Computer problem

juanborlando

juanborlando

Active member
ok, so i have an imac g5, and it all of the sudden is having a problem. i was on dashboard the other day, and it froze up, so i held the power button till it shut off. i waited a second, then turned it back on. when i turned it back on, instead of getting the sign in box, it just shows a small folder. the folder flashes a ? and the finder symbol, and i cant click or do anything. so yesterday, i just let it flash and have been using my dads computer, and after taking a shower, i came back and it was all back to normal. but after using it again, it froze again, and the little folder is back. i dont know what to do with it, and it has never even frozen before. anyone got any advice, i would really really appreciate it.
 
the flashing question mark/folder means the computer cannot find the required system software. So there's two ways to fix this; remind the computer where the startup volume is or reinstall mac osx doing an archive install to backup all of your information.

First, are you able to log in or is it now stuck for good at that flashing startup icon? If you are able to log in go to system preferences. Go to startup disk and reselect the Mac OS X 10.x.x folder then click the restart button. This now tells the computer to startup using this disk. It may fix the problem.

For the next part, I have to restart my computer to tell you what keys to hold down while the computer is starting up. I believe it is either command or X. But let me know if you can do the first thing.
 
okay, if your computer is stuck at the flashing icon restart the mac. Hold down the option key while the mac is starting up, this will prompt the computer to display the bootable drives and allow you to choose one. Does a Mac OS X folder appear? If so select it then click the foward arrow.

Let me know if any of this works. If it doesn't then you'll probably have to reinstall os x but don't worry you won't lose any of your information.
 
ok, so i held the option key when it was starting up, and it gave me the foward key and a little spiral key. but nothing else came up. so if i put in the osx cd, r u sure it wont lose any of my stuff?
 
as long as you do an archive install. You have to select "archive install". If you phone applecare they will walk you through all the steps.
 
hahaha finally some asshole has come up with a good virus for mac's..its about time i am sicka nd tired of hear get a mac because it doesnt have that many virsus...well screw that mac is going down
 
it's not a virus buddy, sometimes the system information becomes corrupted. It's rare but it does happen.
 
ok. so, i put in the osx disc. and everything is ok until it asks me to select a destination for the installation. nothing comes up, and i know that it should be the hardrive. what should i do?
 
"ok, so i have an imac g5"

theres your problem.

but seriously the folder icon means that it cant find an OS. you have 3 choices I recomend doing them in order

1- restart your computer a couple of times and hope that it boots up. (sometimes it does that with my Mac. it cant find an OS I restart it like 2 or 3 times and it magically finds an OS)

2- put in the installation CD boot off the CD (hold the C key when the mac starts up. and run the first aid utility.

3- do the same thing as above but do a full install. I recomend you format the hard drive and do a zero fill. this will write zeros on every nook and cranny of the hard drive making sure that if you have any bad disk errors they will be written over.

4-if step 3 failed then your hard drive is dead. the question about hard drives dying isnt will it die its when will it die. so go to the store buy a new one put it in your case and install apple OSX.

you can get a 320 gig hd for under 100 bucks and 250 gig hd for under 70. so their not very expensive.
 
thats what happens when your system has been designed by fucken hippies.

in windows it gives you a clear message of whats wrong "operating system not found"

with mac? you get a box with a fucken question mark.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
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