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MY Mac Book Pro mid 2010 has the blinking folder and is froze, I have entered into the Internet recovery mode and tried to reinstall OSX system. And in the Disk Utility there is no hard drive to select. What is the next step?
MacBook (13-inch Aluminum Late 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Question (?) Mark, Blinking Folder, or Gray Screen at Startup
These are related but not identical issues. Their causes are outlined in Intel-based Mac- Startup sequence and error codes, symbols. Solutions may be found in:
A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
Mac OS X- Gray screen appears during startup
In most cases the problems may be caused by one or more of these:
a. Problem with the computer's PRAM - See Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM.
b. Boot drive's directory has been corrupted - Repair with Disk Utility.
c. Critical system files are damaged or deleted - Reinstall OS X.
d. The disk drive is physically non-functional - Replace the hard drive.
Note that the information I have provided is what Apple recommends, If other users suggest different solutions than found here, then be sure what they recommend does not impact on your warranty, if any, or ability to get continuing Apple service.
Please don't start removing drives or changing cables unless you know what you are doing and have exhausted other non-invasive alternatives outlined here. If you perform any work yourself that is unapproved by Apple, then you will void any warranty you may have and lose all further Apple Support.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
The main difference if you are using Lion or Mountain Lion is that you must first boot from the Recovery HD. Simply boot from the Recovery HD to perform the above.
Reinstall Snow Leopard Without Erasing The drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing The Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
IF I have mountain Lion I do not have a disc to start up from. And that is the case. So have held down the option key while starting up and had made it too Disk Utility where there was a selection to the left. I chose to verify and it said all was ok, but there is no option to continue with first aid. When I did the Internet recovery and entered into the process of reinstalling with an Ethernet cable it ask me to select my HD on the left, but there was no HD to select.
Then your HD has failed. You need to have it replaced.
it came up with a gray screen with small folder in the center. On the folder was a blinking question mark. The apple support center said if it did not go away. It never went away, Then while restarting the computer i held down the option key. This put it into Internet Recovery mode. Which after a long while it sent me to page that gave me several options 1. Internet Help, which was instructions on how to reload the system. 2. To Disk Utility, to do a first aid, I did this but before I could do this I had to do a verify disk of the only one listed which was not my hard drive? It was something like basic drive. Well I did verify and it said "Seems to be no problems." And the option for first aid was not available.
3. Reinstall Osx while keeping files intact. I did this and it took me online in safe mode, to reinstall Mountain Lion, I then was at a screen that saids ready to install Mountain Lion now choose your hard drive on the left where you want to have the reinstall. Problem, there was no drives listed on the left. So I could not advance.
Option 4. Delete everything and reinstall Osx. I never went there.
SO my hard drive is wasted can I recover any of my data?
Correct. That's the sign the drive has failed. I don't know if you can recover any files.
General File Recovery
If you stop using the drive it's possible to recover deleted files that have not been overwritten by using recovery software such as MAC Data Recovery, Data Rescue II, File Salvage or TechTool Pro. Each of the preceding come on bootable CDs to enable usage without risk of writing more data to the hard drive. Two free alternatives are Disk Drill and TestDisk. Look for them and demos at MacUpdate or CNET Downloads. Recovery software usually provide trial versions that enable you to determine if the software would help before actually paying for it. Beyond this or if the drive has completely failed, then you would need to send the drive to a recovery service which is very expensive.
The longer the hard drive remains in use and data are written to it, the greater the risk your deleted files will be overwritten.
Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on Data Recovery.
THanks Kappy, I think I will shut the computer down and look into some data recovery options.
The disk that shows up is the recovery disk partition. You can try from recovery to use terminal. Enter. diskutil list hit return. then mount/ dev/ number of disk then return Number of disk being what showed in list. If this does not work then it is all of what Kappy said.
I do believe this has already been covered. Your instructions for using diskutil are not well explained assuming you are dealing with someone unfamiliar with using the Terminal. Also, the form of the 'mount' command is incorrect.
I went to to pick up the computer on Friday and the guy told me he copied all my files onto a external hard drive i gave him. He said the HD is fine, he can read it, the problem is the connection between it and the motherboard. He said he has an old one just like mine at his house and he will see if he can take the connector off and see if it works on mine. And then he will sell it to me for an e-bay price. So he said if it does not work it is the mother board. And I can get that in the states.
I plugged in my external hard drive into my wifes computer and all my important files are there.
I am currently in Bolivia and will return to the states in April. I do appreciate your help. do you know how much a mother board would run?
thanks again
I would assume between $350 and $600, but that's a guess. Look on eBay to see what they are selling for.
Mac Book Pro has blinking folder and will not start.
