Microsoft KB Archive/154391

= Flashing Question Mark During Startup =

Article ID: 154391

Article Last Modified on 7/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Apple Macintosh Operating System 7.x 7.x

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This article was previously published under Q154391



SYMPTOMS
When you start your Macintosh, a picture of a flashing question mark in a disk appears.



CAUSE
The Macintosh cannot locate a startup disk (it is asking "Where is the startup disk?").



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the following troubleshooting steps.

IMPORTANT: Try these solutions in the order in which they are presented (some problems may be fixed by using just one procedure while others may require several).

This article assumes that you have Disk Tools/First Aid or disk maintenance software.

WARNING: Before using these solutions, remember these procedures may exceed normal Microsoft support boundaries. Microsoft is not responsible for the performance of the Macintosh operating system. Also, as added protection against lost data, please ensure that you have your system disks available and that all important files are archived to a backup media. This may be the cause              Try this troubleshooting method ---

The power or data cable for the    1. Check the power and data cable external startup drive is not        connections. properly connected.

Start blocks on the startup disk   2. Use Disk Tools/First Aid your disk are damaged. maintenance software.

The Volume Information Block is    3. Use Disk Tools/First Aid or your damaged. disk maintenance software.

Parameter RAM is corrupted. 4. Zap the "PRAM."

For information about "Zapping the                                   PRAM," please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q140445

TITLE: "Troubleshooting Power                                           Macintosh                                           Type 11 Errors"

The device driver for the disk is  5. Replace the SCSI device driver, and damaged. use Disk Tools/First Aid or your disk maintenance software.

The System or Finder files are     6. Replace damaged system files. damaged or missing

Additional query words: MACSYS mac m_works

Keywords: kb3rdparty kbenv KB154391

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