Macbook Pro screen glitches, 3 beeps, NOT THE RAM

No problems so far and I'm only running 4GB.

Awesome, thanks! Do you notice if your laptop is running slower?

Perfect, thank you so much!

Super late reply but this is gold. Sure enough, the ram slot closest to the keyboard. Will taking the ram stick out make a computer run slower? And will adding one 8gb stick speed it up? Is this still working for you?

Thanks you in advance!

Well, it is now 2 months since I abandoned the slot closest to the keyboard, and a month and a half since I installed the single 8G DIMM in that slot furthest, and I have had none of the problems I had before.

Defective design...

Well, I just had the screen glitches / 3 beeps happen to me 2 days ago, out of nowhere..

Luckily, thanks to this thread, I was able to figure out that by removing the RAM closest to the keyboard, it seems to fix the problem, as it hasn't happened since in the last 2 days..

However, I had just upgraded my total RAM to 8GB via 2x4GB a few months ago, and now find myself back to 4GB, with one 4GB stick that I paid for but can't use.. It seems I would have to buy another 8GB single stick in order to get back to 8GB, which seems unfair as this is clearly a design flaw by Apple considering the consistency of the issue with so many other users. I also have a Mid-2012 MBP, as reported by many others.

As far as I'm concerned, it feels like having bought an expensive two seater sports car, and then learning a few years later that having someone sit on your passenger seat will now suddenly start to crash your engine..

Or you could look at it this way. It's coming up on a five-year old machine. Probably way out of warranty. And instead of having to toss it, you can simply buy an 8G module and put it in there and keep using it for a few years longer.

Apple will often do a recall or free repair if there are a lot of problems, but it sounds like there aren't enough for it to be necessary for them, PR-wise.

You COULD go to an Apple Store, show how it messes up, then remove the DIMM in their presence and show how it doesn't and see what they do.

I found this thread only 2 days too late... I took my laptop to the Genius Bar 2 days ago. I just got a call from them telling me that they didn't find any solid issues so I decided to put more effort into researching for myself. I wish I never brought it in so I can start working on fixing it right now!

Mid 2012 13 inch, just started having 100% the same problem about a month ago -- random screen glitch followed by reboots, sometimes 3 beeps that can only be solved by tapping the machine, and overheats. I noticed the correlation between the occurrence of the issue and moving the machine so I suspected it would be some sort of a connectivity issue. I'm so glad I found this thread! Can't wait to try the solutions that have been proposed. As a reference, I'm a student who uses my laptop pretty heavily and I don't really take the best care of it either. I have replaced a power cable (2 years ago), a battery (last year), and a hard drive cable (did it myself last year) during the 4.5 years that I've owned my laptop.

Just to be clear, the ONLY solution that works is using ONLY the RAM slot furthest from the motherboard.tuna

Fortunately, you can put an 8G DIMM in only that slot and have, again, a highly usable machine.

If you can swing it, while you have it open, swap out your drive for an SSD if you haven't already. It will change your life.

No, you are good. If you have a DIMM in ONLY the slot furthest from the keyboard, it seems your MBP will work great.

And I am living proof that having only one 8G DIMM in that slot works perfectly even though Apple says you have to have both filled. Also, in my experience, it doesn't slow anything down in performance versus 2 4G DIMMs, contrary to the info I've seen.

So I just took out my rams today and put in an 8GB in the top slot. It seems like my computer is still overheating though (it overheats when it's sleeping). I'm just wondering if replacing rams solves the overheat problem for people too and if not how I could possibly approach this. Thanks!

Sounds like a different problem to me. When you say "top slot" you mean the one furthest from the keyboard, closest to the bottom panel, right? Because if you're putting it in the top slot as the machine is sitting right side up, that's NOT the "safe" slot.

Yes, top slot is the one you have to take out first befor reaching the second one.

Later last night my laptop had a more serious overheating episode. While I was looking things up and tweaking things around I noticed for the first time my sleep indicator light was basically dead. It doesn't light up during startup nor does it blink when supposedly it's sleeping, which made me question more whether my laptop was actually sleeping (but then again it's dead during startup too and I'm pretty sure it was actually starting up...). So it might be a separate issue? Anyway. I think for now what I can really do is to shut it down every time I'm leaving it.... while initially overheating seems like an issue that only happens when I transport it in my backpack now it even happens when I just let it sit on the table. Thanks so much for helping!

I think your computer has more issues than just this one. Separate issue is definitely my vote. I've heard of folks having to re-install OS and also having to replace the fan.

Overheating is a serious problem, and shutting that computer off when not using it is a must until you get it sorted.

Do a search on the overheating thing, maybe go to an Apple Store genius bar if you can.

It was recommended to me that sleep and overheating problems are notoriously difficult to solve and often require an OS-reinstall, but I'm not certain that's the case.

Since my problems were all solved when I went to only one RAM DIMM, I can't be sure of what yours are. The fact is, now that it's a 5-year old machine, I'm thinking my next big issue with this computer will be the last. I hope not, though. Because this computer has remained useful and awesome longer than any other I've owned. I don't really like the new form factors better, don't need the retina screen BS on a laptop (love it on a tablet though), and it still does everything I want.

Sorry I can't be more help.