[iKumdo]

[QUOTE=killmoms;1054757]This sounds like potential hard drive failure combined with the dreaded random shutdown syndrome. What era MacBook is this? Is it still under warranty? In any case, I'd recommend you start backing up your files while you are able to get into OS X to an external hard drive of some sort.[quote]
This is the intel macbook, and it is no longer under warranty.

EDIT: Wait, when you say you have to shut it down, do you mean the screen goes grey and you get that warning that says you must shut down your computer? In that case it's not the random shutdown syndrome, just a kernel panic, but still points to something bad in hardware. Have you added any third party RAM, by chance?

The computer just completely freezes up and the spinning beach ball comes out (the mouse). I have to hold the power button to shut it off. I don't think there is a third party ram, cause I only added RAM when I first bought it from the mac store. I assuming they would add their own stuff.

Originally Posted by GHDpro

Blinking folder could be bad.

Anyway, try booting from the Mac OS X installation CD (which should have come with your Mac, you can open a sort-of boot menu by holding down ALT while booting afaik), and once the whole install application is loaded select "Disk Utility" from the Apple menu (upper left). Then do a disk check of your HD. You must do it this way because Mac OS X can't fix problems on the same disk it was booted from.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Quote from MacBook manual:

Does it seem like my macbook is in a lot of trouble? It's only been a year (less actually).