MacBook Pro Won't Boot, Beeps?

DezUk

DezUk

DezUk

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Took a video to let you see what happens


I have been having issues with the machine freezing a lot recently, it randonmly happens for no reason. I had an earlier thread about this and think I narrowed it down to a broken HDD. After running a S.M.A.R.T test it shows 5 broken sectors.

Anyway I booted the machine today as soon as the desktop popped up the machine froze and I had to hard reset. After doing that I am now left with problem above.

Any ideas?
 
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Since I can't boot the MBP how can I tell what firmware to downoad and install?

Why would the FW be wiped like that?
 
DezUk said:
This did the trick, many thanks!

Just testing the ram now to hopefully rule that out. Await a Corsair M4 arriving this week and that will get rid of the HDD with the broken sectors.
Click to expand...

what you testing the ram with?

if it is the ram i've 4gb 1067mhz for sale in the MM which i've just removed from my mac and replaced with 8gb. ;)
 
shine, it's beeping SOS (short-long-short) not OSO (long-short-long) as the article suggests (which just means the article is wrong :) chances are the guy who wrote it didn't know his morse code), and the screen that shows up briefly definitely looks like a firmware update screen, so I think you're right. :D


The kernel panics and freezing could be down to dodgy RAM, even though your beeps aren't complaining about the RAM. Could also be a knackered logic board.

Take your battery out, take your hard drive out, take your RAM out. Give it a good blow and put it all back in. Cross your fingers. Do a PRAM reset and an SMC reset just to be sure (can't hurt). Try booting with the hard drive out (since you say you've had hard drive problems before). I'm running out of things to suggest :p Tried booting on battery only

If you're still in AppleCare you should take a run to the Glasgow Apple Store anyway, get them to sort it out.


[edit] Took too long typing :D Glad it's back in a working state, could still be worth an SMC/PRAM reset though. If it continues to give you bother a trip to the Apple Store might be worth it.
 
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Doug said:
shine, it's beeping SOS (short-long-short) not OSO (long-short-long) as the article suggests (which just means the article is wrong :) chances are the guy who wrote it didn't know his morse code), and the screen that shows up briefly definitely looks like a firmware update screen, so I think you're right. :D
Click to expand...

I didn't actually read the bit about the length of the beeps. :D

I just counted 9 beeps, saw what looked like the firmware update screen and linked the article in the hope it would help the OP. :)
 
I've just realised something.

I had this problem once when a firmware update was available via Software Update in OS X. When I restarted the machine it was beeping at me until I plugged it into the mains. Next thing I saw was a firmware update automatically.

May have been the same for you!
 
3 beeps is usually RAM related, the fact that the startup chime appears afterwards means the logic board is probably OK.

Assuming you swapped the RAM do you have the original Apple stuff to put back in and test it?
 
Just an update on this....

I have now got the machine back up and running with the new Crucial M4 SSD and all seems so far (touch wood). The machine is a hell of a lot quicker too on boot up and installing software etc.

I have since ran Tech Tools and checked the entire system, so looks like it was the HDD after all.
 
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