Chivata
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Our iMac won't start, 1st time in years. The white screen just shows a flashing question mark. We replaced the mouse and keyboard batteries and have tried restarting many times.

iMac won't start. Just a flashing question mark appears on the white screen. Please help.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Aug 18, 2015 7:44 AM

by Ralph Landry1,Solvedanswer
Ralph Landry1 Ralph Landry1
Level 8 (41,782 points)
A:

You can eject the DVD by restarting the iMac and hold the mouse button in the clicked position during the restart.

 

You can call Apple support http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204169 and arrange service if you want to send the iMac to Apple.

 

If you want to take it to the Apple store in Albuquerque then it is best to make an appointment ahead of time, go to the blue Apple Retail Store link at the bottom of this page, and then go to Genius bar and setup an appointment.

 

If you want to attempt the replacement yourself, a great source of drives is OWC, http://www.macsales.com where you can also find on-line videos that show how to perform the replacement - watch that and see if you want to do it yourself or have Apple handle it for you.

 

Those are some of the options open to you, Jeremy.

Posted on Aug 18, 2015 9:38 AM

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Q: Our iMac won't start, 1st time in years. The white screen just shows a flashing question mark. We replaced the mouse and keyboard ... more

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  • by WZZZ,Helpful

    WZZZ WZZZ Aug 18, 2015 7:50 AM in response to Chivata
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2015 7:50 AM in response to Chivata

    Most likely means the hard drive is dead. This happens to all hard drives. Not a matter of if, but when. Hope you have everything backed up. Average life of a drive is ~five years. After that....

     

    Long shot, but if you want to look into this further, see

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203176

     

    Scroll down to "Use FSCK if neccessary."

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Aug 18, 2015 7:49 AM in response to Chivata
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 7:49 AM in response to Chivata

    Since your information shows you have Mac OS X 10.6.8, insert the install DVD for your iMac and restart holding the C key.  If the machine restarts on the Snow Leopard installer disk, go to Utilities and Disk Utility and see if it shows the internal hard drive.  If so, select Repair Disk to see if there is damage to the drive.  If it repairs the drive, try a normal restart.

     

    If the normal restart does not work, restart again on the DVD and then choose Install Mac OS X to reinstall the operating system on the hard drive.

  • by Chivata,

    Chivata Chivata Aug 18, 2015 8:09 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 8:09 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Thanks: I inserted the disk and after grinding for awhile, I got to an install screen, accepted the legal talk and next there was a screen asking where to install the software, but only a blank field appeared. I am just taking a wild guess as to the fact the hard drive did not appear on that rectangular box. I never saw a utility option or anything like that.

  • by Chivata,

    Chivata Chivata Aug 18, 2015 8:14 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 8:14 AM in response to WZZZ

    Thanks WZZZ: I replied to another member and am waiting for Ralph Landry1 to reply; don't know if you can see that content or not as this is my first time on this forum or whatever it is correctly called. Jeremy

  • by Ralph Landry1,Helpful

    Ralph Landry1 Aug 18, 2015 8:19 AM in response to Chivata
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 8:19 AM in response to Chivata

    That sounds like your hard drive has failed.  Since it started on the install disk you know the iMac itself is operational so that is the good news.  Of course the bad news is the hard drive.

     

    Time for a visit to an Apple store genius bar for replacement, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or other if those do not appeal to you.  Just a plug for the Apple approved service - if anyone else does the work and causes any peripheral damage, Apple will not touch the machine and fix the damage, worth thinking about.

  • by Chivata,

    Chivata Chivata Aug 18, 2015 8:27 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 8:27 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Thanks: Unfortunately the closest Apple Store (Albuquerque) is 200 miles away. Do I understand that I need to phone them and ask for the Genius Bar? Also I am wondering if I can find a proper hard drive and install myself? Also how do I go about ejecting the Apple Disk. I appreciate your patience with me on this matter. Fortunately, I have this old MacBook and an iPad, but the desktop is my wife's and she is not too pleased and you can imagine. Jeremy

  • by Ralph Landry1,Solvedanswer

    Ralph Landry1 Aug 18, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Chivata
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Chivata

    You can eject the DVD by restarting the iMac and hold the mouse button in the clicked position during the restart.

     

    You can call Apple support http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204169 and arrange service if you want to send the iMac to Apple.

     

    If you want to take it to the Apple store in Albuquerque then it is best to make an appointment ahead of time, go to the blue Apple Retail Store link at the bottom of this page, and then go to Genius bar and setup an appointment.

     

    If you want to attempt the replacement yourself, a great source of drives is OWC, http://www.macsales.com where you can also find on-line videos that show how to perform the replacement - watch that and see if you want to do it yourself or have Apple handle it for you.

     

    Those are some of the options open to you, Jeremy.

  • by Chivata,

    Chivata Chivata Aug 18, 2015 9:46 AM in response to Ralph Landry1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 18, 2015 9:46 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

    Thanks so much Ralph. I will now check with OWC, as I have purchased memory and other items from them in the past. I might call the Apple Store and see what kind of costs will be entailed if I go that route. Jeremy

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ Aug 18, 2015 10:48 AM in response to Chivata
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2015 10:48 AM in response to Chivata

    Find the EMC# of your iMac and then go to

    https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iMac_Intel

    to see if there are HDD replacement instructions for your model there. You can use both the iFixit guide and the OWC install video, if there is one. They may complement each other: one may cover, or explain something that the other doesn't. Note: that there are special considerations when installing a drive on a post Late '09 iMac, and especially on the 2011 models--there are workarounds if not using one of Apple's proprietary drives, which are required beginning 2011.

     

    http://blog.macsales.com/2751-proprietary-cable-can-put-the-brakes-on-upgrading- late-09-imacs

    http://blog.macsales.com/10146-apple-further-restricts-upgrade-options-on-new-im acs

     

    Drives at OWC are way overpriced. Find the drive you want or need and look for it at http://www.newegg.com/       


    Check out the reviews there, as well; they often contain useful information, especially if a lot of users are trashing a certain drive, or many are reporting premature failure. From newegg, the drive usually won't come in a box, it will be OEM from a bulk purchase, which is all you need. newegg shipping is often free, or minimal, and any drive from newegg will be just as good as the same one from OWC.