Flashing question mark folder icon

Hi akell

You need to remind your OS of the start up disk, by going to the System Preferences, click Start up Disk and reselect your boot HD.

regards roam

akell --
Here's a wonderful thread on the exact same problem.
Very good info in here:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4452126&#4452126

I tried starting holding the option key (to get the startup manager) and this does not work.

Are you sure you waited long enough? It takes quite a while for Startup Manager screen to come up and then scan for all the startup volumes.

Also, have you tried try starting in "Safe Mode"? Then use System Preferences >> Startup Disk to re-choose your startup volume.



-mj
macjack@gmail.com

Hello, akell

Bee asked if we could give you some other ideas that might help.

Based on the good things you have already tried, I expect you have seen this KBase document and tried to apply its relevant suggestions:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042

We should be able to offer other suggestions. However, to try to minimize unnecessary possibilities, I have a couple of questions for you first.

(0) You mention that you are concerned about losing some files you have on your disk.

Do you have access to any other OS X Mac so you make backups as soon as possible?

Can you use a friend's or family member's?

Are the files so valuable that you should take your MacBook Pro to your Apple retailer or Service Technician and pay him to backup your important data?

(1) I do not understand you statement that "reinstall the OS ... seemed to work fine - but did not resolve the problem."

If the OS reinstall you performed did not resolve the problem, how did you determine that it worked?


(2) I do not understand what "go into Select Disc image" means in DU. Do you mean that you are using DU to look at a disk image (.dmg file) of your hard drive?

Whether or not you are looking at a .dmg file, which DU top-level menu item or Selection Tab (First Aid, Erase, RAID, Restore) contains the "go into Select Disc image" command to which you refer?


(3) I do not understand what you mean by "I can apparently "see" folders and files on the MacHD."

Do you mean that when you click on the disk's volume name in the left column of the DU window, you can see a count for files and folders at the bottom?

Do you perhaps mean that you are clicking on the DU "info" button at the top and can then see file and folder count in the "Information: MacHD" window that opens?


(4) Did you by chance rename your User (Home) folder or rename or move any of the System files or folders on your Hard Disk?


Please post back the answers to my questions above. We will try to provide more specific suggestions based on your responses.

Jim

P.S. Be sure to try macjack's good suggestions and let us know how that goes, too.

Mac OS X (10.4.9)  G5 DP 1.8  PowerBook 1.67 GHz

Hi akell, both operations should be done WITHOUT the install disk in. The fact that you cannot startup in either Safe Mode or Startup Manager isn't a good sign. Try whatever else you can to save off your documents. Might want try this list of all startup commands and see if one works.

EDIT: Command-n and command-t won't do you any good without another computer.


-mj
macjack@gmail.com

Message was edited by: macjack

You're welcome, akell

Thanks for posting back the info. You explanations were helpful.

Your response to macjack that your Startup Manager sees your DVD drive but not your hard disk suggests that files required for startup on your Mac's hard disk are either missing or so damaged that they are unusable. The usual way to correct this problem is to reinstall OS X. However, your installer log errors from your previous reinstall document the failure of that reinstall.

(5) Did you use the disks that came with your Mac to try to reinstall, or did you by chance try to use some other OS X install disk? Unless you are an OS X expert, you should use only the disks that came with your Mac.


Before trying reinstall again, you might find the suggestions in Reinstalling Mac OS X and Mac OS X 10.4 Help Reinstalling Mac OS X of interest.

You really should backup any files you cannot afford to risk before you attempt another reinstall. The simplest way to do that for any Mac that cannot boot is to find a working 10.4.9 Mac and connect your Mac to it via the FireWire Target Disk Mode. (Your Mac will be the "first computer" in these instructions.) The "second" Mac can then copy and burn your important files directly to CD or DVD.

If you cannot find another Mac to use as the "second computer," your plan to ask your Apple Service Tech to backup your files before doing anything else is a wise one.

Before you see your Apple Service Technician, here is one other thing that you might try, especially if you have changed or removed your battery when your MacBook Pro is sleeping.

I know that this KBase article does not list the MacBook Pro as one of the susceptible computers, but it might be worth trying setting your NVRAM anyway. NVRAM on your MacBook Pro is reset whenever you Reset MacBook Pro's System Management Controller (SMC).

Thanks for answering all my other questions. In order to stay on point about your original question, I will not address your individual answers unless you ask specific questions.

Please let us know if you need other suggestions or what you did to get sorted.

Cheers,
Jim

You're welcome, akell

Good plan.

We will watch for your status update.

Jim

Mac OS X (10.4.9)  G5 DP 1.8  PowerBook 1.67 GHz

Thanks for the update, akell

Congratulations on a successful backup (and on finding such helpful technicians)!

This is certainly a stubborn one. Here are my next suggestions. Use any that are relevant to your case, and consider them in any order that makes most sense in view of everything you have already tried.

(6) Have you tried every other relevant suggestion from the "A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac" KBase article:

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042

(7) Do you have any peripherals connected to your MacBook Pro when you are trying to reinstall? If so, try reinstalling again after disconnecting everything.

(8) In the left column of Disk Utility, select your MacBook Pro's device name (the icon above the MacBook Pro's hard disk name) and look at the "S.M.A.R.T. Status" at the bottom of the DU window. Does it show "Verified"? If not, your hard drive itself may be causing the problem.

(9) Try erasing your MacBook Pro's hard disk again.

• This time, before clicking "Erase," click the "Security Options..." button. Then click the "Zero Out Data" button in the new window that appears. Click "OK."

• When you are returned to the DU window, click "Erase." Zeroing your disk is not a fast process. It will likely take about an hour on your MacBook Pro.

• Reinstall OS X one more time after the data zeroing operation has completed.

While a normal erase merely deletes the directory information that lets your Mac find data on a disk, the "Zero Out Data" option actually writes zeros over all data on the disk. I suggest zeroing to remove any hidden files or fragments that might be causing your persistent problem.

(By the way, zeroing the data is particularly important if you have ever installed any software that is toxic to OS X such as Norton Utilities or some version of so-called "anti-virus" software for OS X.  If you have used any such application in the past, do not reinstall it after you get OS X reinstalled, whether from its installer or when you restore from your backup data.)

(10) You may find the kBase article entitled "Isolating issues in Mac OS X" gives you some ideas:

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25392


If none of the above gets your Mac working again, unless you have successfully used the same disk to install OS X, the install disk you are using may be defective. The easiest way I can think to check that is to ask your Apple Service Tech. He may either be able to check your Install Disk, perform the reinstall himself, or offer a different but compatible MacBook Pro install disk that your can try.

If nothing else fixes your problem, it is also possible that there are hardware problems with your MacBook Pro. Because you have already run the Hardware Test that came with your Mac, a professional check by your Apple Service Technicians is my only remaining suggestion.

You will beat this!   Please keep us posted.

Cheers,
Jim

Mac OS X (10.4.9)  G5 DP 1.8  PowerBook 1.67 GHz