Flashing Question Mark Folder on iBook
Got this on our iBook which we bought more than 4 years ago.
Basically when we boot it up, there is the familiar Mac boot up chime. Then the screen greys out for half a minute, and then the flashing question mark inside a folder appears.
If you see a flashing question mark when you start your Mac, it’s probably because it can’t find the system software it needs to start up.
D’oh. You can actually hear the hard disk working hard during the bootstrap process — looks like our hard disk is fried. Pressing C to boot into installation/rescue CD does not work either, and all I get is a “kernel traceback” page.
It looks like the only way of resurrecting it is by replacing the dead hard disk. However the brilliant designers at Apple has decided to make it almost impossible for an average dude like me to do.
Maybe it is time to shop for another computer.
Update: Here is a “screenshot” of the kernel panic.
It happens when I tried to boot from CD. I have tried to clear the PRAM and NVRAM but error still occurs. There could be bad memory module. I took away the 512MB installed, left it with only 128MB, and it still could not boot. Sometimes it dropped into OpenFirmware saying something like memory error.
:^(
Comments
well….the consolation for u is that i bought mine later than yours but it died earlier than yours…
urs lived longer than mine, in other words.
time for a Macbook!!!??? =)
End of era indeed, if it is beyond repair. Well, it seems to be more likely the case now with kernel panic all over the place, not even able to boot from CD.
I don’t think I am getting another Mac for many reasons. Been there, done that, and I don’t think I get enough time supporting another platform at home. Not to mention the Santa-Rosa based Dell is very nice and cheap (typing on my new Latitude D630 currently). Cheaper with EPP and/or many cashback programs.
I’ll try one more day. If nothing works, then it’s time to go shopping.
I purchased an iBook in 2000. In 2002 (of course after Apple Care expired) the hard drive fried. I got it replaced and in 2004 it fried again. I use it as a paper weight now and got a Dell laptop last year. One good thing I can say is that I have an iMac DV Graphite from 2000 and it runs beautifully.
I have had my Macbook one year and 2 months. I did a recommended update one day and the darn computer never came on normal again. Now all I get is that darn folder with the question mark. Called AppleCare and of course they wanted $50.00 to talk to me. I am sure they know there is a problem with the hard drive because many people are having the same problem . I heard Apple is using PC hardware made in Asia. No quality anymore. I tried Command plus C on bootup…no go. Then someone said hold down the option key while booting…forget it…only thing that comes up is the pointer…well at least the folder with the question mark doesn’t come up with that option. May as well go back to owning a PC.
I have had the same problem with my Macbook (just over a year) TWO times now. It must be bad hardware if it keeps happening to me?
The apple folks said there is NO PROBLEM WITH THE HARD DRIVE or any other part of the I Book…..so, are they becoming Microsoft?
Resetting PRAM and NVRAM
Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
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Playground is the personal weblog of Scott Yang, a Chinese-Australian Christian who works as a software developer in Sydney Australia.
its the end of an era