i need help urgently. When i start my macbook air, its suddenly came out a question mark with a folder ( seems that it doesn't recognise the hardisk). I try many time to restart and its the same. Then i try to restart using macbook air install disk and press C button to reinstall the leopard but when installation , it cant recognise my hardisk. what should i do?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
i need help urgently..macbook air cant start
- Thread starter roslee7
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Since you can boot OK to your Leopard (the MBA restore DVD), you can run Disk Utility on your hard drive. After you select language, you can get to the utility menu. Select Disk Utility - see if your hard drive is seen as a device. If so, you might be able to do a Repair Disk. If that's successful, try restarting on your hard drive.
So, no device shows at all on the left hand like (besides the DVD/CD drive)?
Try running System Profiler, under Serial ATA (SATA). Under the list of information about the drive (assuming there IS any), check the SMART status. If the status is "About to Fail" or "Fail", you'll have replace the hard drive.
If it's OK, it still should show up in Disk Utility at least as a device. If it does get that far, you should be able to select volume and run the Repair Disk previously mentioned.
Otherwise, it's sounding like time to pay a visit to an Apple Store or, if you are comfortable with the internals, you could open the back and check the seating of the drive's cable connectors. Remember, this is a MacBook Air and things are REALLY tightly laid out in there - it's going to take some patients and skill to gently move sensitive cables around. Is this an original or Late 2008 model? The hard drive cable connector opens slightly differently between the two. (Risky business if you aren't qualified, experience wise.) Also, it's a "if you broke it, you pay for it" policy on self-service under warranty. Just have to weight the chance of an unseated cable versus a possible long trip to an Apple Store or days without while they service it for you. It's here I'll say my "I disavow all knowledge of this procedure and this post will self-destruct in 10 seconds.........." Suffice it to say anything you do inside is at your own risk.
It pretty hard to do remote surgery though this interface, but it could be setup on a one-one basis. Maybe MR's working on something - haven't heard of it. iChat iSight and the counterpart at the other machine should do it. Leopard's built-in screen sharing is worth the prices of admission just on its own. Of course, if it's your only machine, that won't help much unless it's a software problem.
Hope you find it's something simple. Night: sleep now.
Try running System Profiler, under Serial ATA (SATA). Under the list of information about the drive (assuming there IS any), check the SMART status. If the status is "About to Fail" or "Fail", you'll have replace the hard drive.
If it's OK, it still should show up in Disk Utility at least as a device. If it does get that far, you should be able to select volume and run the Repair Disk previously mentioned.
Otherwise, it's sounding like time to pay a visit to an Apple Store or, if you are comfortable with the internals, you could open the back and check the seating of the drive's cable connectors. Remember, this is a MacBook Air and things are REALLY tightly laid out in there - it's going to take some patients and skill to gently move sensitive cables around. Is this an original or Late 2008 model? The hard drive cable connector opens slightly differently between the two. (Risky business if you aren't qualified, experience wise.) Also, it's a "if you broke it, you pay for it" policy on self-service under warranty. Just have to weight the chance of an unseated cable versus a possible long trip to an Apple Store or days without while they service it for you. It's here I'll say my "I disavow all knowledge of this procedure and this post will self-destruct in 10 seconds.........." Suffice it to say anything you do inside is at your own risk.
It pretty hard to do remote surgery though this interface, but it could be setup on a one-one basis. Maybe MR's working on something - haven't heard of it. iChat iSight and the counterpart at the other machine should do it. Leopard's built-in screen sharing is worth the prices of admission just on its own. Of course, if it's your only machine, that won't help much unless it's a software problem.
Hope you find it's something simple. Night: sleep now.