Three beeps startup

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Three beeps startup

Hi,

I recently had a problem with a macbook pro 2011 (early) where one of the RAM slots seemed bad. So I didn't use that slot and I bought a 8GB dim of RAM that is compatible with this revision of mac.

Now my problem is on start up randomly, very randomly (I can't make the issue happen again..). The mac on start up makes three loud beeps and crashes like it did with the bad slot. Did I maybe incorrectly seat the RAM because I myself cannot make this issue happen again (somebody else experianced the issue this time, not my laptop).

It's so random that I think it can only be I seated the RAM wrong but I'm not sure I don't want to waste my time. If it's not that the only other issue left could be the logic board, correct? Where could I purchase one and how much for? I'm pretty confident with building windows computers, would building a macbook pro from scratch be an absolute pain in the ***?

Thanks for any and all help provided.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 6, 2014 1:43 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 6, 2014 1:47 AM in response to fringie

When installing RAM, make sure you hear a "snap." Proof that the RAM was installed correctly.

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

1 beep = no RAM installed

2 beeps = incompatible RAM types

3 beeps = no good banks

4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)

5 beeps = processor is not usable

Where did you purchase your RAM from? Hopefully, they came w/a lifetime guarantee.

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Answer 2

fringie Author

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Mar 6, 2014 1:58 AM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Hi,

I saw that online which is why I came to the conclusion I might have seated the RAM incorrectly although it defonetly did click into place.

So, since the problem is so hard to make occur the most logical conclusion would be I didn't fully put the RAM in? Right now, I'm trying to make the laptop fall over and it won't.

I can return the RAM if need be.

Are their any other possible issues you can think of?

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Answer 3

Mar 6, 2014 1:59 AM in response to fringie

Bad RAM? It happens sometimes.

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Answer 4

fringie Author

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Mar 6, 2014 6:55 AM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Hopefully that's the case.

I was going to put one of the original dimms of RAM back in but it seems to have been moved somewhere and the person that moved it isn't at work today so I decided to test the system out with memtest86 and hopefully get a better measure of what the issue is.

When running memtest86 at 8% the system restarts, any ideas?

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