Folder with Question Mark at Bootup.

[Flybye]

I know I know...search...and I did....

But no one is able to actually put Question Mark - folder in the title. Don't have time to dig through a zillion threads.

I tried to repair my hd using the disk utility with my SL DVDs, but it did no good. I can see the harddrive in the utility.

Is there a quickly terminal command to put that may fix it? Or is my best bet to try to reinstall SL?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I say reinstall. If that doesn't work then you might have a bad HDD on your hands.

 

[Sun Baked]

Usually a file catalog/system error -- or someone moved/deleted a startup file when cleaning up the drive.

If you didn't move/delete a file, there is an error in the file system that'll need to be repaired.

Might have to boot in target mode and use another machine to fix the drive and recover the files. And may need 3rd party drive repair/recovery software.

If you don't fix the drive, you are just installing on top of a shaky file system.

---

Though if you haven't been getting a lot of kernel panics lately and haven't been shutting the machine down with the power button instead of the menu -- you might be looking at a dying drive, or a dead one.

 

[Flybye]

I never get any kernel panics, and this mini stays on 24/7. It would kinda suck if the HD went south, but then it would be upgrade time. I'll try to reinstall SL then. Thx guys! The mini started acting funny today after a few lock ups on FaceBook. Go figure.

BTW...I need to look up what a kernel panic looks like LOL.

Edit: Yes, I have already tried fixing it with the disk utility.

 

[harcosparky]

When my iMac did this, it was just after a power failure.

No matter what we tried, it would not boot properly.

If you have an external HDD you could do what I did ...
( prior to taking it to Apple )

I hooked up the external .... did a fresh install of OSX to the external ... booted off the external and accessed the internal HDD.

Was able to get almost all of my data off that drive before taking it to Apple.

Once this was done I attempted to reinstall the OS to the internal drive, it failed so I more or less confirmed it to be the HDD.

I took it to the Apple Store, they confirmed a dead HDD.


When I picked it up they informed me that they replaced the HDD and also LCD display pane as they saw a slight discoloration in one quarter.