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General discussion

iBook Startup

Oct 26, 2006 10:13AM PDT

We have a ibook in our computer lab running a Mac OS x 10.39 and I think one of my classmates decided he would mess around with it today. Now when you turn the ibook on a little box with a globe inside is blinking. Then it turns into a box with folder inside of it with a question mark. I think he might have put the ibook on network startup. How do I Change it back to booting from the HD.

Discussion is locked

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iBook
Oct 26, 2006 11:51AM PDT

System Prefences->Start Up Disk (under "system" category), click the one you want.

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But I can't. . . .
Oct 26, 2006 1:51PM PDT

even get to the system preferences after the blinking folder the apple logo shows up and then it doesnt do anything else.

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Oh...
Oct 26, 2006 10:06PM PDT

This once happened to me, and I just waited awhile and it found it itself. If that dosen't happen, go to the Apple Store, and they can fix it there.

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Ok so I....
Oct 27, 2006 7:10AM PDT

left the computer on over night and when I came back to class it was working fine again. Thanks for all your help.

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Flashing Question Mark
Oct 26, 2006 10:50PM PDT

This happens when the system cannot find a valid system folder on ANY startup volume.
Even if the machine is set to Network Boot it will also search the CD player and the HD if it cannot find a valid Network system folder.
Your first course of action is to attempt to boot from a CD. Using the Restore disks or an OS X installation disk.
Insert the disk into the slot and power up the machine. Hold the C key down until you see something other than the flashing question mark.
If the machine fails to boot, after several attempts, there is a possibility that the logic board is suspect. If it does boot, this would indicate that the HD directories or the system have become corrupt. Disk Warrior will fix the former while an Archive and Install of the system will cure the latter.
All data will be retained with the A & I

Try the above and let us know how you got on. It's cheaper than the Apple Store


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