Macbook Pro screen glitches, 3 beeps, NOT THE RAM

I too have the problem and yes it's the bottom RAM slot like most people on here. It's got to be a manufacturing flaw so do send in feedback to apple. If you live in the UK and are out of warranty you could also have a go at pressing them to replace it under the sale of goods act which gives 6 years to determine a product is not fit for the purpose it was sold. Judging by the views on this post a lot of people have the same issue!

I also noticed that if I slightly or completely loosen the screws on the case bottom it lessens/alleviate the problem...

plus if you're happy running on 8GB you could just get a single 8GB stick and put that in the top slot.

I have now provided feedback via the link provided.

I am running on a single 8gb stick. I wish Apple would deal with this problem as they are obviously aware since newer models with the same specs have changed the way RAM is configured on the logic board. I have read of this happening with other model years and about one person that even baked his logic board in the oven to reflow the solder. Amazing that you would have to resort to that on a 2012 computer!

So I have the same problem, and it seems to be only since I updated to Yosemite. Literally, I was happy using Mountain Lion (not wanting to update to Mavericks due to all the problems with that, and then Yosemite for the same reason), but software that I need to use on a day to day basis for my PhD required an OSX update to use its newest version. Within a day or two it crashed and seemed to be overheating much more easily, with purple square rectangles on screen beforehand and the three beeps on start up corresponding to a "RAM housing issue".

I heard swapping the ram into each of the slots could fix this issue, so I tried it (obviously trying the go-to things like resetting the SMC beforehand). However, my laptop was extremely sluggish and would now become unusable occasionally when I put it to sleep (my mouse would move, but it wouldn't recognize left or right clicks on anything, forcing me to manually turn it off - not good). My guess, it wasn't recognizing one of the ram sticks - hence the slow down.

Since then, I swapped the ram back, somehow hoping the problem would magically resolve itself. Now it's speeded up again, but the original problem is back. Of course, my warranty has run out.

To me this all feels very suspect, especially as there's many other threads documenting an OSX change and the occurrence of these problems. However, that's besides the point - all I'm really after is a laptop that's functional again. Am I best getting a single 8GB ram and sticking it in the top slot, or is it likely the problem is more to do with a shot logic board (which I doubt, seeing as I had zero problems with Mountain Lion)? Honestly, I don't really have the money to fork out on an 8GB ram stick (my mac was free with my course), but if it seems like it'd be a good idea I guess I'll have to - and it's sure cheaper than the extortionate prices Apple charge for non-warranty repairs.

It also strikes me that 11k+ views of this thread is substantial when it's not even the first thread that comes up on google and not everyone would even come to this community as a first port of call - the inference being this affects a lot of people.

Guys, I'm not sure if this helps, but my ram is installed via two 4GB slots, total 8GB ram. I haven't experienced this issue at all, but I have the same model and specs (except for RAM) so I just wanted to help people out here who are having screen problems. Try upgrading your RAM to my layout and please update here if it works.

Running OS Yosemite, Mid 2012 13" Model, i5 2.5 Ghz, 8GB RAM

Thanks for the suggestion, but once that RAM slot goes there is no easy fix and a different RAM configuration will not help.

I'm still running with 8gb in one slot but if you can believe it, my hard drive crashed yesterday with clicking sounds

This has been the most unreliable computer I've ever owned:

-Bad Sata cable

-Bad logic board (1 ram slot)

-Bad hard drive

All within 3 years. That is crazy.

I have the same problem too I narrowed it down to applying pressure to the bottom left hand corner of the laptop from the bottom. I always grab my laptop with my left hand and if it up. I noticed while moving it from my desk that the lines immediately appeared and the computer froze. Bounced it lightly while holding it in that position and the lines came back with every light bounce. So I'm assuming like igbee, I'm having the same problem, bad SATA cable, and now a shot logic board with one working RAM slot. I will be scheduling my appointment with the Geniuses tomorrow and plan on paying out a small fortune to fix this.

Looks like my issue has resurfaced after swapping the RAM chips. The issue stopped for awhile but I think any hacks involving the RAM will only be temporary. Mid 2012 13" MacBook Pro: i7 2.9 Ghz.. $1350. It would've been only four years this December. Thanks Apple.

Hi guys. Have been having this same prob for months. Mbp would randomly freeze. With or without touching it. Same screen as pictures on this thread. have been round the bend for answers. I had the same problem if you tapped the computer anywhere it froze. I had the 3 beeps of death. Not waking from sleep. No explanation.

Tonight I have taken out the bottom ram. And I think that is the problem. Further tests needed. But for the first in a long time I am optimistic. I will keep you posted if any further probs. But assume my silence as prob fixed. Here's hoping. I am only running on 2gb on Yosemite. Slow at times but it's going. Thanks for all the comments.

SAME THING HERE

13" MacBook Pro

will Apple do something about this issue

Hey guys so I originally was running my mid-2012 Macbook pro 13 with one 8gb ram stick to avoid the crashes but I may have figured out a semi-fix for it. I also wanted to wait a couple week before posting this just in case anything went wrong but so far the crashes have now occurred MUCH less than before.

NOTE: The crashes still happen from time to time but less often almost random now and they also NO LONGER happen when pressure is put on the bottom.

Heres what I did, I wanted to see if I could put something in between the bottom cover of my macbook and the motherboard to lessen the pressure. I read somewhere (but it got deleted so i can't provide the link) that someone put a coin there and it fixed the crashes from pressure. But I didn't want to put ANY metal since that could risk shorting the motherboard, so I decided to use small foam pads with adhesive on them that my father had laying around.

**I apologize I don't really know that they're officially called**

I placed one right above the battery towards where the ram is located, right where the pressure would cause crashes.

PICTURES:

So now the crashes are no longer caused when pressure is put on the bottom of the Macbook which was a real problem for me since I needed to commute to and from school with it in my backpack. And now I can run TWO sticks of ram (16gb total) without fearing that it crashes when I move it.

BUT like I said the crashes still happen from time to time and I still can't quite figure out why they happen.

Heres my experience with crashes now:

• I did had an incident where I put it to sleep and woke up in the middle of the night hours later to the 3 beeps of bad ram, I shut it down and had to wait for it reboot. Only happened once.
• When unplugging it from a my external monitor (third party) and opening it up at school it would occasionally restart but NO 3 BEEPS. Happened about 2-3 times.
• Would screen glitch and restart when playing a youtube video in 1080p, but again no 3 beeps. Happened once.
• And finally my personal favorite, just randomly restarting. Happened 4 times but no 3 beeps so it restarted right away.

I know its not a perfect fix but it GREATLY reduced the crashes for me since it was happening every time I would move it. Ive had this like this since roughly 3 days after my last post on this thread. I also made weekly checks to make sure everything was still running normally, and I haven't noticed any overheating from it as well. But this has made my Macbook a lot more usable than it was a month ago.

I hope Apple acknowledges this issue soon and fixes it, but in the meantime I hope this helps everyone at least a little!

I don't know???

Good idea. I thought my ram was banging together which was causing the problem though??? I left top ram in only. No barcode freeze since???

Right update.

Running with 1 piece of ram 2gb.... not enough i know. But I have had no barcode screen freezes (as i call them) I can move laptop again. Have tested it out fairly rigorously.. within reason. No crash. Also fit to bend laptop and lift and carry.

Also able to close lid and laptop goes to sleep. Also wakes up fine again??

BUT. last night using firefox (Facebook and youtube) out of the blue. grey screen. and restart. (twice in a row). started up again as normal. No probs since.

This could simply be a ram issue. As firefox is a memory hog and I only have 2gb installed. Though on crash report a lot of graphics talk in the kernel panic. as posted below??? Any help on this greatly accepted. Thanks

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(156.16)[1259B80F-E4C5-3BC9-BED5-65B42289E8 C0]@0xffffff7fad010000->0xffffff7fad07efff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[BDA92C3B-AD86-33E5-A7F1-1603465350A7]@0xffffff 7fab524000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[8922721D-5517-3883-BD3A-57422D0244A0]@0 xffffff7fabf79000

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics(10.0.6)[2FAAFF77-B91A-369B-8BDC-8D376 8B16510]@0xffffff7fad08d000->0xffffff7fad0e8fff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(97.4)[A4AE35B7-0C17-38F2-AD0D-A4C4B40196FB]@0xffffff7 fabe28000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[BDA92C3B-AD86-33E5-A7F1-1603465350A7]@0xffffff 7fab524000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[8922721D-5517-3883-BD3A-57422D0244A0]@0 xffffff7fabf79000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(156.16)[1259B80F-E4C5-3BC9-BED5-65B42289E8 C0]@0xffffff7fad010000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: firefox

Mac OS version:

14F27

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 14.5.0: Wed Jul 29 02:26:53 PDT 2015; root:xnu-2782.40.9~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: 58F06365-45C7-3CA7-B80D-173AFD1A03C4

Kernel slide: 0x000000002aa00000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff802ac00000

__HIB text base: 0xffffff802ab00000

System model name: MacBookPro9,2 (Mac-6F01561E16C75D06)

I wonder if anyone has an idea why the logic board is failing in this way?

I have read about some people putting their logic boards in the oven to reflow the solder. http://ales.io/2014/03/09/how-to-bake-a-mac.html

But is it something to do with the rigidness of how the logic board is affixed to the case....as indicated by ojumpmantwenty3's attempts to fix his Macbook Pro. I know I have read on other threads that loosening the screws around the RAM provided improvement, but this did not work for me.

Not sure the logic board is my prob... It seems to be the ram connectors. Think they are too loose and are banging into each other or into either the top or bottom of mac. Since i remove bottom piece of ram. I haven't had the issue. I think mac engineers just say its the logic board when they haven't got a clue whats wrong...