Plz help RE macbook won't start and shows folder with question mark

[budge9]

Hey. My macbook is coming up to a year old but I bought the applecare protection plan so I'm covered for 3 years. This morning my macbook just suddenly seemed to freeze and there was a loud beeping noise when I tried to reboot it. Now whenever I try to turn it on I just get a folder icon flashing with a question mark in it. I believe by reading other posts in this forum that this means that my HD is toast. However some ppl have said to put the installation cd in and try to repair it in some way. However there is already a dvd in my macbook so could somebody please tell me how I can get it out?!

So now I probably going to have to take it in to the apple shop in london to get repaired but when I went on the internet to book i take it that I'm supposed to be going to the genius bar? Sorry it's just that this is my first mac so i'm still getting used to it.

Also anybody who has had this problem and had apple take it away to repair could you please tell me how long it took them to repair it and is there anyway that I could not lose everything that i have saved on it??

Thanks a million for everything!!!

 

[CanadaRAM]

The flashing ? means that there is no bootable OS detected. This MAY be because of hard drive failure, but more often it is because the OS software on the hard drive has become corrupted.

Unplug all peripheral devices except mouse and keyboard. Restart (hold the Power key down 6 seconds if you have to)

To eject an optical disk at boot time, hold down the mouse button throughout the boot procedure.

To boot from you OSX CD, insert the CD and boot with the "C" key held down throughout the boot procedure.

Go to Utilities menu at the top of the Installer screen, run a "Repair Disk" on your hard drive. Presuming it passes OK, then proceed to the installer, choose Options, and do an Archive and Install (do NOT do an Update or an Erase and install) and the OS will be reinstalled, preserving your User, applications and data.

 

[budge9]

Thanks v much. Just one question- i do have a wireless mouse for it but I havent been using it with it and I've tried to start it up pressing down the mouse button but nothing seems to happen. Is ther any other way that I can get the dvd out??
Thanks a million!!!

 

[KingYaba]

Ask around for someone's wired mouse.

 

[budge9]

Thanks. I just put in the installation cd but it can't find a destination to install the Mac OSX software so I guess that means that the HD is toast and I should take it in right??? Thanks a million!

 

[budge9]

Sorry but when I go to the menu there is
startup disk
reset password
disk utility
terminal
system profiler and
network utility
which one am i supposed to press?
Thanks!

 

[Osarkon]

If you want to try repairing the disk? Disk Utility.

 

[budge9]

Just thought I'd let you know what happened in case anyone else has the same problem.
After accepting that my HD was toast I went online to reserve a time to visit the genius bar at the apple store but none were available till next week. A friend of mine thought that this was crap so offered to take it in for me as he was passing anyway. When he got there he was told that he had to make an appointment but after pointing out that he hadn't needed to make an appointment when he bought the now faulty machine, the manager agreed for someone to look at it. At first they said they would have to send it away to get a new HD, but soon changed their minds to say that they would do it and it would be ready 4 hours later.
I just wanted to tell anybody else with the same problem this incase it helps them get it fixed quicker. To be honest I think that I only really got it fixed because not many people dare to take them on and take it in without an appointment. I hope this helps!