DanHar84

Q: MacBook Pro 13" scrambled screen

Hi guys,

This is my first post here and hopefully I will find some answers to my problem.

I have an early 2011 MacBook Pro13 " that was running perfect until a few days ago when I did the following things(all in the same day/time):

1. Upgraded the ram from 4gb to 16gb

2. Installed ElCapitan

3. I connected an external monitor to the MBP.

 

After doing ^^ the laptop works great on the external display BUT when I am using the built in display(with the external one disconnected), after a while(sometimes 5 min, sometimes 20min) the screen gets scrambled and the laptop shuts down. Also, sometimes when it does that and it shuts down it also beeps 3 times(it doesn't all the times).

 

ANy ideas?

thank you

Posted on Feb 28, 2016 9:09 AM

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Q: MacBook Pro 13" scrambled screen

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  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Feb 28, 2016 9:20 AM in response to DanHar84
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 28, 2016 9:20 AM in response to DanHar84

    Your MacBook 13-in features:

    an Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics processor that shares 384 MB of memory with the system,

     

    Based on everything you wrote, the memory upgrade you just performed has problems.

     

    Simple scrambling of the screen or lines or stripes without the picture going out-of-sync or deteriorating into one-pixel-tall slices or losing Horizontal sync, wrapping around the screen, or "ghosting" is indicative of RAM memory problems.

     

    Three beeps is indicative of RAM memory problems.

     

    Where did you get the replacement DIMMs? can you return them?

     

    Are you in the US? if not, what markets do you have access to in your region?

  • by DanHar84,

    DanHar84 DanHar84 Feb 28, 2016 9:37 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 28, 2016 9:37 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    I Will try to post an image later on with how the screen looks like.

    WHen you say that te memory that I have upgrades has problems you mean it as in faulty or not compatible maybe?

    I am in UK and the dimm's were purchased online and yes, I can return it.

     

    it's strange because when the external display is attached, both displays are on and they don't have any issues at all. After disconnecting the external monitor, the build in display will get scrambled after a while..

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,Helpful

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Feb 28, 2016 11:02 AM in response to DanHar84
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 28, 2016 11:02 AM in response to DanHar84

    as in faulty or not compatible maybe?

     

    yes, The Mac is very, very fussy about its memory. You likely have memory that is perfectly good, but does not happen to work in your very fussy MacBook Pro.

     

    "not compatible" is much more common than faulty, especially if you bought from a Vendor whose only knowledge of the Mac is, "my cousin has one of those!"  But faulty does occur on occasion.

     

    everyman.com reports:

    In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells memory and other upgrades for this MacBook Pro.


    be sure to check that is the correct model.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Feb 28, 2016 9:54 AM in response to DanHar84
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Feb 28, 2016 9:54 AM in response to DanHar84

    Here is the apple support article about startup tones.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202768 Here is the type of memory you need to run.  http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/1333DDR3S16P/

  • by DanHar84,

    DanHar84 DanHar84 Feb 28, 2016 11:05 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 28, 2016 11:05 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    IMG_5963.jpg

    this is how the screen looks like.

    I will order some memory from Flexx to see if the problem persists. Do we get a discount from them if they are sponsors?

  • by DanHar84,

    DanHar84 DanHar84 Feb 28, 2016 11:06 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 28, 2016 11:06 AM in response to my ginger

    thanks

     

    that's the memory that I have

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,Helpful

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Feb 28, 2016 11:58 AM in response to DanHar84
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 28, 2016 11:58 AM in response to DanHar84

    that's the memory that I have

     

    then one or more of them may have failed, and you should ask for an exchange.

     

    It is not your job to figure out if it is one or the other -- the vendor should have a means of doing that. You paid for good ones, they sent something else, please send good ones instead.

  • by DanHar84,

    DanHar84 DanHar84 Feb 28, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 28, 2016 12:11 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    if that's the case...

    shouldn't I have the same issues even with the external display connected?

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Feb 28, 2016 12:22 PM in response to DanHar84
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Feb 28, 2016 12:22 PM in response to DanHar84

    There is two ways to check this. If you still have the original memory. You could reinstall it. Or you could remove, one at a time the two new memory sticks you have. If the problem goes away. then it is the memory.