Genius bar can't seem to figure this out, can you? Flashing folder issue.

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Please have mercy on me, I am a mac lover, but I don't know all of the really esoteric things about them.

So about a month ago, my imac froze up. I pulled the card reader out I was using because I couldn't eject it. I restarted, and got the flashing folder. I did all kinds of things to try to figure out what was going on, and after reading some forums from my iphone, I figured the harddrive died. It was not showing in the disk utility at all, though the diagnostic thingy I did said it was fine.

Took it to the genius bar and the guy fixed the name of the HD (my kids had somehow renamed it to /. We thought that was the problem, the mac was looking for HD but was only finding /, and couldn't boot. We brought it home and I was ecstatic.

The next day, same thing happened. Computer started being slow, I had to restart, flashing file folder. Took it back to the genius bar. He messed with it, then argued with his people over whether the harddrive was dead or the logic board needed replaced. They decide on the harddrive, and give me the number of a guy that they know that will give me a much bigger HD, a 2 year warrenty, instead of apples 90 day, come to my house and install it, all for 100 less than apple was charging.

I went for that but planned on waiting a couple of weeks. In the meantime, my friend lent me a pc laptop. I had the same card reader in, uploading some pics, and the SAME THING HAPPENED. The PC version of the flashing file folder. That's when I realized that the card reader had to be the culprit.

My friend came over and fixed the laptop by resetting it so that it boots off the HD, as we suspected, the card reader threw off where the computer was booting from. Computer is working fine now. She is not a mac person, but wanted to take a look at it anyway.I turned it on and we got the flashing file folder. I turned it on again holding down a key, and lo and behold it came on, as is nothing was ever wrong. I did the disk utility and the harddrive is showing, before it wasn't. I verified the harddrive, and it says it's ok. Sounds good right?

I'm afraid that it's just teasing me and will go into flashing file folder mode again, next time i reboot.

The only thing I can see that LOOKS off, is that in disk utility it still says it's mounting from / How can I change it to mount from the HD? is this where the problem lies? I really don't want to pay for a new logic board, or even HD if I don't have to. The computer seems to be working perfectly right now.


Thanks so much for any advice you have for me!
 
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It does seem as tho you have ended up with a corrupted file. Perhaps try the simplest step first by downloading and installing Combo updater. Hunting for corrupt file will be a bit more involved.
Try this

or this.
 
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Z
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Trying that now! Thanks!!! That would be much better than a new logic board...
 

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