Macbook Pro screen glitches, 3 beeps, NOT THE RAM

I had the same problem (3 beeps, horizontal colored lines) with my 13" MacBook Pro (A1278 mid-2012) and it manifested itself a few minutes, sometimes an hour, after the computer was turned on. Then, after it happened once, it would restart, and then happen again right away.

I tried replacing the RAM, I tried switching the RAM around in the different slots in various combinations. Then, it came down to me replacing the logic board. I ordered the right part online (661-6159), I followed all the instructions step-by-step (MacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012 Logic Board Replacement - iFixit). Meanwhile, I noticed a ton of dust in the fan vent and under the logic board, so I cleaned all of that up. Also, I noticed that on the original part, there was basically no thermal paste left between the copper heat sink and the processor. When I tried to turn on the MacBook, nothing happened. I think the part was DOA, so I am sending that back for a refund now. Then, it occurred to me that the issue might actually be due to the MacBook overheating. I cleaned up all the crusted thermal paste, removed all the caked-on dust from underneath the logic board, in the fan and in the heat sink venting slots. I put everything back together with a fresh layer of thermal paste, closed everything up, and.... like magic, everything works now.

I have a MBP 15" early 2011, had the logic board replaced in the apple program for the video chip, after that, i started to get kernel errors once in a while, all was pointing to RAM, but never could actually find the defective stick tried many, after a while of seating and reseating the sticks and a fresh install os the macOs it stopped for almost a year with no problems i thought i was done; only to begin crashing, powering off and beeping this week.

i've been reading forums and watching this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpagfXra...

and having exactly the same problem as this.

So I took it apart again, and what did i find... apparently, as i said, and for everyones happines it migh not be the soldering at all!!

It seem the CLIPS that hold the stick closest to the keyboard are worn and do not have enough pressure so they do not hold the ram in place all the time, a little bump and the stick spings up like half a milimeter and the problem appears.

What did i do? Got a 1.5mm (.60 cal) piece of flat styrene about 3mm wide and 7 or 8 mm tall, put BOTH RAM sticks in place and with a little plastic tip/spudger push down the stick closest to the keyboard so the clip can make its full travel inward and insert the styrene pieces one in each side in the slots between the clip and where the screws for the backet are and then push them towards the RAM contacts to make pressure inward so the clips are pressed firmly agasint the sticks (you wont be able to remove the sticks without removing this styrene pieces).

I did this, the MBP started with no problems, i can now shake it and won't freeze and/or beep at all.

I'll try to make a video or at least a photo guide showing and post the link (it will be my first YT video so be nice hahaha) so it shows the fault and fix clearly

If you read the whole exchange, you may learn that many users have found that if you take out the RAM from the slot closest to the keyboard (the "bottom slot" when you open the unit upside down) and ONLY use the "top slot" (furthest from the keyboard), the problem goes away. It means that the max ram you can have in the computer is 8G, in a single DIMM.

Thanks everybody for your input. I was having the same problems with my mid-2012 13" MacBook Pro (purchased new in 2015) after about two years of use: computer would freeze, screen would start to glitch, then shut down, and beep three times repeatedly. I did lots of research and got lots of advice. Eventually, I performed the fix suggested in this discussion. Turned out to be a faulty RAM slot (the one closest to keyboard.) Originally I had 4 Gig RAM cards in each slot. I removed the RAM card closest to keyboard, and replaced the other RAM slot with a 8 Gig RAM card. Computer ok now.

I've been running my Macbook with a single 8GB Samsung DDR3 1600 module for a couple of months now with no issues at all. I was at the point of buying a new computer before coming across the single module fix.

Thanks for posting igbee. This solved the issue I was having as well. I had 2 4GB memory cards and removed the top card (closest to the keyboard). My laptop is working normally now. Before that, just as everyone else, the screen randomly distorted, and shut down. Occasionally I would get the 3 beeps. I could cause the distortions and shut downs by bumping the ram with my fingers. The top slot had to be going bad. Quick fix for $0 and no time spent leaving it to be repaired. At some point I may want to have it fixed but for now I'm happy with how it is operating.

I got same problem, removing ram closer to keyboard fixed it. What a shame that Apple didn’t make any free repair program, because this problem is quite common.

Hello, I've read through all of your comments and they are promising! Just wondering if you have had any issues since only using one RAM stick of 8GB in the top slot? If everything is still looking good, is this the type you were talking about for a Macbook Pro 13' 2012 for $64.99

Crucial 8GB DDR3L-1600 SODIMM

CT102464BF160B

Before I realized this machine was only going to allow me to use one slot, I bought a 16GB kit from Crucial.

The kit was two 8GB DDR3L - 1600 SODIMM 1.35VCL11 modules. The CT number was: CT2K8G3S160BM.

The 8GB DIMM has been working fine for several months. Performance seems fine. Slowdowns on this machine recently are all tied to the changes in iCloud services. (What a train wreck Apple has made of that.)

(And, yes - I have a post in this thread way up there - I'd convinced myself that it was a mechanical problem - but the fix I posted only lasted a few weeks, then it began to recur.)

I saw your advice and did the SMC Reset and the NVRAM Reset, while it at first happened less, I had a harder time getting my computer to do the Apple Hardware Test (AHT) but finally got this report below but don't know how to read/understand it except the fact that it was a Kernel Panic, can you please tell me what it means or what I should be googling/looking into:

Mon Dec 18 21:17:34 2017

*** Panic Report ***

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff8000e16df2): Kernel trap at 0xffffff8000f28ba2, type 14=page fault, registers:

CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x0000000000020018, CR3: 0x0000000002437001, CR4: 0x00000000000626e0

RAX: 0xffffff81ea27bbd8, RBX: 0xffffff8001395894, RCX: 0x0000000000020000, RDX: 0xffffff801e5c2ad0

RSP: 0xffffff81ea27bba0, RBP: 0xffffff81ea27bc30, RSI: 0x0000000000000000, RDI: 0xffffff801e5c2ad0

R8: 0xffffff8021217980, R9: 0x0000000000000002, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0x0000000000000246

R12: 0xffffff8025678142, R13: 0xffffff8025678170, R14: 0x000000000000000b, R15: 0xffffff801ee4b808

RFL: 0x0000000000010206, RIP: 0xffffff8000f28ba2, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010

Fault CR2: 0x0000000000020018, Error code: 0x0000000000000002, Fault CPU: 0x0

mp = 0xffffff801edb5c00, phys = 0x28f1c00, prev (0x7: 0xb13000-0xc00000)

vp = 0xffffff801edb5c00, phys = 0x3b1ba50f0, prev (0xb: 0xffed8000-0xfff00000)

0xffffff801edb4000: YAAAAGQAAABqAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAICA gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAACAgB4fCQcgAACACAAAACETGg2GU6LTgYMZPwACAgACKggAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADAgEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG1hcCBhdXRvX2hvbYgThx6A////AAACAP8PAAAAAAA h/////z8AAACAxvEfYIksISDrLRAAPtseAFLbHtBBsYKwAEYBMIwsIVBI2x4IAFAEAAAIAAAEAAAAAgA AAQAALBQAAABhdXRvZnMAAC9uZXQtaG9zwMwAAOAODu7u4E7u5G7eBGWAACAgBLA5gBcgAAH8/zeAAw0 2YNANAAAA

0xffffff801edb5000: dwAAAIAAAACMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAgB4fCQcgAACACAAAACETGg2G06LTgoMaPkQBMwACKQQ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AADAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAwMAeHwkHLQAGgAgAAAAhExoJidMiE4aPGn9oAuoAAhoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIgWhx6A////AAACAP8PAAAAAAAh/////z8AAACAy/E fQIssIenaLBAASNseAFzbHmAtRgFQAEYBcHjkHvBA9iOgd+QegP///1BS2x4AEBAEABAQAGjyWR5kZXZ mL2RldgAAAgD/DwAApSEGAAAAACH/////PwAAAIAD3x6Ad+QegP///5vAixrge08BetcAAEgCRwGQ/0U BkCZCLBCBZyUwfuQeANCABAAAXYAAEAAAAAAQAEwVpwQHr2kCB7VoAkVgPgICAAABEQAAAGhmcwDMAAA MDg7u7uDu7o4OAAAAwwANzgwAIOCO7uDgTu7uHg4ADQEgAAgCAWwOOAUIwBL/Aw4mAIZFJhPMAQIAghA Au767OYAXIAAA/g844IEBAUq9AAAA

0xffffff801edb6000: WwAAAF8AAABlAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAgIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwgIAaH4oHLQAKQAoxAAAAABIDABAAAIAAFn0AAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHh8JByAAAIAAAAAAAAAiAS9kZXYvZGlzazBzMgi45B6A////AAAAAgABAAAAAEA AAwAAAAAgAAD6IQYApyQGAAAAACEAf+QeAQAAAMAD3x5AZtseABAAAAAAAgD/DwAAAAAAIf/////AnL8 eAgAAAAAAAADgDu7gBs4GDgzsAAAAghAAu/4POAL8DzhQggkQIAAIAgEADgAA

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff81ea27b850 : 0xffffff8000d2ad21

0xffffff81ea27b8d0 : 0xffffff8000e16df2

0xffffff81ea27ba90 : 0xffffff8000e33ca3

0xffffff81ea27bab0 : 0xffffff8000f28ba2

0xffffff81ea27bc30 : 0xffffff8001162d90

0xffffff81ea27bcf0 : 0xffffff8001157125

0xffffff81ea27bd20 : 0xffffff8000f3dd0b

0xffffff81ea27bdd0 : 0xffffff8001154627

0xffffff81ea27beb0 : 0xffffff8000f576ab

0xffffff81ea27bed0 : 0xffffff8000f41fc4

0xffffff81ea27bf40 : 0xffffff8000f4c177

0xffffff81ea27bf50 : 0xffffff800124b376

0xffffff81ea27bfb0 : 0xffffff8000e344a6

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: launchd

Mac OS version:

14F1021

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 14.5.0: Tue Sep 1 21:23:09 PDT 2015; root:xnu-2782.50.1~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: 06D286E3-A8A1-3BE7-A7EB-EAC6E0C69758

Kernel text base: 0xffffff8000c00000

__HIB text base: 0xffffff8000b00000

System model name: MacBookPro8,1 (Mac-94245B3640C91C81)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 724826775781

last loaded kext at 261780166309: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 (addr 0xffffff7f834c8000, size 69632)

last unloaded kext at 322983519394: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 (addr 0xffffff7f834c8000, size 61440)

loaded kexts:

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.19.6

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.3.6f3

com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 124

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 272.18.3

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 272.18.3

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHWAccess 1

com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 2.0.2

com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.10.25

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.1

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.7.3

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0

com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.3.6f3

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics 10.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.7.4

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com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB 10.0.0

com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 3.0.4d1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 240.2

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 240.2

com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 327.5

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com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.2

com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC 1.6.5

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com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 705.4.14

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.1.2

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com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 3.1

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Model: MacBookPro8,1, BootROM MBP81.0047.B27, 2 processors, Intel Core i5, 2.3 GHz, 16 GB, SMC 1.68f99

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000, Intel HD Graphics 3000, Built-In

Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x8502, 0x505344333847313333333253000000000000

Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x8502, 0x505344333847313333333253000000000000

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xD6), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.24)

Bluetooth: Version 4.3.6f3 16238, 3 services, 18 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1

Serial ATA Device: TOSHIBA MK3265GSXF, 320.07 GB

Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8

USB Device: Hub

USB Device: iPhone

USB Device: IR Receiver

USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

USB Device: Hub

USB Device: BRCM2070 Hub

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller

USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Pro, Apple Inc., 22.1

On the end note, I did do a check on the System Information > Memory and when it glitches, it freezes everything, but the RAM doesn't display the Serial information ever, however, it does state that both are okay before, during and after the error everyone else gets. (I have the Macbook Pro 8, 1 - 13" Early 2011 Model and upgraded the RAM a few days ago when this started. I used Crucial to make sure I had the right type use able for my MB.)

Just a couple of months ago I started to have the same problem, with all the information on the forum, I'm going to take the computer to a specialist ( I"m currently not on the US) and hopefully, it will work! Thank everyone, I will update if any changes or solutions.

I'm using a mid 2012 13" Macbook Pro which I bought in April 2016 after my 2009 model finally died.
I immediately upgraded the 4GB memory to 8GB with two sticks from the 2009 & added the 250GB SSD, making sure to reinstall the system. Everything was great until literally two weeks after it was out of warranty I was getting the 'barcode' & three beep crashes. I'd find myself opening up my Macbook & reseating the RAM several times a day!

A visit to the Genius bar could find nothing wrong with the computer, but the crashes persisted despite numerous RAM reseats SMC & PRAM resets. Finally I tried the very simple advice about just using one RAM stick in bank 0 & since then there have been no crashes when using a single 4GB module. After reading that the Macbook could accept an 8GB module I upgraded though it's slightly annoying to have to spend $80 & discard two perfectly good 4GB modules. I'm a long term user of Apple products, with a Macintosh LCII & iMac DV that still work & G4 & 2009 MacBooks that don't. Yet it does seem a little odd that the Genius bar staff were completely unaware of the barcode RAM issue or how simple the fix is. It's also strange to me that this computer can support 16GB of RAM but the technical documentation only says 8GB. I do like Apple products, but I feel they should be doing more about this issue which seems quite common.

You have the correct info on the 2012; here are the specs for the 2009 which clearly show a different speed:

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp649?locale=en_US

As for the RAM, here is the information that it does allow more than 8 GB RAM as do quite a few Macs:

from here:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/specs/macbook-pro-core-i5-2.5- 13-mid-2012-unibody-usb3-specs.html

Thanks for the tip Pokeaang - after multiple crashes & having to open up my Mac & reseat the RAM several times a day, I followed your advice, bought an 8GB RAM module & my Macbook is running better than ever!
It would be nice to able to put 16GB in, but as Apple say 8GB is the limit, I'm not complaining!

Thanks again!

Csound1, I don't want sound rude but you are wrong on both counts.
The 4GB modules I took from the 2009 were upgrades from the original 1GB ones & are fully compatible with the 2012 model.

Regarding the 2012 Apple specs, look here - MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) - Technical Specifications

and you can clearly see Apple states the limit is 8GB, not 16GB.