A  question mark on your Mac computer screen at boot-up could mean one of two things. The first is not a big deal at all. The second could mean you're facing the loss of your Mac data, including your iTunes, photos, videos, documents and everything else on your Mac hard drive. 

How can you tell whether you have a big flashing question mark problem and need Mac data recovery, or an issue you can solve yourself?

 If your computer starts up normally after a brief delay, you probably don't need Mac data recovery. You may just need to re-select the Startup Disk preferences in Mac OS X. On Mac OS9, go to the Startup Disk control panel to make your selection. Select the correct startup disk (usually your hard drive) and you're good to go.

If the problem occurs again, or if your computer fails to start up at all, you may need Mac data recovery to access your data. But there are still a few other do-it-yourself solutions before you begin the data recovery process with data recovery experts.

First, use a system software DVD and start up your Macintosh computer. Then repair the hard drive using your Disk Utility. To access this choice, insert the Mac OS X install or restore disk, restart the computer, holding down the C key. Then choose Disk Utility from the Apple menu. Click the “First Aid” tab, then “Repair disk.”

If this doesn't work, reset your Mac's PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) using the instructions on Apple's support website. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

If this doesn't work either, you may need to do a complete Mac OS re-install, which means the data on your Mac may be lost. After you re-install the Mac OS, do not save any data or write any additional files to your Mac hard drive.

Call 24HourData, experts in Mac Data Recovery, to help you retrieve your lost data with a free, 24-hour diagnostic and our fast, friendly, personalized service. We will not void your warranty.