3 beeps booting from Snow Leopard install disk

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Level 1

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3 beeps booting from Snow Leopard install disk

When I try to boot from my Snow Leopard installation DVD on my MacBook Pro after a moment I get three beeps, repeatedly and have to power off to stop it.

The same laptop boots from its own hard disk fine so I'm pretty sure the RAM is OK. And the same DVD can be booted on other laptops. It is a generic Snow Leopard 10.6.3 installation disk, not a machine-specific one that came with some other hardware. Also on the MBP that can't boot from that DVD I can actually read the disk fine as media in the optical drive so I think that drive is OK.

I think I can get around the problem by using another Snow Leopard machine erase the disk on the laptop booted in target mode and then reinstalling to it from the install disk mounted as media on the second Snow Leopard machine but I just wondered why I was getting the three beeps. I hope I don't need to revert my firmware somehow.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Apr 9, 2012 2:30 PM

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Answer 1

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Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Apr 9, 2012 4:04 PM in response to qwerpo

What version is your MBP? If it is a early or late 2011 (or even a late 2010) and you are trying to use the Retail 10.6.3 DVD that may be the problem. That DVD may not have the correct drivers for your system. I know this is true IF it is a early or late 2011 model. You need a machine specific disc or a disc that has 10.6.8.

And if you try to clone it from another Mac that other mac has to be running 10.6.8.

When trying to boot my late 2011 with the retail disc all I get is beeps.

EDIT:

If you can still connect it to that other Mac in TDM then after installing the 10.6.3 version Update it to 10.6.8 with the Combo updater. It should then boot in your MBP.

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Answer 2

Oct 27, 2013 10:21 PM in response to qwerpo

I'm seeing something very similar here, with a MacBook Pro 8,1. I've run Memtest over the RAM several times, and it passes with flying colours. The computer consistently boots fine from its internal HD and from external volumes over Firewire.

Trying to boot from a TechTool Pro DVD, however, is giving me the three beep error every time. If I boot up holding the option key, I get the screen showing the available boot volumes, and this works fine until I select the TTP DVD. Once I try to boot from it, the computer starts beeping then freezes. I know the DVD is fine, as it works fine booting other Macs of the same vintage.

I know the 3-beep warning is supposed to indicate bad RAM, but in this case something else is going on. Very strange!

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Answer 3

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Apr 9, 2012 2:36 PM in response to qwerpo

Mac OS X 10.6 Help: If you hear beeps when your computer starts up

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Answer 4

qwerpo Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 9, 2012 3:32 PM in response to qwerpo

Well after I installed Snow Leopard to the MBP again (from an iMac which was seeing the MBP as a target disk) now it will no longer boot from its own hard disk but gets the perpetual three beeps. When I started it would boot from the hard disk but not from the DVD.

So maybe it really is a RAM problem. I will be taking it to the Apple Store for repairs as it is still under Apple Care and there does not seem to be a way for the user to replace the RAM.

Thanks for the help.

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Answer 5

qwerpo Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 11, 2012 11:16 AM in response to Shootist007

Your suggestion was very helpful. I went back to the configuration with the iMac booting from the MBP's hard disk in target mode and did all the updates to get it to 10.6.8 and then when I went back to boot the MBP it booted fine without the beeps. You saved me a trip to the Genius bar!

One thing to note is that once I was running the MBP under its own (normal) hardware I did one more Software Update and found that I needed three firmware updates that the iMac had not detected, most likely because it had different hardware. That makes perfect sense.

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Answer 6

Mar 22, 2013 12:31 PM in response to qwerpo

Hi the image is now missing to this solution and I am having issues with my macbook. I tried to install Snow Leopard on my 2011 Macbook Pro and now it continues a series of three beeps. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Answer 7

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 22, 2013 1:31 PM in response to elenaismyname

The image that is missing has nothing to do with the solution to the problem. It was something the poster added and has since removed and or changed the link to.

This is what is was.

As to your problem 3 beeps means there is a memory problem. You should take the back off and Reseat the RAM. If it continues to beep then you have a more serious problem that more then likely only Apple can fix.

As to why it happened when you were trying to install Snow Leopard in my honest opinion it is just a coincidence.

As to installing SL on a 2011 MBP that is possible. If your MBP originally came with Snow Leopard then you have the system restore disc that came with the system. If you have a later 2011 model, A Late 2011 Model, then the only way to install Snow Leopard is to get a SL DVD disk or DMG files of 10.6.7 or 10.6.8 version. No earlier version of SL will install on a Late 2011 model MBP.

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