Flashing Question mark- startup disk not found

[jgideon84]

Hey all,

I recently tried to wipe my old but well working macbook (black version) in order to give it to a family friend in need. I cannot find the original install disk that came with the computer so I followed the instructions on this link http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5943 which showed me how to erase the hard drive to pass it onto a new owner. I did that and now on startup it shows a folder with a question mark on it and wont boot. Upon further investigation the hard drive does not show up in the startup up disk options which I think is the cause for the question mark. Does anyone know how to help without the grey install disk? The only disk I can find is the snow leopard upgrade disk which tries to install but cannot complete for some reason.Thanks for the help!!

Forgot to mention- I ran repair disk and the report says the hard drive appears fine which I believe because the computer was operating just fine prior to the erase just a little slow as old computers get.

 

[redheeler]

You tried to boot into Recovery using Command-R?

 

[Fishrrman]

With an old "black" Macbook, chances are there is no "recovery partition".

To the OP:
If you have erased the internal hard drive, you are naturally going to get the "?" on startup.
That "?" indicates the computer can't find a bootable OS from which to start (because you erased it, right?).

You need to install a "clean copy" of the OS onto it.

Do you remember -which version- of the OS was installed (before you "wiped it")?

What error message do you get when trying to install Snow Leopard?

I suggest you try again, and do this (in the order below).
- Boot the MacBook from the Snow Leopard install CD (don't "install" yet)
- Once booted, go to Disk Utility and reinitialize the internal drive (choose HFS+, journaling enabled)
- Now, use the "Repair Disk" option in Disk Utility to test the drive.
- Do you get "a good report"?
- If so, run the repair procedure five times in succession.
- Do you get a good report each and every time?

(Aside: if DU reports problems, that could be why you're not getting a good install)

IF Disk Utility reports the drive to be OK after several test runs, NOW try a software install.

Does anything change?