Wander65
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Q: 2010 unibody 15" Macbook Pro 3 beeps after reformat

I bought a 2010 Unibody 15" Macbook Pro from an office that was closing. They had not removed their software from the Macbook and did not provide the username and password. I tried to reboot from a purchased copy of Mountain Lion and I just get to the gray apple with the spinning wheel and a repeating 3 beeps. So I booted it as a taget drive and hooked it up to my 2008 17" Macbook Pro and used Disk Utility to erase the hard drive. Then I used a purchased copy of Snow Leopard to reformat the drive. In the Target mode, it showed the installation was successful. But upon unmounting and restarting, the 15" Macbook Pro returns to the gray apple and spinning wheel and 3 beeps. Undaunted, I again started it in Target mode and hooked it back up to the 17" Macbook Pro. Again I used Disk Utility to Erase the 15" hard drive. Then I unmounted the 15" and put the Mountain Lion disk in and tried to boot the 15" from the CD. No joy! Again the gray apple, spinning wheel and the repating set of 3 beeps.

 

When I first got the 15 Macbook Pro, it would boot to the Username and Password screen so it looked like it had been used on a regular basis before it was sold.

 

Any ideas?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.0.x)

Posted on Jan 4, 2013 6:48 AM

by esben72,Solvedanswer
esben72 esben72
Level 1 (35 points)
A:

well I did have that problem (trying to install SL on a newer Macbook Pro, getting 3 beeps) a couple times now.

 

First time it took quite while before realizing the 10.6.6 issue. Today I stumbled over your post because I forgot which version was needed.

 

Anyway it is a well documented process - Just google "macbook 3 beeps installing Snow leopard" without the marks it will be in the three top hits

 

1. Install SL on it in Target Mode on the 2008 17"

2. Restart the 17" with "ALT" key pressed to start up from the 2010 Macbook's HDD

3. Run Software Update to get 10.6.8

Posted on Mar 24, 2013 9:03 PM

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Q: 2010 unibody 15" Macbook Pro 3 beeps after reformat

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  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 4, 2013 12:18 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 4, 2013 12:18 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    OGELTHORPEI'm pretty sure I'm getting the flashing question mark/folder because I set it up as a Target drive and erased the hard drive so there is no bootable system on it now. I did try the Alt D key startup and I do get to the Internet Backup/ Apple Support screen. So I'll have to plug it into an ethernet cable off my router when I get home.

     

    sanjampet - The nearest genius bar is about 100 miles away so yes while that would be the optimum solution, it's definitely not the easiest to accommodate. But I'll browse the links and see what I can find out.

     

    Thanks all!

  • by sanjampet,

    sanjampet sanjampet Jan 4, 2013 12:32 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 5 (7,874 points)
    Jan 4, 2013 12:32 PM in response to Wander65

    Yes, that is a drive, I wish I could have helped you, and I am REALLY surprised OGELTHORPE was not able, as he is one of those guru types.  I wish you all the best, I think when you erased the disk, you might have messed up the format. I had the unpleasant experience myself, and it is quite easy to do.  I wish all the best, @ $350.00/gallon :)

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 4, 2013 1:35 PM in response to sanjampet
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 4, 2013 1:35 PM in response to sanjampet

    sanjampet - Before I erased it, a safe boot would also get me to the login screen with the added "Safe Mode" displayed but I still couldn't get past the login screen. Without a DVD in the drive doing a safe boot just gets me to the flashing question mark/folder.

     

    How do you do the SMC? Been a long time since I've done it.

     

    Thanks

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Jan 4, 2013 1:48 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 9 (52,776 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 4, 2013 1:48 PM in response to Wander65

    SMC reset:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

     

    Ciao.

  • by sanjampet,

    sanjampet sanjampet Jan 4, 2013 2:13 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 5 (7,874 points)
    Jan 4, 2013 2:13 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    OGETHORPE got here first, boy that guy is fast, as I was dealing with a person who needed handholding. Not to mention my machine will ot stop binging!

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

     

    Hey OLGETHORPE, Thank you very much kicking in on this:)

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 5, 2013 3:11 AM in response to sanjampet
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2013 3:11 AM in response to sanjampet

    OK some more info. I actually have 2 15" Unibody Macbook Pros from 2010. Same source. Probably different original users but exhibiting the exact problems we have discussed. After the earlier discussions, I did the SMC reset on both and thenI set both up in Target mode and hooked each in turn up to my 2008 Macbook Pro 17" Pre-Unibody. Used Disk Utility to Erase and reformat each drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). On one, I was able to use ALT - D to initiate the Hardware test. It's now been running for about 3 hours but at least it's still running. The other MBP 15, I set in Target mode and used my retail copy of Snow Leopard in my MBP 17 to install the system on the 15. At the end of the install, the MBP 17 restarted using the MBP 15 as the startup disk. I used Dsik Utility to verify it and it checked out fine. I opened a couple of programs on it and everything runs nice and fast. I restarted with the hard drive for the MBP 17 as the startup disk and then used Disk Utility to unmount and eject the MBP 15. All of the following produce the same effect of the gray apple logo and the 3 beeps that loop contiuously:

     

    Normal startup using the power button

    Safe mode startup using the SHIFT key

    AHT using the D key on startup

    AHT using the ALT D keys on startup

    AHT using the COMMAND D Keys on startup (read it on one of the forums)

    SMC reset as descibed in Apple Support.

     

    It will still boot in Target mode and I can still see that Snow Leopard is intact on the hard drive.

  • by OGELTHORPE,Helpful

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Jan 5, 2013 9:37 AM in response to Wander65
    Level 9 (52,776 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 5, 2013 9:37 AM in response to Wander65

    I have spent the bulk of the morning recreating what you have done with dissimilar but unsuccessful results.

     

    I have a 2006 MBP with 3 partitions.  I made that a Target Disk MBP and used my 2010 MBP as the source to install a retail Snow Leopard OS in an empty partition.  The result was that some of the OS files were installed but not all.  My 2010 MBP made the restart chime but was stuck on the Apple logo screen with the SL install disk inside.  A PRAM reset was needed to unfreeze it and retrieve the disk.  The 2006 MBP has Snow Leopard installed in another partition and Leopard in the third partition.  Thus it is not a question of incompatible hardware.

     

    Currently I am in the process partitioning the 2010 MBP in order to install the Snow Leopard retail disk OS just to make certain that it is functional.

     

    My question to you is why did you choose to use Target Disk Mode to install the OS?  Are the Optical Drives inoperable?

     

    I'll respond later when I get the 2010 fully partitioned and see how the test install fares.

     

    Ciao

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 5, 2013 12:16 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2013 12:16 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    You know, I'm starting to wonder if there is an issue with the Optical drives. But when I started to work on these, I was getting the 3 Beeps regardless of what I did. Target mode was/is the only way I could successfully access the drives. Before I used Target Mode to install SL on the one, I would just get the blinking folder/question mark. If I inserted th retail SL disc then the folder would change to the gray apple and I'd get the 3 beeps. So that would seem to suggest that the MBP 15 is at least recognizing that there is a DVD in the drive.

     

    I'm not getting how you could have an operative OS on the Hard Drive and the computer won't recognize it's there.

     

    Wish I had a couple new RAM chips I could swap in and seeif that changed anything.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Jan 5, 2013 3:37 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 9 (52,776 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 5, 2013 3:37 PM in response to Wander65

    What should be simple, turned out to be otherwise.  After three failed attempts at partitioning, A PRAM reset allowed a new partition to be installed.

     

    Inserted the retail SL disk and about 25 minutes into the install, hear the chime, get a Apple logo and it just sits there.  Did that twice.

     

    Inserted the original SL install disk and installed the OS, BUT got hung up on the welcome screen.  Twice!  PRAM reset, allowed the conclusion of the installation.  OPTION key startup gives two bootable volumes.

     

    Partitioned the new partition and inserted the retail SL disk to install on the now third partition and again the chime and the Apple logo (without the gear which showed up with the original install disk) and nothing else.  I let it sit for 45 minutes in the naive hope that it would complete the process.  Did not.

     

    My conclusion is that there is something faulty with the retail disk.  I may try a last Don Quixote attempt tomorrow and swap in a different HDD in the 2010 MBP and se if that makes any difference.  I have doubts.

     

    With all my efforts with the retail SL disk, I did get the same result, a partial file transfer.  This was both via Target disk or a direct attempt.   This suggests that Target disk might be a valid method, but not definitive in my eyes.

     

    Have you tried swapping and switching the RAM chips among the two 2010 MBPs.  Even one chip, if it is good should allow for operation.  You said that one of the MBPs was running the Apple Hardware test.  Any results?

     

    Maybe the simplest option is to take the two MBPs to the Apple store on have the Genius bar technicians plug in their analytic tools and get a definitive diagnosis of the faults.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 5, 2013 4:32 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 5, 2013 4:32 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    Ok a little more info. The MBP 15 with the erased hard drive responded to the Online AHT, ran for a few seconds and then displayed a little globe and triangle/exclamation mark symbol (attached) for the next several hours and never changed. That turned out to be trouble with connecting to the Internet wirelessly. I finally got it to connect correctly and it ran the initial test and found no problems. I ran the extended test and it found no problems.

     

    The Optical drive is at least functioning. Prior to the Online AHT test, I put in a very old AHT CD (2001) and I got a message saying the AHT was not compatible with that computer.

     

    Trying to boot from the SL DVD still gives the 3 beeps and gray apple. However, trying to boot from retail versions of 10.5.6 and 10.4.7 gives the following screen: 1056.jpg

     

    So at least we know the optical drive is working.

     

    I'm going to do the RAM chip switch as you suggested and will report back. You may have something there with the suggestion of the Retail SL disk being corrupt in some way.

     

    By the way, I got the partial instal results yesterday using the Target mode and a unibody 2010 MBP 17 as the host drive.

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 6, 2013 11:46 AM in response to Wander65
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 6, 2013 11:46 AM in response to Wander65

    I took the RAM out of both MBP's. I put one 2 Gb chip in the one with the erased hard drive. It still gives me the blinking folder/question mark on regular startup. It will go into the online AHT and returns no negative results.

     

    I put one 2Gb chip in the one with the with SL (loaded via Target Mode). Still get the 3 beeps on startup. Won't boot in safe mode. Won't go into the Online AHT. If I take all the RAM out and try to start it, I get just one beep which I'm thinking means it has no RAM.

     

    So a trip to the Apple Store may be in store for the both of them. 

     

    Do you think a new copy of SL would be worth buying to try and install on the one with the erased hard drive?

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Jan 6, 2013 12:30 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 9 (52,776 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 6, 2013 12:30 PM in response to Wander65

    Here is some more RAM/error code information for your reading pleasure:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2341

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2674

     

    Buying the retail Snow Leopard disk makes sense.  It saves having to get the original Installation disks.  Hold off on that until you get the diagnosis of the issues from the Apple store technicians. 

     

    I swapped HDDs in the 2010 MBP, partitioned it (no problems today) and installed the SL retail disk.  Like yesterday, I heard the chime and then gray Apple screen with no gear.  Conclusion, the disk must be faulty.  Therefore I cannot recreate your scenario at the moment.

     

    Unless one is in the Amazon, there comes a point where even a long trip to an Apple store is cost effective.  I would make the appointment if I were in your situation.

     

    Keep me posted as to what the technicians find. 

     

    Ciao.

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 6, 2013 1:18 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 6, 2013 1:18 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    Will do. I'll make an appt to get both of them checked out this week.

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 15, 2013 8:41 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2013 8:41 PM in response to Wander65

    I replaced the RAM in the MBP with the OS installed with 2 - 4Gb RAM chips. Still the 3 beeps so I don't think it's an issue of bad chips. So I've made an appt at the Apple Store.

  • by Wander65,

    Wander65 Wander65 Jan 15, 2013 8:56 PM in response to Wander65
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2013 8:56 PM in response to Wander65

    HA, guess what? Resetting the NVRAM after repalceing the RAM chips gets me the blinky folder and no longer the 3 beeps. At least it's something different.

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