MacBook won't start (flashing anti sign)

[Meckare]

My Macbook doesn't start. It just goes to the gray screen and flashes between the Apple symbol and an "anti" sign, like you'd put over a cigarette in a no-smoking sign.

Any ideas?

 

[szsiddiq]

Try reseting your PRAM: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303319
If that doesnt work, you either have bad ram, loose ram, or a bad hard drive.

 

[Meckare]

Yikes. I did that, and now it doesn't start at all. No screen, no fan, no light, nothing.

 

[Meckare]

There's also a DVD inside the Mac that I can't retrieve so I try the startup disc.

 

[szsiddiq]

Yikes. I did that, and now it doesn't start at all. No screen, no fan, no light, nothing.

Yikes *pulls collar and begins to sweat*
Try unplugging and taking out the battery for a 10-20s.

Otherwise, Genius bar