I receive a flashing question mark over the folder at startup. I don't know how to get the computer back. It will boot with the start up disk, but the hard drive icon is not on the desktop when I get to the desktop. The only items are the cd and the trashcan. Any help would be appreciated. I'm totally lost without my computer. I don't want to zap the PRam unless necessary. HELP, please!

zapping the PRAM wont hurt your computer it just makes you have to set the time and date again. Startup from CD and then run the Disk First Aid to see if you can repair any problem with the missing hard drive. Try this then let us know if it worked.

It may be that the OS is not blessed, meaning that one or all of the components are not present or are corrupt. If you boot from your OS CD, choose the hard drive from the desktop and look at the system folder. If you notice the folders are showing there correct icons, not generic ones then the system is blessed. I think the other way is to go into Startup Disk and check to see if the OS is in the list as I think an unblessed OS will not show up. If not then check to see if the basic core components are there such as the Finder, System suitcase, MacOS ROM and the Login. If not then reinstall the missing components.

One further thing, if you don't see the hard drive at all then there may be a hard drive fault.

I have the same computer with the same problem. I've gathered info from all over the internet. I've done the PRAM thing, I replaced the battery (Radio Shack - $12). My Harddrive works because the light is on on the front of my beige G3 tower. I cleaned dust out of the machine and checked to see if the hard drive was plugged in properly. I unhooked my mouse just in case it was causing the problem. I've run Apple OS 9 disk, FWB HDT Toolkit. The hard drive is still missing. I dpon't know how to replace the corrupted driver (if that's the problem) because I can't find my hard drive anywhere - not even in the control panel (? over a file folder there). Maybe one of my memory cards went bad??? I'll try pulling them one at a time and see if that helps. I assume you cannot find your HD anywhere as well???