2011 Macbook Pro 3 Beeps/Freeze

Although this has been going on for a while, I believe we have been experiencing the same issue regarding:

- Screen glitch followed by a crash,
- 3-beep RAM sequence preventing start-up (sometimes)

As far as I can tell, anything can set this off, from jolting/picking up the computer, to during a reboot, to sending emails, though without consistency in any. My assumption is that it is a hardware issue, as I do not have Google Drive installed and have deleted Dropbox as a precaution in regards to 'dringofett' and the start-up sequence problem in this thread. The problem remains unchanged as of the past month, though thanks avengine for the SMC reset tip.

I'm using a 13" mid-2012 model macbook pro, running OSX 10.10.1. The problem began occurring before I installed OSX Yosemite.

I understand that as a company, Apple functions on a cycle of planned obsolescence, though I do believe a good collection of forum users can find a less costly solution, seeing as many have been complaining here that all their expenses have been wasted on trying to repair something of an unknown cause.

Did you or anybody else find any lasting solution to this problem? I'm about ready to try the 'sticker' method on page 3 of this thread...

Thanks

I have a mid 2012 Macbook Pro 13 inch bought in August 2012. In May 2014 (after 1 yr warranty expired), I was getting freezes and triple beeps and eventually the Mac stopped working. I took it to my school campus store where the guy told me it was the hard drive. I ended up buying a 1TB hard drive and had it replaced. A few weeks later I had the same issues, and the guy told me it was the data cable. He replaced it with a spare part he had for free and it was working. Now in November 2014 I started getting freezes and triple beeps again but I was always eventually able to restart it. Then in December it completely stopped working. I took it to the Apple store at the genius bar and the Apple guy said it was my hard drive (having the new 1TB hard drive in). I had him put in my original hard drive and it worked again. I have now (Feb 2015) been getting the triple beeps and freezes again. I read on another forum to knock on the bottom of the Mac to restart it without a constant triple beep which has worked. I am going to the Apple store in 4 days to have this looked at again.

Sorry for the rant, but if anyone has any advice it would be great. I know it is not the hard drive since both drives have had their issues. It could be the RAM or logic board like other people. I am also very close to buying a Lenovo as I do not want to deal with this stress when school is back (currently on coop now). Any help would be appreciated, especially before I go to Apple this weekend.

OMG! Post-it ftw! Have had major issues with my macbook pro 15" late 2011. Bought totally new RAM but did help. Guarantee had gone out but saw an opening when apple opened an repair extension program, but they could not find the issue they would fix for free, cost me money for nothing cause they said the machine was covered and would be fixed if they found the issue, but after not finding anything the machine was not covered anyway. Since cutting and putting the post-it above the grey-"stripe" and under the RAM. It has not crashed or beeped on me. Just have to find some plastic instead so the post-it won't catch fire =) I cannot believe it was so simple!

another thing that I have read a lot about is that people are having this problem after installing google drive. I am having the same issue and I am trying everything I can to fix it without spending a bunch of money so I decided to uninstall google drive. Hopefully it works.

Fellow posters: my understanding of computers is that I can turn it on, use it, and turn it off. I do my best not to even let the bottom ever get hot, it has only been dropped once (the year I got it, I believe), and I think I have maybe three applications downloaded that weren't stock to the computer. I'm very far away from being a technological genius, haha.

I have read this entire thread, and if anyone has any suggestions as to what my next move should be, they are very welcomed!

Two days ago, my laptop (being used as such, not at a desk) began making the beeping noises as I shifted having held it from the left-hand side) and the only way to begin using it was to hold the power button and re-boot. It worked fine. Then, not even thirty minutes later, it did it again. So obviously I realized I couldn't hold it the same way I have been (since 2011, you know, flat-handed on the bottom of the laptop). Then, it froze once more, even though it had been sitting flat and not moved. Okay, the next day, it froze again except this time there were red strips that flashed across the screen before the three beeps and the eventual shut-down. Almost every time I've used the laptop in the last couple of days, chunks of my browser (Firefox) freeze...basically, there will be a block of a tab or the screen that looks the same as the previous page, but the rest of the browser moves on and functions fine. I'm terrified to move the laptop, and I need to download a statistical program for class...but I'm terrified to even take it to class. It is always secured in a case when I'm not using it or when it's being moved, so obviously I kinda love my laptop. And! I have never ever had any problems with it until now. After the one time it was dropped, it beeped three times and shut itself off, and that's the only problem, ever.

I do not have Google Drive, and my laptop is a 2011, running 10.6.8. Obviously there is a physical connection, but I would love to avoid running in financial circles. Based on this, should I assume a specific aspect of my RAM, or whatever the sticker is, or what? And should I go to an Apple store or what?

Thanks guys, for any assistance!

To get more eyes on your problem, you are always better off starting your own new thread as opposed to piggybacking on an old thread.

Try running the AHT/Diagnostics http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

I have the same exact issue and have tried just about everything listed in the comments with no luck at all.