There are few things that hit as much fear into the hearts of Mac user as the dreaded flash folder with question stigma in the center of the screen on inauguration . That ’s a signal that your Mac is ineffectual to discover its startup disk and so ineffectual to reboot .
The reasons for that range from the relatively benign ( you ’ve previously commence up from an external disk and unplugged it ) to the more serious ( your Mac ’s hard thrust has failed catastrophically ) . Whatever the case , you ’ll find advice and fixes to help in the follow clause . Read next : How to fix a Mac that wo n’t turn on
We also have acomplete template to fixing some of the most rough-cut Mac issuesandHow to set about a Mac in Safe Mode .
Put your Mac in Recovery mode
Assuming you ’re trying to bring up from your Mac ’s internal drive , the first thing to do is shut down the Mac by holding down the power button , then pop up while holding the Command and R keys until you see an Apple logo or earth . This puts your Mac in recovery mode .
From here , you could exchange the startup magnetic disk by selecting Startup Disk from the Apple menu .
Repair the disk
If you ca n’t see your startup drive , unfastened Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities windowpane . fall into place on your startup drive and chatter the First help tab . Click Run .
If the repair finish successfully , you may select the disk in Startup Disk in the Apple menu and resume .
If the fixture betray or you ca n’t see your startup phonograph recording in Disk Utilities , you ’ll postulate to erase the platter and reinstall macOS .
Back up your data
If you ’ve beget a recentTime Machine backup , quality Restore from Time Machine Backup in the macOS Utilities window .
If you ’ve got a late bootable clone made with , sayCarbon Copy ClonerorSuperDuper , you’re able to punch that in , select it as the Startup Disk and restart , and wait for the Setup Assistant .
If you have n’t cause a accompaniment , you ’ll need to make one .
Plug in a extra outside drive and spread Disk Utility . Click the Erase tabloid and erase the external parkway . When it ’s done , select Reinstall macOS from the Utilities window and ensure you choose the external phonograph recording you just erased .
Complete the Setup process and wait for your Mac to wind up . When it ’s done , confirm your data point is on the extraneous private road .
Erase your startup disk and reinstall macOS
you may now erase your Mac ’s regular inauguration cause in Disk Utility . Boot in convalescence mode again , from the external disk , and prefer Reinstall macOS , this clock time select your Mac ’s original inauguration drive . When it ’s done and your Mac has restarted , choose the migrate data option again and this metre take the international drive as the source for the information you want to move .
When that ’s done , you should have a overbold install of macOS on your inauguration private road with all your data intact .
If all else fails, consult a Genius
If none of the above kit and caboodle , your drive may have a hardware fault . The best course of action then is tomake an appointment with a Genius at your near Apple Storeand ask for help .
