MacBook. Blinking question mark. Won't boot from CD or external disk.

[eyesroll]

Oh, and now the system DVD is stuck in the drive -- it wouldn't boot, and none of the standard eject mechanisms will work. Can't zap the PRAM. The only key the computer seems to recognize is the power key.

My SO (a former mac developer, but his hardware knowledge is incomplete) thinks it may be the logic board, or something else in the startup architecture, and not the hard disk, because, well, if the disk was fried, it would still start up from a non-fried disk, right?


This is the first problem of this nature I've had in 20+ years of Apple use. (Oh, my Performa 200 -- anyone remember those? -- gave me a blinking question mark but Norton fixed it right up, and it worked until I retired it for good c. 1999.)

Going to the Apple Store tomorrow...anyone have any ideas in the meantime?

[cadmium]

1. I had that problem with my old LC. I don't think that

there is much similarity betw the two systems at this point.

Did you call Apple?

My advice is to go early, bring a book, some snack bars, and your Ipod.

Promise yourself not to shop while waiting. Bring everything (discs etc ) with you.

[eyesroll]

2. I went (I managed to make an appointment). It's dead.

The hard drive is fried. The logic board is shorting (and is likely what caused the fried hard drive). Both are getting replaced (under warranty, thank god).