Manfred34

Q: Flashing question mark on startup

Spring 2011 MBP with EL Capitan.  So, was using my MBP last night and it started beachballing and I started force quitting apps, but performance did not improve and the beachballing continued.  Was not even able to click on the Apple icon to restart.  So, powered off using the power button to restart as I have done numerous times.  Power back on and get the gray screen with the folder icon and flashing question mark.  Completely baffled, because I have never seen this before.  Restart again trying to reset the PRAM thinking that might have some effect, to no avail. So, do a quick search on the old smartphone and find out how to get into recovery mode.  Go to Disc Utility and look for my HDD, but it is not there.  Only disc 0 and then below it OS X Base System, something like that, can't remember what it says exactly.  Soooo, I come to the realization that my HDD is erased, but I am wondering if it is in fact erased or if some kind of virus or something could have caused this and that somewhere my HDD is still intact.  I know this is probably a long shot and wishful thinking, but I am trying to explore every possibility before I restore from my backup.  I have not backed up in a few months, so I am really hoping this is the case, because I probably have lost some important stuff.... 

 

Any help would be MUCH appreciated....


Thanks!!

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 16gb ram

Posted on Aug 29, 2016 12:10 PM

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Q: Flashing question mark on startup

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  • by Dr.Mac.,

    Dr.Mac. Dr.Mac. Aug 29, 2016 12:38 PM in response to Manfred34
    Level 3 (616 points)
    Aug 29, 2016 12:38 PM in response to Manfred34
  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 29, 2016 6:58 PM in response to Dr.Mac.
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 29, 2016 6:58 PM in response to Dr.Mac.

    Um, yeeeaaaaaah, I already read that page, that's why I talked about recovery mode and disk utility, etc... That's not what I was actually asking, but thanks for the help though... Appreciate it...

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 8:57 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 8:57 AM in response to Manfred34

    Can somebody at least answer this for me:  When I go to Disk Utility and it shows me disc0 and then below that Mac OS X Base System and I click on either one of those it shows the storage capacity as about 1.37gb or so, but does not show my HDD.  I have a 1tb hard drive installed, shouldn't it show that as the capacity somewhere?  Or is it because I have to format the drive first that it is not showing that?  Again, just trying to be sure that nothing funny is going on...  Like I am being tricked or something, and really my HDD is fine, but it is made to appear as though it got erased and that will force me to reformat it when I didn't really have to.  I know, sounds paranoid and crazy, but I'm just trying to make sure that this is the real deal and not some eleborate virus or something. 

     

    Thanks.

     

    And just to be clear, I have searched the communites for this issue and am not just blindly posting about my problem without trying to research it first.  I don't do that...  So I have read a bunch of stuff already about this issue, but none of those posts has addressed my questions...

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Aug 30, 2016 9:15 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 9:15 AM in response to Manfred34

    Boy, it sounds to me like your internal HDD has died. Especially from what you described in your 1st post with all the issues you had. I had a 2010 MBP that had similar issues and while it was still under warranty, Apple (Apple Store) determined the drive was bad and replaced it. I never had another issue afterwards.

     

    If you can, try plugging in an external USB drive and while in Recovery Mode, install OS X to the external. This way you have a working OS that you can boot to and use while you decide what to do with your internal. Personally, I would buy a new 1TB HDD or a smaller SSD drive.

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 9:20 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 9:20 AM in response to keg55

    Awww, really? I hope it isn't the HDD...  Would it be exhibiting the same charateristics if it was fried?  Not showing up in Disc Utility?  I mean, if it just got erased, it should still be able to see it right?  That is what I am so puzzled over.  I do have a 128gb USB drive soooo, I can install the OS to that?  Will that be big enough?

     

    Thanks for the speedy and helpful reply!!

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 9:42 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 9:42 AM in response to keg55

    Ok, so how do I install the OS to the USB drive??  I inserted my Startup disc, and when I click on reinstall Lion it tells me it needs to verify my computer with Apple so that I can install this copy and then I get an error message telling me to run the install again... 

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Aug 30, 2016 10:00 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 10:00 AM in response to Manfred34

    Are you not able to restart into Recovery Mode (Command+R) from your MBP's internal drive? If not, then I assume your MBP came pre-installed with Snow Leopard since you mentioned a Startup disk?

  • by kaz-k,

    kaz-k kaz-k Aug 30, 2016 10:17 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 5 (5,640 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 30, 2016 10:17 AM in response to Manfred34

    Yes, you can install OS X on external drive and 128GB is good enough space to install OS X El Capitan.

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 10:19 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 10:19 AM in response to keg55

    Yes, it came with Snow Leopard, but I am able to restart in Recovery Mode, that is actually what I am in right now, using the Get Help Online portion of Recovery Mode, so that I can use Safari... 

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Aug 30, 2016 10:36 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 10:36 AM in response to Manfred34

    Ok, from your 1st post I assumed you had OS X El Capitan installed. Are you NOT in El Capitan's Recovery HD? I assume you're not if you can only install OS X Lion from the OS X Utilities Menu.

     

    You probably should boot from and install Snow Leopard onto your external USB drive which, again, I assume is a thumb drive. Then, update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 so you can upgrade to OS X El Capitan from the App Store. Are you able to do this?

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 10:53 AM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 10:53 AM in response to keg55

    Well yes, of course I was working on El Capitan, because I have kept my MBP up to date over the years with upgrades to the OS, but it's a 2011, so it did not come equiped with El Capitan of course, and if what you are saying is true, that my HDD is indeed fried, then it is defaulting to the original OS that came with the Spring 2011 MBP which was Snow Leopard, at least according to the documention that came with my MBP.  When I boot up in recovery (holding CMD +R), it begins Internet recovery, where, as I understand it, it contacts Apple to download the recovery software. It then takes me to a startup screen where I choose my language, then it takes me into the actual Recovery mode, which gives me 4 options; restore from Time Machine, reinstall a fresh version of Lion, Get Help Online or go to Disc Utility.  If I go to Disc Utility, i see the disc0 and Mac OS X Base System and no HDD.  If I choose to do a fresh install of Lion, i eventually get the error message....


    You still haven't explained exactly how to install to the USB drive...

     

    Thanks

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Aug 30, 2016 11:24 AM in response to Manfred34
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 11:24 AM in response to Manfred34

    When I boot up in recovery (holding CMD +R), it begins Internet recovery, where, as I understand it, it contacts Apple to download the recovery software. It then takes me to a startup screen where I choose my language, then it takes me into the actual Recovery mode, which gives me 4 options; restore from Time Machine, reinstall a fresh version of Lion, Get Help Online or go to Disc Utility.


    You still haven't explained exactly how to install to the USB drive...

     

    Thanks

    Ok, that explains why you are seeing OS X Lion to install (Internet Recovery). And I assume you never purchased OS X Lion when it was released which explains why you can't install it.

     

    Yes, I did explain how to install to the USB drive. The last paragraph in my prior post....

     

    You probably should boot from and install Snow Leopard onto your external USB drive which, again, I assume is a thumb drive. Then, update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 so you can upgrade to OS X El Capitan from the App Store. Are you able to do this?

     

    So, boot from your Snow Leopard install DVD, erase/format your USB drive and install Snow Leopard onto it, then do the update to 10.6.8 so you can use the App Store. And finally, you can go to the App Store to download/install OS X El Capitan.

  • by Manfred34,

    Manfred34 Manfred34 Aug 30, 2016 2:11 PM in response to keg55
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac App Store
    Aug 30, 2016 2:11 PM in response to keg55

    Ok, repsecfully and not to be argumentative, but this, "You probably should boot from and install Snow Leopard onto your external USB drive which, again, I assume is a thumb drive. Then, update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 so you can upgrade to OS X El Capitan from the App Store. Are you able to do this?" does not explain how to install to a USB drive.  Specifically, using Disc Utility, the regular fresh install method using the startup disc, etc....was the answer I was looking for, which you only explained after you wrote that. 
    As far as purchasing Lion goes, it is not pirated, if that is what you are suggesting, which i doubt it is, but it sure sounds like it.  I upgraded to Lion like anybody else, when it was available in the App Store, and whether I paid for it or not, I don't know, I don't remember.  Don't remember if it was a free upgrade or not.  I have paid for upgrades before so I am certainly not above that, but like I said, if the HDD is fried, and Apple is defaulting to the original OS then that would be Snow Leopard.  I don't know why it is not installing Lion. 

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Aug 30, 2016 2:42 PM in response to Manfred34
    Level 6 (8,368 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2016 2:42 PM in response to Manfred34

    I have no idea what your setup was prior to the issues you were having.

     

    Hopefully, your HDD is OK and you can install to it whatever OS you want. Or use a USB drive with an OS on it until you are able to replace your HDD if it's bad.

     

    I was not implying that you pirated anything. When Internet Recovery started and it gave you OS X Lion as the OS to install from Internet Recovery, that means it validates or checks to see if you are the owner of a license for Lion. Usually an AppleID and password are required if Lion was purchased or downloaded from the App Store. IF your Mac came preinstalled with OS X Lion, then Internet Recovery wouldn't need an AppleID/password to install. Once all is good, it should download and install. I don't know why it didn't for you.

     

    Good luck!

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