Folder with question mark on startup

hansonxd · hansonxd #1 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 06:23 AM

Yesterday I was running my computer on windows through bootcamp. I got the blue screen of death and i thought restarting my laptop would fix it. The laptop wouldn't boot up and it gave me a screen with a flashing folder with question mark in it. Is there anyway I can fix this?

McBie · McBie #2 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 06:50 AM

In order to help other members help you, it would be good if you could tell us what hardware you have and what version of OS X you are running.
A flashing question mark during boot indicates that the OS can no longer find the OS files to load ... usually not a good sign.... but let's take it one step at a time.
Maybe it is not all that bad.

Cheers ... McBie

hansonxd · hansonxd #3 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 07:10 AM

Thanks for your reply. I'm actually running a dual drive setup in my macbook with a SSD as the startup boot. I'm running a 2 GHz i7 MacBook pro on OS X 10.8.5 (12F45)

Slydude · Slydude #4 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 01:17 PM

Can you still boot through Boot Camp? If so, try that then go into the control panel that controls startup (don't remember what it's called). Sometimes the computer loses track of this setting.

If the OS X partition is there select it and reboot. If it's not there let us know and we can go from there.

hansonxd · hansonxd #5 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 06:56 PM

The drive is undetectable by my MacBook. There's not option to select it if I boot up holding option. I just see my boot SSD and Recovery.

Slydude · Slydude #6 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 07:59 PM

If you boot to the recovery partition are you able to see the drive using Disk Utility? If so try repairing the disk.

hansonxd · hansonxd #7 (**permalink**)

11-02-2013, 08:10 PM

I can only see the SSD drive in the recovery partition Disk Utility.

McBie #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 26, 2008 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,544 Mac Specs: 2013 MBA 13" - OS X 10.10.1	11-02-2013, 06:50 AM In order to help other members help you, it would be good if you could tell us what hardware you have and what version of OS X you are running. A flashing question mark during boot indicates that the OS can no longer find the OS files to load ... usually not a good sign.... but let's take it one step at a time. Maybe it is not all that bad. Cheers ... McBie A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila. The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude towards the problem. You understand ?
	QUOTE Thanks

Slydude #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 16, 2009 Location: North Louisiana, USA Posts: 7,378 Mac Specs: 2.8 GHz MacBook Pro 10.10.2, 8 GB mem, 2.66 GHz Mac Pro - Dead, iPhone 6+	11-02-2013, 01:17 PM Can you still boot through Boot Camp? If so, try that then go into the control panel that controls startup (don't remember what it's called). Sometimes the computer loses track of this setting. If the OS X partition is there select it and reboot. If it's not there let us know and we can go from there. Sylvester Roque Former Contributing Editor About This Particular Macintosh "Got Time to breathe. You got time for music." Denver Pyle as Briscoe Darling
	QUOTE Thanks

Slydude #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 16, 2009 Location: North Louisiana, USA Posts: 7,378 Mac Specs: 2.8 GHz MacBook Pro 10.10.2, 8 GB mem, 2.66 GHz Mac Pro - Dead, iPhone 6+	11-02-2013, 07:59 PM If you boot to the recovery partition are you able to see the drive using Disk Utility? If so try repairing the disk. Sylvester Roque Former Contributing Editor About This Particular Macintosh "Got Time to breathe. You got time for music." Denver Pyle as Briscoe Darling
	QUOTE Thanks

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hansonxd #1 (permalink)
Member Since: May 09, 2011 Posts: 4	11-02-2013, 06:23 AM Yesterday I was running my computer on windows through bootcamp. I got the blue screen of death and i thought restarting my laptop would fix it. The laptop wouldn't boot up and it gave me a screen with a flashing folder with question mark in it. Is there anyway I can fix this?
	QUOTE Thanks

hansonxd #5 (permalink)
Member Since: May 09, 2011 Posts: 4	11-02-2013, 06:56 PM The drive is undetectable by my MacBook. There's not option to select it if I boot up holding option. I just see my boot SSD and Recovery.
	QUOTE Thanks

hansonxd #7 (permalink)
Member Since: May 09, 2011 Posts: 4	11-02-2013, 08:10 PM I can only see the SSD drive in the recovery partition Disk Utility.
	QUOTE Thanks

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