Folder with The Finder Face, when I unplug the Firewire Drive & attempt to boot from Internal HD. Any clue? Thank you in advance.

iMac 27" 3.06 GHz. ATI 4670 4GB 1TB, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Dec 8, 2012 5:49 PM

I have this question too

Q: eMac won't boot to hard drive - Flashing Folder at Startup

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by roam,

roam Dec 8, 2012 6:23 PM in response to Dino1956
Level 6 (13,576 points)

Dec 8, 2012 6:23 PM in response to Dino1956

I run Disc Permissions & Verifications on the Internal Drive

Run Repair Disk on the eMacs internal disk.
If it passes then open the System preferences > Startup Disk and select the eMac's disk.
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by Dino1956,

Dino1956 Dec 8, 2012 6:34 PM in response to roam
Level 1 (41 points)

Dec 8, 2012 6:34 PM in response to roam

I did that already. All Perfect! And it always Starts Up To The FW Drive, unless I unplug it, then I get the Blinking Folder icon.
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by roam,

roam Dec 8, 2012 6:43 PM in response to Dino1956
Level 6 (13,576 points)

Dec 8, 2012 6:43 PM in response to Dino1956

Ok, then reset the PRAM. as this can affect the startup volume selection.
About NVRAM and PRAM
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by Dino1956,

Dino1956 Dec 8, 2012 6:45 PM in response to roam
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Dec 8, 2012 6:45 PM in response to roam

I have tried that already as well, but not since I cloned the Internal HD. I'll try that again!
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by Dino1956,

Dino1956 Dec 8, 2012 6:56 PM in response to roam
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Dec 8, 2012 6:56 PM in response to roam

Yea, I just tried it again. Did not help. But thanks anyway.
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by roam,Helpful

roam Dec 8, 2012 8:30 PM in response to Dino1956
Level 6 (13,576 points)

Dec 8, 2012 8:30 PM in response to Dino1956

There is nothing left to try. It seems that particular part of the hard drive that allows it to be bootable, is gone. The HD may be over eight years old This would be a HD firmware issue. Disk Utility just performs operations on the directory structure of a disk. Unfortunately replacing an eMac's HD is a fairly extensive take apart but 'doable'.
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by Dino1956,

Dino1956 Dec 8, 2012 9:11 PM in response to roam
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Dec 8, 2012 9:11 PM in response to roam

Yes, roam, I think you are correct. Hence, the complications of replacing the eMac Hard Drive, is why I have it booting to a Firewire External Hard Drive. The eMac is just one of many old Macs I have, so I don't think I will make the effort to replace the eMacs's Internal Hard Drive. I've seen the process on Youtube & it seems like one of the hardest Hard Drives to replace in any Mac.Who knows? Maybe one day I'll take the time & do it. :-) Thanks again for the help!
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by roam,

roam Dec 8, 2012 10:47 PM in response to Dino1956
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Dec 8, 2012 10:47 PM in response to Dino1956

No problem Dino. Sorry we didn't get there.
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by Dino1956,

Dino1956 Dec 8, 2012 10:58 PM in response to roam
Level 1 (41 points)

Dec 8, 2012 10:58 PM in response to roam

That's OK. Something is messed up with that Hard Drive somewhere. Thanks again.
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Q: eMac won't boot to hard drive - Flashing Folder at Startup

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by roam,

by Dino1956,

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by Dino1956,

by Dino1956,

by roam,★Helpful

by Dino1956,

by roam,

by Dino1956,

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by roam,Helpful