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Anonymous Posted on Oct 25, 2013

White screen and small question mark inside a folder

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Mark Leci

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  • Posted on Mar 14, 2016
Mark Leci
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This means that the operating system cannot find the file system. Generally this is a sign that the hard drive has failed. The first thing I would try would be to boot from the OS X install disc and see if it can locate the drive to reinstall the operating system. If it can, you may be able to fix it that way. If it can't, likely the drive has failed and needs to be replaced.

FYI if the drive is 'almost' failed, I have had success with taking it out and putting it in the freezer for a few hours, then back into the computer. It may work for long enough to allow you to back up anything you are missing.

  • Robert Blundon
    Robert Blundon Mar 18, 2016

    Mark, I use to recommend the freezer method myself until I really dug into the results.... and you are right, it has saved me as well, but it would be a very short window of time before the drive heated up, and condensation would take the drive down again anyway due to the freezing.

    If its a customers very important data, this method is rarely ever a good idea as you will be creating basically a one shot deal on recovery, and if unsuccessful, creating a near impossible recovery by professional services.

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2 Related Answers

Anonymous

  • 544 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 18, 2009

SOURCE: when turned on it just a white screen with a picture of a folder

HI,


Off hand and based on the description, it would appear that the hard drive of the computer is either faulty or the programs stored inside are corrupted. Corrective actions could be any of the following:

  • removal of the hard drive and connecting it to a SATA/IDE to USB adapter. Thereafter connect said HD to the USB port of a 2nd PC and perform disk maintenance. This would probably be the best option since if it still can be recognized and accessed, this procedure would allow you to back-up/copy your important files;
  • re-partition, re-format and re-installation of your Operating System. But then of course this would mean that your files would be deleted;
  • do a repair using the installer CD;
  • worst case scenario is a hardware problem with the HD which of course calls for a replacement.
Good luck and thank you for using FixYa.

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Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Apr 10, 2010

SOURCE: on startup, white screen with question mark folder

my mac pro laptop has white screen flashing folder with question mark it fell & when i took it to the store they told me it was the hard drive so i bought a new one and it still does the same thing so how do i fix my laptop . please help

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Flashing question mark

Sounds like your computer needs to be looked at by a tech. Usually the flashing question mark means it doesn't recognize the hard drive or is unable to locate an operating system.
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The problem in blank white screen is the display (LCD). Send it to a technician for repair. The blinking folder with a question mark is conflict on drivers. Have you installed a software lately? If you do please uninstall it. Maybe that is the cause of having a blank white screen.
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On startup, white screen with question mark folder

This usually means a corrupted disk structure. From your latest install disk, even the original, put in the CD/DVD and power up holding the C key down until it loads the installer. Answer the language question. From the Menu Bar, select Utilities or Disk Utility. In there select your drive on the left and then press Repair Disk. After no errors, press Fix Permissions. There may be some "errors" shown for permissions that can be ignored, they have used links (lrw...) where it expects none. This will most often fix the problem.
You might try a "safe mode" boot, since System 6 or before. Hold the shift key down while booting. You will not have networking or drivers for mice, etc. You may be able to Repair Disk and get things working this way. Holding the Option key down allow you to select another disk if you have bootable system on it, USB or Firewire.
There seem to be a lot of this problem lately. Just remember to Verify/Repair Disk and Fix Permissions before and after every install. -Ken
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Screen goes white, flashing a folder with a question mark

The flashing folder means that the computer can't find the boot system on the hard drive. If your girlfriend's step-dad has removed some parts of the OS, then the system will not start giving the 'flashing folder' result. You will need to re-install the OS from the system disk.
Insert the disk into the computer and it will boot from that and take you through the install procedure.
3helpful
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When turned on it just a white screen with a picture of a folder

HI,


Off hand and based on the description, it would appear that the hard drive of the computer is either faulty or the programs stored inside are corrupted. Corrective actions could be any of the following:
  • removal of the hard drive and connecting it to a SATA/IDE to USB adapter. Thereafter connect said HD to the USB port of a 2nd PC and perform disk maintenance. This would probably be the best option since if it still can be recognized and accessed, this procedure would allow you to back-up/copy your important files;
  • re-partition, re-format and re-installation of your Operating System. But then of course this would mean that your files would be deleted;
  • do a repair using the installer CD;
  • worst case scenario is a hardware problem with the HD which of course calls for a replacement.
Good luck and thank you for using FixYa.
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My mac won't start up

try re-installing the software.
looks like OS is already corrupted.

you can also call 1-800-my-apple for more help.
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Lcd screen shows white screen and black marks

you can fix the problem by having the original sansa files when you format it it deletes everything
get a friends sansa files or do this
and just because it would be a pain looking for the original files i uploaded here for people who deleted them put these files into a folder named

DATA http://www.divshare.com/download/4002990-1d7

WMDRMPD http://www.divshare.com/download/4003086-013

REFS--no files

and put them in into 1 folder named SYSTEM--make it hidden then put it on sansa

then create a music folder make it hidden

then create photo folder with thumbnail and my album folder make my album hidden

then create pictures folder make it hidden

then create playlists folder make it hidden put this file in it
http://www.divshare.com/download/4003139-94b

make a record folder with 2 folders named radio and voice

make a folder video

captilize all these except the one listed below

make a tmp folder

this should work :)


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