PowerPC :: Dead IBook - Flashing - Folder On Gray Screen Back Ground
Jul 11, 2009
I have recently come across an extremely cheap ibook (free) which i was able to keep if I got it too work. Well I've been successfully fairly by using it for a few weeks, then it just died. Not sure how it did but it did. The problems seem to be with the flashing (Finder/?) folder on a gray screen back ground. I've already run through the [URL] tutorials of what's wrong and have successfully done a PRAM and a PMU reset with no result. One of the times that I restarted the iBook and after the flashing folder got two new separate folders. One with an arrow turning clockwise on the left, and another folder with an arrow pointing right on the right. Both in blue folders as the flashing folders. Now I believe the problem is that the iBook is unable to find and utilize the Startup Disk. Forums I have read state to put in the reinstall disc, which I don't see how that will work on account of the CD tray not responding to anything I've yet put in there. Not trying with disc until i know that is the only possible solution. Don't want to loose my disc. Maybe some of you have come across this situation and know of a sure fire way to fix it. If not, Ill have to just send it in to some site.
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May 14, 2007
I signed up here to ask a life or death question for my iBook G3 While transferring through an airport last week on one of those moveable walkways, I got clipped off by another passenger who was running through the terminal to catch his flight. Unfortunately, he somehow managed to send my briefcase- with the iBook- sailing ten feet accross the terminal, landing onto the floor with a sickening thud. Although the iBook was fortunately in a protective notebook cover, and there were no cracks to be seen when I retreived it, my attempts to fire up the iBook have failed. That is, when turning the machine on, everything seems to lead me on that its going to run normally- the OS9 to OS10.3 transfer clicks in, I get the grey apple symbol on the grey background with the running circle below- and then nothing. The grey screen goes on, and on, and on. I tried it again this morning and it stayed like this for an hour. Worse, I cannot simply turn the machine off without hitting the reset button, and all attempts to reinstall the programs or do a hardware test lead to nothing. If I had more time, I'd probably search high and low through the forums to see if there was anything I could do to bring the iBook back to life. Unfortunately, I have to leave in two days again, and wanted to bring the laptop with me. is there some way that I can get this dear old beast running again, or is it curtains for my beloved iBook?
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Apr 11, 2012
All of a sudden screen stays gray and flashing folder with "?" on it
Info:
MacBook
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Jun 17, 2012
I just bought a new iMac. I have been trying all week (with no success) to transfer files and apps from my previous iMac. The last time I tried to transfer, I used target mode on the old computer. It looked as if it was finally working, so I left with 2+ hours remaining on the transfer. When I returned, the computer was frozen and nothing would work. So I held the power button to turn it off. When I tried to turn it back on, there was only a gray screen with a flashing folder with a question mark. I feel like I have tried everything listed in other discussions. The only thing I am not able to try is to reinstall Lion because the new computer did NOT come with an OSX disc of any type.
Info:
iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.4)
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Dec 29, 2008
My iBook G4 will not boot even from DVD.Boot with option does not show the hard drive, but shows the Tiger dvd.Memory access error shows at open boot.How can I get this thing to boot?
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Sep 30, 2007
I have an iBook G3 Clamshell 466MHz with 192mb RAM and 10GB HD. I recently updated the OS from 9.2.2 to Panther on a single partition. The upgrade went flawlessly.Then I purchased a 512mb RAM module from a 3rd Party Vendor and after fitting it discovered the iBook no longer boots past the flashing folder/?.
I removed the new ram and replaced the 128mb module but haven't been able to boot past this flashing folder/? icon. I've zapped the PRAM, reset Open Firmware, disconnected the Keyboard then booted, reset the PMU (need to do this each boot or I see black screen only) and tried to boot from the Panther Disc #1 holding the 'C' key. I also tried TDM with my Intel Mac Core 2 Duo but couldn't boot past the flashing folder/? icon.
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Mar 13, 2008
Well, a friend of mine spilled wine on my ibook g4. Other than trying to decide how much if not all of it to ask her to pay(my wine, but on an armrest and I was in the other room), I was wondering if anyone can fix suggestions. We got the battery out and it unplugged right away, but when I turn it on the screen violently flashes on and off. It does seem to run fine other than that, though.
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May 5, 2007
after my six year old daughter dropped it(on hardwood floor).
I tried this:
<command> <opt> <p> <r> Letting it chime 4 times. But, no luck - it just sits there witht the gray screen/dark gray apple logo and that thing twirling around like it's thinking.
check that I've left it on and it has now worked its way to the blue screen. Cursor shows up and the twirling thing is gone(as are the little clicking noises inside like it's actually trying to do someting).
Now you're really going to let me have it. I don't have any of my original disks.
Guess I should take it to the Apple store and see what they say(no applecare).
I was running Tiger(latest version) and the ibook G4 is a 1.33 with 768mb of ram if that matters.
Luckily all my photo's and music are on my powerbook and mac mini.
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Jul 17, 2007
Basically, the iBook G4 (last revision) will not turn on. What is happening I press the power button, the iBook chimes, HDD makes its regular "computer was just turned on" noises and then the computer sits at the Grey Screen and the little swirly loading thing comes up and nothing else happens. What happened before the issue I was browsing the web last night and before turning it off for the night I ran MainMenu's batch tasks. I have been using MainMenu for several months with zero issues up till now. My sister said she needed to use my computer for a few minutes so I turned it back on. It sat at the Grey Screen for 15 minutes so I force shut down and tried again. After another 15 minutes I went to bed (it was getting late) and left it to see what happened over night. Somewhere in my 8 hours of sleep the computer gave up and turned itself off. I have not heard any tell-tale signs of an HDD failure - no clicking, buzzing or scratchy noises. Possible Culprits UNO - has been installed for over a month but it does have access to system files so I'm not clearing its name. MainMenu - Been using for a while but it was the last thing I did before the problem arose. What I've done to fix it - Reset the PMU by pressing Shift + Option + Control + Power Button - Boot off restore disk and repaired the disk in Disk Utility. The volume bit map and volume information needed repair. is the poor sucker dead?
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Dec 30, 2010
I'm trying to resurrect an iBook (translucent white case, 14.1 LCD) that was long neglected, so not sure on its past service history. The following do NOT work: - won't boot up past the gray screen with Apple logo and spinning gear icon (just hangs) - same problem if I try to boot from install DVD ("c" or using "option" then selecting DVD) - same problem with safe boot with "shift" - reset PRAM It will connect via firewire target disk mode to another computer, and I used that to completely wipe the disk and do a clean install of 10.5. When I tried booting into single-user mode (cmd-s), it fills about 2/3 of the screen with normal-looking messages, but then hangs after this (no keyboard response): Got boot device = IOService... [various other stuff] BSD root: disk0s6, major 14, minor 5 I'm out of ideas. Any suggestions? The machine is old enough that it's probably not worth the diagnostic fee of the local Apple shop. Since I can't get it to boot, I can't even run TechTools.
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Nov 22, 2008
I purchased a used ibook from owc in January and have had it back to them twice for repairs. Lately, it stopped booting up again and they told me to use [URL] to take the mobo out and ship it to Arizona to have the solder refloated. I did and got it back, put it together and it would boot up, only to run for 15 minutes and shut down. Thinking I missed something, I dissasembled it today and reassembled it. Now it turns on with a blank screen, the fan runs on high, and it will go no further. I tried to reset the power manager, reset the p-ram, the hard drive is only a few months old and my brain is getting fried with frustration.
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Apr 28, 2008
i just upgraded my ibook g3 hd to 20gb. i put in my tiger install disc 1 and i let it go while i was out of the room. i heard the startup chime from another room, later i went to see it with a blue screen and mouse cursor. it wouldn't do anything. then i restarted it with the install disc again, holding C down, and it booted to a grey screen which after about a minute went to the flashing folder with the ? mark.
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Dec 30, 2008
A friend of mine brought over his 14" iBook G4, 1.33GHz, 60GB HDD and 1.25 GB RAM. The problem with it is that upon start-up, the grey screen with the apple/turning gear comes up, then after a few moments a blue screen will appear, though no box showing the start-up process. I've run a few basic diagnostics on this, including the lovely disk utility (which did nothing), I've run fsck, zapped the PRAM, etc, no success as of yet. At one point, I received a screen with alternating folders, one showing the smiley mac face, the other folder with a flashing "?". I cannot replicate this for the life of me. I have attempted to acquire files via TDM, though am not able to see the hard drive despite using 2 different laptops. Possibly the firewire cable itself is spent, though it's brand new! Here is where I become increasingly frustrated: I ask my friend for the boot disks as the ones for my own 12" iBook don't work (for whatever reason). He tells me that he loaded Leopard this summer (currently running 10.5.2, no updates loaded since), then proceeds to bring over boot discs for a MacBook...:headdesk: To begin with, it seemed like the HDD was fried, however, after running disk utility (and not hearing any negative sounds), it does appear that the HDD is fine. I'm thinking a kernel panic, though not sure how to resolve these.
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Nov 1, 2006
So I've got a powerbook G4, thats 8 days past its warranty. Conveniently, it now won't turn on. It won't wont boot from CD. If I turn it on, I get a gray screen that usually just turns my computer back off, if thats not the case I get a screen that shows the finder icon and a question mark and then turns off.
All it will do is boot into open firmware mode. Currently the install disc is inside of it and I've tried booting the cd using "cd:, bxi" and "dir hd", and it can't open both. Does anyone know how to wipe the HD, and start the installer using firmware? Otherwise, I think I'll have to take out the harddrive and plug it into an external case and then wipe it.
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Sep 23, 2006
Ever since I sold it here on MR and got it back, there has been a problem with my 12" Dual USB iBook G3 500MHz's screen (lord, that's a long name). Whenever the screen is tilted back farther than 45 degrees or so, the backlight shuts off. I can open the casing and fix it if it's possible. Does anyone know what the problem with it is? I'm trying to get it fixed up and ready to sell back to my friend as his first Mac, and I'm trying to get every problem resolved
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Nov 29, 2010
I have an ibook that boots up first to the flashing folder with the question mark then quickly loads to apple screen , then into the os x. This just started happening but I've never seen it before is this a bad sign?
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Nov 19, 2006
My iBook G4 is dead (can't turn it on, get power, anything - RIP, iBook) and I've already ordered a new MacBook. However, a CD is stuck in the disk drive and I can't get it out...Any ideas on how to manually do this?
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Nov 13, 2010
I have a 5 year old Ibook G4, which I belive just quit on me 4 nights ago. Ive had problems with it the last couple of months, like spotlight not longer working, the wifi indicatior, batteri indicator and the clock dissapeard from the top hand right corner.. and could not seem to get them turned on again. What happend; I was going to watch a movie with VLC, which kept switching itself of, I tried to restart it several times,. I then restarted the whole computer, but it would not boot up to the OS, but instead it was a black screen with a few lines written, but it did not stay on long enough that I could see what was written. Afterwards the window with MacOSX is starting up.. and the regular light blue screen. Then the MacOSX "tablet" dissapeard, and all that where visible was the light blue screen, and the mouse courser.. I could not turn up or down the brighness of the screen, nor would the volume. I restartet the machine 3-4 times but the same results. Tried the morning after, but to no use. I did download a Flash blocker program 2 days prioer to this happening, but I dont think that would "kill" of the Mac. I did try to restart it after some advice on another board, with holding the Shift button in.. this is what happend.
Darwin/BSD(m192k.studeby.ntnu.no)(console)
login:
password:
Then I wrote some jibberish as login and password.. it just keeps repeating itself over and over again. I pulled out the network cable, and restart.. and this appears:
Uninet: monitor linkstatus, link is down
My name - ibook - g4. local (console)
Login:
Password:
Also, I held in apple+s and wrote /sbin/fsck - fy, let it run through and it said: Found 34 files, should be 35. HD was sucessfully reparied. Mac HD appears OK. Then I rebooted. all that happens is I get the light blue screen, and the mouse courser.. which works fine. What has happend to my machine? Is it dead? It's only 5 years old.. it has had such a short life.
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Jun 23, 2007
a friend of mine with an ibook g4 1.4 ghz, Is having some troubles as he described it to me; an apple comes on the screen and blinks off
then the screen turns white the whole screen then it turns red then blue then green every 3 seconds do you guys have any idea what this could be he is out of the apple warranty.
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Jun 30, 2007
My iBook G4 has dropped dead--the hard drive is toast, and it won't boot. I had everything backed up, and I bought a shiny new Macbook Pro to replace it, so I thought all was well. I still had a DVD in the dead iBook's drive. Does anybody have any ideas how to eject the durn thing, when the computer won't boot?
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Sep 8, 2007
My mum has an trusty iBook G4, and finally, after ~4 years now, the battery is on the fritz. I have tried resetting PMU, but it appears the battery itself is on the way out. Is it worth purchasing a new battery for it? Or should I tell her to take the plunge and buy a low-end Macbook [non pro] to replace it?
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Dec 31, 2006
I have just bought an old ibook g3 on ebay, the battery in it is dead, if the battery is one of the ones effected in the recall will I apple just send me a new one even thought the battery is already dead?
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Jun 27, 2007
I've been given an iBook g4 (Late 2004 Model according to apple) and... It's completely dead! No lights come up on the Battery when I press the button. I've tried restting the PMU..But nothing yet. I dont have the offical Apple plug, its a replacement one. Can that make much of a difference?
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Jul 27, 2008
My iBook G4 is refusing to turn on. Yesterday it started going really slow and pressing the power button wasn't bringing up the usual options, so I held the power button to switch it off. On turning it back on it got stuck on the screen with the Apple logo and spinner for a long time so again I powered it off with the holding of the button. I then let it cool down (it was really hot) but now when I switch it on the spinner spins around 6 times then it turns itself off. It is still chiming. I'm away from home and don't have any discs - anything I can try or is it time for the Genius bar?
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Jul 2, 2010
My iBook of six years gave up the ghost last week It's so old, I can't see any point in getting it fixed. Just wondering if it's worth selling some of the parts on eBay or the like? Airport Extreme card, battery, adapter etc.
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Jul 6, 2009
All of my other system preferences work... I am not sure what to do.
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Dec 7, 2010
I bought it refurbished almost two years ago. For several months it has been occasionally showing the flashing question mark on start up. Usually I will restart it in safeboot and then restart and it's fine. This has gone on for a while. I wasn't sure what that was about and have not been successful in finding information about if that was common and what to do about it. (I have two babies so not a lot of time to spend searching for answers when things aren't dire) It usually seemed that if a disc was left in the notebook and/or the top shut without being properly shutdown before hand, this would happen.
Well just a bit ago it was froze on a spinning wheel and I force quit the program it was stuck on and not long after shut it down. Now it won't get past the flashing question mark. I thought it was a startup issue. Now I'm worried it might be a hard-drive issue. My second child's birth video is on there! I know, I should have backed up. I tried Shift on start up and that didn't work. I tried Command+V on start up and that did nothing. I don't have another Mac to hook it up to, just my old trusty PC
My main concern is the files like photos, music, and videos on the hard drive. My husband is not working at the moment so we can't spend a lot of money on it and the nearest Mac Genius bar is over an hour away. Looking for some good advice!
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Nov 28, 2008
My beloved iBook 1.33 wont boot, has flashing? and freezes when I try to boot from original CD with a bunch of vertical lines. I ran the diagnostic DVD and it says Invalid memory access. I removed the external ram chip for computer and still get same error. I also zapped PRAM, reset NMVU (whatever it's called). I already have the iBooks case open and willing to try anything.
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Sep 11, 2014
on startup, macbook pro showed flashing gray folder with question mark, but no startup. After several retries, now shows circle with diagonal diameter, and still no startup. worked fine yesterday.
Info:
MacBook Pro
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Apr 30, 2012
Saturday, my Macbook was working ok and I left it for a few minutes. When I returned, it instructed me to press and hold the power button to restart it. I did, but the only thing that came up (and still does) is the gray folder with a ? flashing. I took it to the Apple store and they said the hard drive was dead and wanted to sell me another hard drive. A different computer repair person (not at Apple) told me that he could re-install the operating system but that all the files would have to be wiped from the hard drive.. Now, I'm just a bit confused and think this hard drive might be salvagable. The Apple store said the hard drive is not even visible with the test they ran. However, Apple.com gives me an option to insert the installation disc and try rebooting. I bought this remanufactured and it did not come with a disc. I do NOT have those discs.
Question: is there anything that I can do to recover the hard drive, or, at least, the files I stored there? I just restarted it, held down Cntrl C and the screen is gray with no flashing ?.
Info:
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.3)
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