mac osx start problem

I just took my mac apart to clean the dust, i put it back together and all i get on the monitor is the finder face and a question mark in the middle of the screen . this happened once on me lap top and i pushed control-command and something else but i forgot what it was. help would be appreciated, thanks

What Mac do you have?

It means that the computer can't find it's start up disc. Try starting with the Option key held down and see if it gives you a choice. If no luck, see if it will start from the install disc and see if your hard drive shows in Disc Utility.

Of course, you now realise that you should have just lived with the dust.

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i have the old half basketball osx. the dvd drive door doesnt open so i cant insert a utility disc.

snapshot1948 said:

i have the old half basketball osx.

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You have what? An iMac?

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yes i have an imac that about 6-8 yrs old. it has the flashing question mark in middle of the screen. a couple of yrs ago my lap top did the same thing. someone on macforum told me to push something like control-command-delete-and a number or letter but i cant remember the exact combination but it rebooted the computer. ive tried numerous combinations but havent found it yet

It sounds to me like you have not reconnected the hard drive. Why not try what MightGem told you to do and hold the Option key down while starting the machine.

If that fails - take the machine apart again and check the hard drive power and data connections.

snapshot1948 said:

someone on macforum told me to push something like control-command-delete-and a number or letter but i cant remember the exact combination but it rebooted the computer.

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That sounds like a PRAM reset: Cmd-Ctrl-P-R (I think) during a Restart. It does not initiate a Restart.

thanks for all the help. i had already tried the option key while restarting. i double checked all connections and tried the cmd-ctrl-p-r. nothing working so far but i do appreciated all the advice.

OOps! I almost had it right:

Shut down your computer. Turn the computer back on and immediately hold down Command-Option-P-R, continuing to press until you hear the startup sound for the second time. This resets the computer’s parameter random-access memory (PRAM).

Not saying that's what you need to do, just what your description might have been.