Usman 1977

Q: 3 beeps

Tricky problem. I have a 2011 macbook pro. The details are below:.

 

MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.2 15" Early 2011

 

The os was accidentally wiped. I have tried to restore using the utilities function and the Internet recovery tool., but this didn't work. After phoning apple support, they posted out a new os dvd. I tried installing this but kept getting the 3 beeps error. I phoned apple support again but despite the best efforts I was unable to get past the 3 beeps errors. He advised that the hdd drive needs to be replaced.

After checking out the apple diagnostic pages, it states that the error is RAM related.

I have removed the RAM and remounted it, but the error persisted. I ran a hardware test and have found no problems.

Any help is appreciated prior to me spending more time and money on a new hdd if it won't work.

Thanks

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Jan 12, 2014 1:46 PM

Close

Q: 3 beeps

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by leroydouglas,

    leroydouglas leroydouglas Jan 12, 2014 2:02 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 7 (23,439 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 12, 2014 2:02 PM in response to Usman 1977

    Hardware test is not always definitive.

     

    yes 3 beeps RAM problem/chip/seating/or bank itself.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1547

     

    Try resetting PRAM

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

  • by LowLuster,

    LowLuster LowLuster Jan 12, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:01 PM in response to Usman 1977

    If your Mac originally came with Snow Leopard 10.6.x then you need the Original System Discs that came with the system or a Replacement set of them.

     

    If the DVD disc Apple sent you is White then that is the wrong disc. That is a Retail Snow Leopard DVD that does not contain the correct version of Snow Leopard to work on your model Mac notebook.

     

    Call Apple back and ask to speak to someone Specifically to Order a Set Of Original System Reinstall DVD Discs. They will be Grey in color.

     

    You Need Those Specific Discs.

     

    You should have the original set that came with the computer. They were in the box the computer came in.

  • by LowLuster,

    LowLuster LowLuster Jan 12, 2014 2:04 PM in response to leroydouglas
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:04 PM in response to leroydouglas

    Leroy 3 Beeps only, not repeating, means the DVD disc you are trying to start the system from is not the correct version of OS X.

    3 beeps, pause, 3 beeps, repeating mean a Memory problem.

    leroydouglas wrote:

     

    Hardware test is not always definitive.

     

    yes 3 beeps RAM problem/chip/seating/or bank itself.

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1547

  • by hands4,

    hands4 hands4 Jan 12, 2014 2:06 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 4 (2,227 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:06 PM in response to Usman 1977

    Edit.

  • by Usman 1977,

    Usman 1977 Usman 1977 Jan 12, 2014 2:11 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:11 PM in response to Usman 1977

    Thanks.

    Sorry I should have specified the beeps.

    It is 3 beeps pause 3 beeps pause repeated until I switch off the macbook.

    This only happens when I try to install the os disc provided by Apple. I can get into utilities and even get nine, and the beeps only start when attempting to load the os disc.

    I don't have the original discs, as the macbook was purchased off eBay a few years ago, it worked fine until I wiped the os system.

    The disc supplied from Apple is white.

     

    Thanks

  • by LowLuster,Helpful

    LowLuster LowLuster Jan 12, 2014 2:19 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:19 PM in response to Usman 1977

    Well the 3 beeps repeating is what is defined as a memory problem. But in any event the disc Apple sent you is the wrong one. It has SL version 10.6.3 on it and for all early 2011 MBPs that came with SL you need at least 10.6.7 to start the computer from.

     

    Since you are getting those beeps only when trying to start the system from that wrong discs I don't think you have a memory problem. If you did you would get those beeps everytime you tried to start the system. Not just from that wrong disc.

     

    Call Apple as I suggested.

  • by Usman 1977,

    Usman 1977 Usman 1977 Jan 12, 2014 2:24 PM in response to LowLuster
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:24 PM in response to LowLuster

    Thanks LowLuster and Leroy. I'll ring Apple tomorrow.

    Your help is appreciated.

  • by LowLuster,

    LowLuster LowLuster Jan 12, 2014 2:44 PM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Jan 12, 2014 2:44 PM in response to Usman 1977

    You're Welcome.

     

    The problem you are having is that system should not of been sold to you with Lion installed on it. That is if it came with Snow Leopard originally. For those system that came with SL and then upgraded to Lion or above those upgrade version of OS X ate tied to the Apple ID of the person that bought and downloaded/installed them.

     

    May I ask why you wiped the drive. were you having problems with it?

     

    I ask this because the Early 2011 model came with both Snow Leopard or Lion from the factory Preinstalled. That model was released in Febuary 2011 and originally came with SL. Lion came out in June or July 2011 and all later built Early 2011 models came with Lion Preinstalled.

     

    So it is possible your unit came with Lion originally and whatever problem you have that made you wipe the drive is because of a failing hard drive.

     

    One way to check this is at startup hold down the Command + Option/alt + r keys and keep them held down unti you see a Globe on the screen. That will boot the system from across the internet to the Online Internet Recovery system where you will get the Mac OS X Utilities screen. From that screen select Disk Utility and then try partitioning your drive as One partition formatted Mac extended (Journaled). If that works and you get no errors then exit Disk Utility and select Reinistall Mac OS X. If you then get an errors about your Mac isn't in the database, or something like that, then it came with Snow Leopard and you will need those original system discs.

     

    If you do get an error while tryinig to partition the drive then you might have a hard drive problem. you can then try verifying iot fromo the First Aid tab of disk utility but it has been my experiens that once a drive starts to fail it is best to replace it.

  • by Usman 1977,

    Usman 1977 Usman 1977 Jan 13, 2014 12:54 AM in response to LowLuster
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 12:54 AM in response to LowLuster

    Thanks LowLuster. What happened was that I started to get the spinning wheel of death when I loaded it. I tried restarting it, but the error persisted. After checking up online it mentioned that you could remove the os and try a reinstall. I erased the os using disk utility. However, when I came to reinstall it, I realised that the os was registered under the original owners apple id.

    When I bought the macbook there were no original discs. I phoned Apple and they supplied me with the white disc.

    When it failed, I phoned Apple and they tried to get it installed. They did try to unmount the hd and also tried to partition it. Unfortunately, the error message of unable to unmount came up. They then concluded that the hdd was faulty.

    I don't mind replacing it (it looks fairly straightforward on YouTube) I just wanted to make sure that it was definitely this causing the problem prior to spending the cash to buy the hdd or ssd.

    Thanks again

  • by LowLuster,

    LowLuster LowLuster Jan 13, 2014 2:22 AM in response to Usman 1977
    Level 6 (12,074 points)
    Jan 13, 2014 2:22 AM in response to Usman 1977

    Then I do suspect your HDD is at fault for the original problems you were having and you will need that replacement Set of Original System Reinstall DVD discs to set the system back up once you change out the drive.

     

    All the best to you.