Startup Chime: What Does It Mean?

Does anyone have a link to an official web page that talks about this from Apple?


Thank you!

Mac mini

Posted on Apr 6, 2017 12:04 PM

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4 replies

Apr 6, 2017 12:27 PM in response to NewbMacUser

see >About Mac startup tones - Apple Support

About Mac startup tones

Learn about the sounds your Mac might make when it starts up and what these sounds mean.

Mac computers (except MacBook Pro models introduced in 2016) can produce several sounds when starting up. Your Mac should produce the familiar chime on start up.

If you hear one of these tones, it might mean there's a problem with your computer:

  • One tone, repeating every five seconds: No RAM is installed.
  • Three successive tones, then a five-second pause (repeating): RAM doesn't pass a data integrity check.
  • One long tone while you hold down the power button: An EFI ROM update is in progress. This applies to computers made before 2012.
  • Three long tones, three short tones, three long tones: EFI ROM corruption is detected, and the computer is in EFI ROM recovery mode.

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Startup Chime: What Does It Mean?

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