Question Mark of Death

gurokevin · Jan 13, 2013, 04:51 PM

Ok, yesterday my wife was using her iMac and it was fine until she got a beachball for about 20 minutes. So she decided to turn it off. Then today she went to start it up and got a folder with a question mark on it.

I have tried flashing the pram which didn't do anything.
I have tried a whole host of different keyboard settings:
Holding Option on start up (Nothing happened. just got my mouse curser)
holding command + R on start up (Just went to the question mark folder)
holding down shift on start up (Just went to the question mark folder)
and a few other things.

Nothing seems to work. All just goes back to the folder, what can I do?

It is a 2009 24" iMac running Lion

Thanks

dan1eln1el5en · Jan 13, 2013, 05:57 PM

the EFI (Mac version of BIOS) can't find an Operating System.

is it a fairly new one restart holding down the Option key, then go into disk utilities and fix drive /permissions.
else get the original DVD and do boot from that (Holding down C key)

It could also be, if you have had the hard-drive out that it's not connected (I had similar 2 days ago, changing some hardware, forgot to plug in the SATA cable when assembling)

EDIT: just read it's a 2009 model, so put in the restore DVD holding in C-key as I wrote (not the OPT-key)

mobilehaathi · Jan 13, 2013, 05:59 PM

Quite possible your HDD died...

gurokevin · Jan 13, 2013, 06:01 PM

Never had the hard drive out. And I have tried holding option down and nothing happens. And I don't have an original start up disk either. And now with Lion and Mountain Lion, there is no start up disk.

dan1eln1el5en · Jan 13, 2013, 06:09 PM

ok, then I have to go with the other poster, it's a dead drive.

try get a hold of a different mac, then you can:
Make a bootable disc
or
Boot from a USB/External hard drive
then
get into disk utility and chekc the drive status.

but if you still have the original disc you can still use it, just to check the status of the drive.
doesn't the original disc also contain the hardware test ?

gurokevin · Jan 14, 2013, 09:29 AM

I was hoping no one would say that. I was hoping for someone to give me the "magic" keyboard command. Anyways, I guess I am off to buy a new drive. Thanks for the help. If you think of anything else , let me know.

Jan 13, 2013, 04:51 PM	#1
gurokevin macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2013	Question Mark of Death Ok, yesterday my wife was using her iMac and it was fine until she got a beachball for about 20 minutes. So she decided to turn it off. Then today she went to start it up and got a folder with a question mark on it. I have tried flashing the pram which didn't do anything. I have tried a whole host of different keyboard settings: Holding Option on start up (Nothing happened. just got my mouse curser) holding command + R on start up (Just went to the question mark folder) holding down shift on start up (Just went to the question mark folder) and a few other things. Nothing seems to work. All just goes back to the folder, what can I do? It is a 2009 24" iMac running Lion Thanks
	0

Jan 13, 2013, 05:59 PM	#3
mobilehaathi macrumors 68030 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA	Quite possible your HDD died... __________________ Of crimes---none is greater than having things that one desires; Of disasters---none is greater than not knowing when one has enough. Of defects---none brings more sorrow than the desire to attain.
	0

Jan 14, 2013, 09:29 AM	#6
gurokevin Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2013	Crap! I was hoping no one would say that. I was hoping for someone to give me the "magic" keyboard command. Anyways, I guess I am off to buy a new drive. Thanks for the help. If you think of anything else , let me know.
	0

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Jan 13, 2013, 05:57 PM	#2
dan1eln1el5en macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2012	the EFI (Mac version of BIOS) can't find an Operating System. is it a fairly new one restart holding down the Option key, then go into disk utilities and fix drive /permissions. else get the original DVD and do boot from that (Holding down C key) It could also be, if you have had the hard-drive out that it's not connected (I had similar 2 days ago, changing some hardware, forgot to plug in the SATA cable when assembling) EDIT: just read it's a 2009 model, so put in the restore DVD holding in C-key as I wrote (not the OPT-key)
	0

Jan 13, 2013, 06:01 PM	#4
gurokevin Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2013	Never had the hard drive out. And I have tried holding option down and nothing happens. And I don't have an original start up disk either. And now with Lion and Mountain Lion, there is no start up disk.
	0

Jan 13, 2013, 06:09 PM	#5
dan1eln1el5en macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2012	ok, then I have to go with the other poster, it's a dead drive. try get a hold of a different mac, then you can: Make a bootable disc or Boot from a USB/External hard drive then get into disk utility and chekc the drive status. but if you still have the original disc you can still use it, just to check the status of the drive. doesn't the original disc also contain the hardware test ?
	0


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