# Can't restore Macbook Air?



## EncoreBlade (Nov 10, 2012)

Hey all. My friend's Macbook Air doesn't seem to boot up. When I turn the computer on, instead of booting to the desktop, it boots up to the startup utility where I have four options: restore backup from timeline, reinstall mac os x maverick, get help online, and disk utility.

When I try to reinstall mac os x maverick, for some reason I get an error and I'm not able to reinstall anything. What could be the problem and how can I fix this?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

the HDD may have failed. 
Go to *Disk Utility* and try to *Repair the Permissions*. If this fails, then the HDD needs to be replaced. You can try to recover your files using Disk Warrior. You will need another drive of the same size or larger to restore your files to.


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## NY24 (May 2, 2014)

What Error message do you get when you try to reinstall Maverick? Did your friend make a back up / restore USB thumb drive at the time he installed Maverick? If there's an Apple Retail Store nearby, he could bring it in and they can run a Diagnostic on his MBA (usually free to run the diagnostic). Does he have a Time Machine or other external back up? If not, you need a better class of friends. :facepalm:


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