Puzzle for the day: Help with strange screen image

[ell]

Hi, I am a PC person, don't don't do a lot of mac help, but here's one I am baffled with. Its my mothers imac, she is in her 80's and can't remember much so its always challenging. I generally log in through teamviewer and straighten out her issues, I recently upgraded it to high sierra, and it was working fine but mom constantly forgets how to log in,etc. so she called the geeks squad last week, the kid was just sitting there, finally she kicked him out and now she is left with a issue. I cannot get to her across the country so here's what she says she has when she boots up:

a white window with a rectangle in the center, it switches back and forth to a oval image with two vertical lines through it. No touchpad response either, ideas??????

 

[Markverhyden]

The rectangle sounds like the missing OS Folder and the circle may be the incompatible symbol. A circle with a line through it. Does she have someone who can shoot a short clip and send it too you?

 

[mraikes]

And what city does she live in? Maybe a nibbler could help her/you out.

 

[ell]

I tried calling her back and asking her more about it and having her try some command keys the thing is buzzing now and now it's completely black I'm suspecting a bad disc. She has no one around she gave up on her iPhone a long time ago because she couldn't figure out how to use it, feeling pretty helpless here I need a good Tech around Monterey California area

 

[Markverhyden]

@TechLady is north of there, not sure how close. Maybe she know's of someone.

 

[ell]

@TechLady is north of there, not sure how close. Maybe she know's of someone.

Thanks maybe I'll look her up

 

[Markverhyden]

142 miles - practically around the corner!

That would be the case in Texas or Australia....

 

[GTP]

That would be the case in Texas or Australia....

We get used to distance here...Just for reference, my Daughters "driveway" is 11 km long!

 

[TechLady]

Ha! Yeah...I am just south of Monterey...about a two-hour drive. I was actually toying with the idea of going there on the 9th if she can hang on until then?

 

[Markverhyden]

We get used to distance here...Just for reference, my Daughters "driveway" is 11 km long!

When I moved up here from Texas I was asking a neighbor about where to get something. He was like "that 2 towns away" making it sound like a huge journey, which in Texas could easily be 100+ miles. When I asked how many miles it was he said 4-5. LOL!!!!

 

[HCHTech]

We get used to distance here...Just for reference, my Daughters "driveway" is 11 km long!

Wow. I complain when I've got to go 15 miles to a customer. I have a mental picture now of your average aussie car, all mad-max with gerry cans strapped to the back -

 

[GTP]

No, not quite... Like (I assume America) most people in Australia live in cities but travelling between them is time consuming.
It's when you venture outside those cities that can mean vast distances to cover.
From my driveway to my Daughters house is a 27hr drive, stopping only for fuel, food? or toilet.