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Apr 20, 2012 4:26 AM in response to Bethy3by japamac,3 flashes of the power light for the tower? For the monitor?
If the monitor (an Apple monitor) see this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2811
If the power button of the tower flashes 3 times, it means "no good banks" with regard to the RAM.
This issue occurs when all RAM is incompatible or all damaged, or most commonly, in machines that suffer from degraded solder.
To test the latter, use a hair dryer to heat the logic board around the RAM slots. Leave the RAM in, and heat the area until hot (a few to several minutes on high with the haqir dryer). After heated, try starting.
If the machine starts normally, then the solder issue is the problem. The heat has caused the solder joints to expand far enough that connections have been remade.
There is no long term repair, save reflow of solder on the logic board or replacement of the logic board.
The hair dryer work-around can be used as often as needed until ineffective.
It is often best to just leave these types of machines running 24/7.