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umdjb

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 27, 2006
220
0
Washington D.C.
So I came back from class today and booted up my MBP and I get to the gray screen and it doesnt load, but instead sits there with a blinking image of the Earth, yes, the Earth.

What does this mean? Should I be worried, do I have a virus?

Thanks!
 

0007776

Suspended
Jul 11, 2006
6,473
8,170
Somewhere
I don't think that it is a virus unless you got the first Mac virus out there. But I have never seen it either. could you post a picture?
 

daneoni

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2006
11,844
1,579
I assume you mean this?

Its trying to boot from a Network drive instead of the default startup disk i.e your Hard Drive.
 

umdjb

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 27, 2006
220
0
Washington D.C.
if anyone would like a video of it PM me

so what does it mean that it is trying to boot from a network drive instead of a hard drive? What would cause that?
 

MacBoobsPro

macrumors 603
Jan 10, 2006
5,114
6
Try holding down option/alternate when starting up. You should get the option to choose the startup disk. Choose your hardrive.
 

daneoni

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2006
11,844
1,579
if anyone would like a video of it PM me

so what does it mean that it is trying to boot from a network drive instead of a hard drive? What would cause that?

Its means its searching for a Networked HDD instead of your built in HDD. Why does it do this?...i have no clue. I cant remember how i solved mine but a quick search on how to select startup disks should help.

EDIT: What MacBoobs said.
 

beefy23

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2007
41
0
So I came back from class today and booted up my MBP and I get to the gray screen and it doesnt load, but instead sits there with a blinking image of the Earth, yes, the Earth.

What does this mean? Should I be worried, do I have a virus?

Thanks!

It means that you somehow got transported out to a parallel universe and your Mac is intelligently trying to locate home as you know it and get you back there :D , sorry couldn't resist!
 

BigPrince

macrumors 68020
Dec 27, 2006
2,053
111
Someone is broadcasting a bootable network device. One of the reasons its used is to facilate imaging multiple computers at the same time. For some reason your computer has decided in its boot order that it will seek a network drive before a hard drive.

Holding option upon startup will provide you a list of bootable devices. Choose your internal harddrive.

This should not be occuring at your house though...this could be possible at a school or facility with many Apple Computers.
 
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