ive got folder with question mark

[kasrahpz]

so after i got this error i searched all of the internet, I reset nvram with pressing those keys, and started it in recovery mode, so when I go disk utility in recovery mode I can first aid them but It doesn't change anything, after this i discovered in the internal thread of disk utility under apple ssd there is a grey writing and when i click this i saw no available area and it's full of others, i tried to erase all of the things and install macOS again but i cant erase anything. i don't know what to do anymore.
i can send pictures if anyone wants.

 

[Horsa]

The "folder with question mark" means that your machine can't find a viable boot drive/operating system. It sounds like your SSD system drive has died. I'm sorry.

 

[IWT]

@kasrahpz

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums. I'm truly sorry for your misfortune.

I agree with Member Horsa. There is no boot drive or no Operating System. Read here:

If your Mac starts up to a question mark – Apple Support (UK)

A folder with a flashing question mark means that your startup disk is no longer available or doesn't contain a working Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

The crucial question is: have you got a working Backup (BU) - eg Time Machine or a Cloned BU?

If not, then you are at the mercy of the Data Recovery industry if your data is critical. I'm sorry.

Ian

 

[kasrahpz]

@kasrahpz

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums. I'm truly sorry for your misfortune.

I agree with Member Horsa. There is no boot drive or no Operating System. Read here:

If your Mac starts up to a question mark – Apple Support (UK)

A folder with a flashing question mark means that your startup disk is no longer available or doesn't contain a working Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

The crucial question is: have you got a working Backup (BU) - eg Time Machine or a Cloned BU?

If not, then you are at the mercy of the Data Recovery industry if your data is critical. I'm sorry.

Ian

I can see the drives in disk utility, so doesn't it mean that the ssd didn't died?

 

[MacInWin]

Where is this folder with the question mark? If you have an alias to a folder and then delete or move the original, the alias will show a question mark. However, if it's the boot drive, as Horsa and Ian assumed, then the folder with question mark appears on boot. So, where is it?

 

[IWT]

You see there existence; but from your description in your first post,

i discovered in the internal thread of disk utility under apple ssd there is a grey writing and when i click this i saw no available area and it's full of others, i tried to erase all of the things and install macOS again but i cant erase anything.

I'm still inclined to think the Hard Drive is dying/dead. When you went into Recovery Mode, you tried First Aid, but, unless I've misread your post, nothing happened??

And BTW, you haven't answered the critical question: any backups? TM or Cloned?

Jake made a valid point and an answer to that will be interesting.

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

Ian, it's clear the OP doesn't know much about the drive structure or would not have tried to delete the "other" stuff on the SSD that is critical to the operation of the drive. The good news was that the attempt appears to have been defeated by the system. With the new APFS approach of Container/Volume and the separation of "Macintosh HD" and "Macintosh HD - Data" and the addition of the other small Volumes in the same container, the novice who first looks at it thinks all that "other" stuff must not be needed. But it is.

 

[IWT]

Agreed, Jake. Totally logical. What next?

Nice to know if there were BUs too.

Ian

 

[kasrahpz]

Ian, it's clear the OP doesn't know much about the drive structure or would not have tried to delete the "other" stuff on the SSD that is critical to the operation of the drive. The good news was that the attempt appears to have been defeated by the system. With the new APFS approach of Container/Volume and the separation of "Macintosh HD" and "Macintosh HD - Data" and the addition of the other small Volumes in the same container, the novice who first looks at it thinks all that "other" stuff must not be needed. But it is.

macbook 12 retina 2016 i uploaded the photos, sorry i dont know about macbook that much, but the ssd is integrated to motherboard so i cant change it that easily, pls i need help

 

[kasrahpz]

@kasrahpz

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums. I'm truly sorry for your misfortune.

I agree with Member Horsa. There is no boot drive or no Operating System. Read here:

If your Mac starts up to a question mark – Apple Support (UK)

A folder with a flashing question mark means that your startup disk is no longer available or doesn't contain a working Mac operating system.

support.apple.com

The crucial question is: have you got a working Backup (BU) - eg Time Machine or a Cloned BU?

If not, then you are at the mercy of the Data Recovery industry if your data is critical. I'm sorry.

Ian

im total novice to macbook or anything that technical, the ssd is integrated to motherboard so i cant change it that easily, i uploaded the photos if you have time pls look at them macbook 12 retina 2016

 

[IWT]

@kasrahpz

I know this sounds like pestering you, but it's not a technical question at all: Do you have ANY backups of your data or system? ie Time Machine or a Cloned backup.

I must assume a Cloned BU is not on given your own comments about "technical skills". But Time Machine is a backup of your data, settings etc which comes with the Mac. That is, there is a Time Machine app. All it requires from the user is to attach an External Hard Drive (EHD) to the Mac via USB lead and Time Machine does the rest.

I'm guessing you passed up on that as well??

The reason for pestering you on this point is that with a Time Machine backup, we could restore all your data & settings on to a new Internal Drive on your Mac if that ever became necessary.

i uploaded the photos if you have time pls look at them macbook 12 retina 2016

Where? We usually ask people to insert Screenshots or Photos into their post. To do that, when you are posting here, Click on here as in this screenshot:


You will then see this:



Drag/Drop your image in the box.

Ian

 

[kasrahpz]

@kasrahpz

I know this sounds like pestering you, but it's not a technical question at all: Do you have ANY backups of your data or system? ie Time Machine or a Cloned backup.

I must assume a Cloned BU is not on given your own comments about "technical skills". But Time Machine is a backup of your data, settings etc which comes with the Mac. That is, there is a Time Machine app. All it requires from the user is to attach an External Hard Drive (EHD) to the Mac via USB lead and Time Machine does the rest.

I'm guessing you passed up on that as well??

The reason for pestering you on this point is that with a Time Machine backup, we could restore all your data & settings on to a new Internal Drive on your Mac if that ever became necessary.



Where? We usually ask people to insert Screenshots or Photos into their post. To do that, when you are posting here, Click on here as in this screenshot:

View attachment 34513
You will then see this:

View attachment 34514

Drag/Drop your image in the box.

Ian

also there's nothing in backup source, thank you for answer

 

[kasrahpz]

@kasrahpz

I know this sounds like pestering you, but it's not a technical question at all: Do you have ANY backups of your data or system? ie Time Machine or a Cloned backup.

I must assume a Cloned BU is not on given your own comments about "technical skills". But Time Machine is a backup of your data, settings etc which comes with the Mac. That is, there is a Time Machine app. All it requires from the user is to attach an External Hard Drive (EHD) to the Mac via USB lead and Time Machine does the rest.

I'm guessing you passed up on that as well??

The reason for pestering you on this point is that with a Time Machine backup, we could restore all your data & settings on to a new Internal Drive on your Mac if that ever became necessary.



Where? We usually ask people to insert Screenshots or Photos into their post. To do that, when you are posting here, Click on here as in this screenshot:

View attachment 34513
You will then see this:

View attachment 34514

Drag/Drop your image in the box.

Ian

 

[kasrahpz]

@kasrahpz

I know this sounds like pestering you, but it's not a technical question at all: Do you have ANY backups of your data or system? ie Time Machine or a Cloned backup.

I must assume a Cloned BU is not on given your own comments about "technical skills". But Time Machine is a backup of your data, settings etc which comes with the Mac. That is, there is a Time Machine app. All it requires from the user is to attach an External Hard Drive (EHD) to the Mac via USB lead and Time Machine does the rest.

I'm guessing you passed up on that as well??

The reason for pestering you on this point is that with a Time Machine backup, we could restore all your data & settings on to a new Internal Drive on your Mac if that ever became necessary.



Where? We usually ask people to insert Screenshots or Photos into their post. To do that, when you are posting here, Click on here as in this screenshot:

View attachment 34513
You will then see this:

View attachment 34514

Drag/Drop your image in the box.

Ian

i dont have anything as a backup, sorry

 

[MacInWin]

From the pictures, you have no system, no data and no way to recover it. So, at this point, about all you can do is to reinstall the system from the internet. That's what the one picture with the globe was offering to do.

Let me ask you HOW did you get the Disk Utility running to take the pictures? From the pictures, as I said, you have no system. Did you boot into recovery? If you did that, then you can reformat the drive and reinstall the OS from that menu. Here is Apple's article on how to reinstall the system: About macOS Recovery on Intel-based Mac computers

If you do that process, you will be able to reinstall the OS. Sadly, all of your data and files are gone. Next time, make backups.

 

[kasrahpz]

From the pictures, you have no system, no data and no way to recover it. So, at this point, about all you can do is to reinstall the system from the internet. That's what the one picture with the globe was offering to do.

Let me ask you HOW did you get the Disk Utility running to take the pictures? From the pictures, as I said, you have no system. Did you boot into recovery? If you did that, then you can reformat the drive and reinstall the OS from that menu. Here is Apple's article on how to reinstall the system: About macOS Recovery on Intel-based Mac computers

If you do that process, you will be able to reinstall the OS. Sadly, all of your data and files are gone. Next time, make backups.

the problem is when i try to install macOS from recovery it doesn't show any drive so i cant, i don't care about my information i got the important ones saved online, i just want my pc work pls help me

 

[MacInWin]

Ok, in Disk Utility select the top item, the one in your images named "Apple SSD AP05.." and then erase it. That will, if the SSD is working, let you erase and reformat the SSD. Name it "Macintosh HD." Choose GUID partitioning. Then go back to the Recovery menu and install the OS to the drive.

 

[kasrahpz]

Ok, in Disk Utility select the top item, the one in your images named "Apple SSD AP05.." and then erase it. That will, if the SSD is working, let you erase and reformat the SSD. Name it "Macintosh HD." Choose GUID partitioning. Then go back to the Recovery menu and install the OS to the drive.

when I try to delete the drive this message comes

 

[MacInWin]

The drive has failed. The only fix is to replace the logic board, which will be expensive. You can contact Apple to see what they will charge to replace it, or you can go through an authorized Apple repair facility to do the same thing.