MBA 1237 - won't boot

[dsoren5]

I have an older first gen Macbook Air that was given to me by a friend who owed me money. It came without a hard drive, so i purchased one and installed it easy enough. However, I cannot seem to get past the flashing question mark in the folder. I've tried all the hotkeys I'm aware of when booting and can't even get a boot directory to select a device. Always just the same old flashing folder.

Edit: I do get the chime when the MBA powers on.

I've been a long time computer enthusiast so I like to think I'm pretty handy when it comes to hardware, and even sometimes software, issues. This is my first jump into the mac line (minus an Ipad 1st gen, but that hardly counts).

What can I do to get the system to allow me to get the osx installed and running.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

You probably need to boot off the Install Media and using Disk Utility, format the HD prior to installing the OS

 

[dsoren5]

How do I do that? I can't get to a startup or disk utility to allow installation from a usb or via network as I understand I should be able to. Is there a certain key set I'm missing when I'm booting or some way to open the disk utility upon boot?

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Do have the install media? If so, you might need to try this:

DVD or CD sharing: Using Remote Disc

 

[nodrama]

I have the same issue with a macbook pro (mid 2010) which has only occurred this morning. I tried resetting the PRAM to no joy.

I then took out the drive and replaced it with another and proceeded to install a fresh OS which was successful though moments into normal operations the beach-ball would appear and no actions could be performed, ie, starting apps, opening tabs, even an ls in terminal results in nout, with the only option to depress the power button and initiate a cold boot, it is then when the folder with the exclamation mark appears.

I can get in operational when resetting the 'ZIF Cables' though moments later the same results as mentioned above occurs.

I have it going now with my original hard drive in a hd caddy via usb, all is good thus I am suspecting that it is that ZIF cable mentioned which is at fault, would anyone here have had similar issues and if so how did one resolve such.

Also, where would one obtain these cables?

Thanking you in advance.

James

 

[Deligi]

Hi, I would like to know how to open a document (pages, keynote ) without open the recents, I mean open a new one directly?