Random appearance of question mark folder at startup on MacBook Pro

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Level 1

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Random appearance of question mark folder at startup on MacBook Pro

My macbook pro (13 inch, mid 2012) randomly but not frequently, at stratup shows the folder with a interrogation sign, after various attempts at different time intervals, it continues to display it. A day after, when I turn on my macbook it's normal again, no question mark folder and works fine for months. I used to believe it was something related to the HDD being old so I had installed a new SSD, but the issue continues to randomly occur, even with different OSXs. I've not been able to pinpoint the cause for this, I'm at a loss, any help would be greatly appreciated. Best regards.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Random Question Mark Folder

Posted on Oct 8, 2025 6:01 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Galt

Level 10

154,756 points

Oct 8, 2025 7:09 PM in response to Confusedtzio

Given the fact you already replaced the SSD to no avail you should also consider replacing its SATA cable. They are prone to failure on that model Mac. They are inexpensive and should be replaced as a matter of course when replacing the HDD.

In addition to D.I. Johnson's recommendations, corrupted NVRAM could also cause an inability to find the startup drive. It should not occur randomly though, which suggests it's not the cause. Reset it to defaults anyway: Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support.

"When your Mac finishes starting up, you might need to adjust any system settings that were reset."

Those settings include sound / volume preferences, etc.

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Answer 2

Oct 8, 2025 6:35 PM in response to Confusedtzio

That folder w question mark indicates corrupted or missing startup OS, or a failing hdd or ssd.

If your Mac starts up to a question mark - Apple Support

You might run the First Aid routines in Dusk Utility and see if it can spot and repair any issues.

How to repair a Mac storage device with Disk Utility - Apple Support

Otherwise, that Mac wants to retire, and you should let it.

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