Chosen Solution
Hello all ! So this has happened a few time now, 3-4 to be exact ! Mac book is on and working as usual and then lines appear on the screen everywhere, and it shuts down. Then if I turn it on again I get the beeps x 3. Now I know this can be a Ram problem, and have already removed ram bars and switched them around powered up and it works all ok. But it keeps happening after a couple of days it dies again ! Before I buy new ram, I want to know if it could be any other problem? Or piece inside that is fried or something !
The three beeps has historically been a RAM issue. However, recently I have seen three 2011-2012 machines where it is not and is the logic board. To test use just one stick of RAM and remove the other. Try it in one slot and then the other slot. On each try take a look at the system configuration and see if it is reading correctly. Do this with the other stick. This will check both the sticks and the slots. Let us know your results. As it is, it look like a GPU issue. Let’s also ask @danj if he has run into this. UPDATE @clarkclark The only solution I have found on the GPU issue is a logic board replacement. Due to the cost of the part, I have sent two into Apple requesting a “Flat Rate” depot repair. My total cost for this in Texas is $357. For that they will fix any and all problems if the machine has not received liquid damage or incurred a major impact. Total time for this is four days including the first call day. I call 1-800-MYAPPLE and request it, give them a credit card. Next morning there is an overnight FedEx box on my door step. I box it up and take it to FedEx. one day there, one day to repair and one day to send it back. It’s a sweet deal.
Hey everyone, after having this problem, i found out the problem might not be the soldering at all. read on… 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 could never actually find a defective stick and 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 about this problem and after watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpagfXra… I’m 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 RAM stick springs 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 bracket are and then push them towards the RAM contacts to make pressure inward so the clips are pressed firmly against 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 what i mean and post the link (it will be my first YT video so be nice hahaha) so it shows the fault and fix clearly.
Great — Also had the RAM contact problems. It was exacerbated by the fact that in a recent SSD upgrade and a second SSD in the DVD space with a fitting bracket the screws of the Mac back-pane were not all screwed in and others not fastened down to save time to try different configurations, the RAM seemed to become loose. The problem was gone as some mentioned above when a 4mmx4mm strip of foam as long as the RAM chips were laid on them to exert very little pressure. It is a late 2011 MacBookPro8,3 that also got a free MoBo replacement due to a manufacture failure in this series some years ago. The Mac may live a few years longer. BUT due to Apple’s OS policy to prevent upgrades to older HW, the last possible macOS is installed. The basic MacOS now has a VMWare Fusion host, with newer macOS Mojave, Catalina and Big Sur as Mac Client systems and Ubuntu Budgie paving the way away from Apple HW. Switching to just as good but pricier Asus N752VX-GC189T, after the new 2019 MacBookPro16,3 was tested — almost €4000 is a bit too much if more than one Laptop is needed. Linux Ubuntu Budgie or Elementary are good examples we tested and now use as Apple macOS alternatives for our purposes on the still good i7 64GB Ram on the MBP8,2. It runs just as fast as the Asus.
Now I know this can be a Ram problem, and have already removed ram bars and switched them around powered up and it works ‘‘‘สล็อตบนมือถือ’’’ all ok. But it keeps happening after a couple of days it dies again !
