Arne__

Q: 3 beeps interval - what to do?

Hello,

 

Yesterday I was checking my mail when suddenly my screen turned to different colors in a certain pattern and a noise was constantly beeping 3 times per interval. I switched off my MBP and everything just worked fine.

 

I've searched for it because I thought it was something with my HD but there were no faults on it. I thought it was a virus or something but I didn't have any infections on my MBP. I searched the internet and I found that it was a sort of test that Mac does before starting up.

 

3 beeps: No good banks

 

What does that mean? I found also something about my graphics card. But I don't think there's a problem with my graphics card...

What do I have to do?

 

Any response may be helpful

 

Thanks in advance

Arne Uten

 

P.S. I installed 8GB RAM instead of the 4GB that was in the MB when I bought it. It is the first time in 2 weeks that it gives that 3 beeps interval.

If I have Apple Care Plan, does it expires if I put more RAM in my Mac or does it have no effect on the Apple Care Plan?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 15" 2.0Ghz i7 8GB RAM

Posted on Nov 13, 2012 4:13 AM

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Q: 3 beeps interval - what to do?

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  • by dmdimon,Helpful

    dmdimon dmdimon Nov 13, 2012 5:18 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 3 (840 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 5:18 AM in response to Arne__

    1) bad memory. probably just not firmly installed if you upgraded it recently.

    2) memory is user-upgradeable part, so no effect on warranty (if sertyfied memory used)

  • by Arne__,

    Arne__ Arne__ Nov 13, 2012 6:04 AM in response to dmdimon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:04 AM in response to dmdimon

    I know I have installed RAM firmly... Because I've done it more than once.

    I think I found the problem. I realised that my External HDD was attached when I was checking my email so I tested it again.

     

    I opened Acitvity Monitor and first I saw that I had 3GB RAM free. Suddenly when my External HDD was attached, my free RAM exponentially shrinks to less than 50MB. My MBP was not shutdown before so there was a lot of RAM in use without doing anything. So I think my External HDD is the problem.

     

    My solution: Shut down MBP every time so minimum RAM is used.

    I wanted to scan my HDD for virusses but I ejected it because of the decrease of free RAM.

     

    Any other advice?

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Nov 13, 2012 6:10 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 7 (30,400 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:10 AM in response to Arne__

    Run a Hardware Test #3 extended overnight (no sleep etc)

     

    ..Step by Step to fix your Mac

     

     

    My first guess would be the RAM you installed, as that's the beeping is signaling a RAM issue, it can't find the RAM.

     

    It's not uncommon to have bad third party RAM, you'll need to exchange it for good ones.

     

    Install/upgrade RAM or storage drive in Mac's

  • by Arne__,

    Arne__ Arne__ Nov 13, 2012 6:18 AM in response to ds store
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:18 AM in response to ds store

    I looked to my specifications in About Mac and it says 8GB RAM so it has to be that it's installed properly.

    I followed the instructions on the Apple site.

     

    The beeping is not when it's starting up it's when i'm working on my mac.

    And it's the first time in the two weeks i have 8GB RAM... Maybe a false-positive?

     

    But I will execute an Apple Hardware Test to make sure there's nothing wrong

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Nov 13, 2012 6:31 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 7 (30,400 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:31 AM in response to Arne__

    Arne__ wrote:


    And it's the first time in the two weeks i have 8GB RAM... Maybe a false-positive?

     

    But I will execute an Apple Hardware Test to make sure there's nothing wrong

     

    If it comes up clear, then put the factory RAM back in and see if it continues or not.

  • by Arne__,

    Arne__ Arne__ Nov 13, 2012 6:34 AM in response to ds store
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:34 AM in response to ds store

    I think I know why my screen turned to different colors. Because of the decrease in RAM, my MB began using RAM from my Graphics Card (if this is possible) and that beeping was due to a lack of RAM?

     

    But why putting back the factory RAM?

  • by dmdimon,

    dmdimon dmdimon Nov 13, 2012 6:46 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 3 (840 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:46 AM in response to Arne__

    you have really bizarre ideas about ram management

  • by Arne__,

    Arne__ Arne__ Nov 13, 2012 6:53 AM in response to dmdimon
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:53 AM in response to dmdimon

    I might be wrong but why putting back factory RAM?

    And how long does AHT take?

  • by Shootist007,Helpful

    Shootist007 Shootist007 Nov 13, 2012 6:56 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 6 (16,660 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 6:56 AM in response to Arne__

    Arne__ wrote:

     

    I might be wrong but why putting back factory RAM?

    And how long does AHT take?

    For testing purposes. If the same thing happens with the factory RAM then it is not the RAM that is causing the problem. If the same problem does NOT happen with the factory RAM installed then it may be the RAM is partly to the cause of your problem.

  • by Courcoul,

    Courcoul Nov 13, 2012 7:28 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 6 (14,193 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 7:28 AM in response to Arne__

    The "reseat the RAM" suggestion is not as harebrained as it sounds. When I first upgraded my MBP to 8GB a short while after purchase, all went well and the Corsair sticks were well taken without issues. Later I came upon an irresistible Amazon offer on a 16GB Corsair kit. However, when I installed those, I started getting memory errors on the topmost stick. Turns out that the S/N & P/N label on top of the RAM holder had somehow exposed some adhesive, to which some lint adhered and it was working its way between the stick and the contacts. Having removed all lint and cleaned everything perfectly, the two 8GB sticks have worked flawlessly ever since.

     

    Now, if your display is going loco either on the lid screen or an external monitor, that could be bad news. The 15" models have independent/discrete VRAM, completely separate from the main system RAM. If that goes kaput, only recourse is a new logic board. Better be sure to have AppleCare handy.

     

    The AHT: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509  And yeah, it works on ALL recent Macs, EVEN this year's Retinas. If you can't get it to go, you're doing it wrong.

     

    Why put back the original factory RAM? In case it barfed on your new sticks.

  • by dmdimon,

    dmdimon dmdimon Nov 13, 2012 7:33 AM in response to Arne__
    Level 3 (840 points)
    Nov 13, 2012 7:33 AM in response to Arne__

    it is definitely RAM problems.

     

    yours screen could got rainbow due to gazillion of reasons and all of them exept one are bound to bad RAM.

    that one exeption is bad GPU. But beeps tells us about bad ram also.

     

    RAM actually can be not deadly bad at power-on, just not good enough to be stable after heating up.