In another post, Mac beeps on Startup, we list the various beeping noises a Mac will make when a fault is detected in the Power-on self-test (POST). In this article we will describe just what those beeps mean and what to do about them.

Usually when this occurs the computer will not start and you’ll see a black screen. The LED will flash a certain amount of times and nothing will happen. This means a problem is found in memory.

1 beep – No RAM was found at all (possibly not seated properly)

2 beeps – RAM found is not compatible with your system. Check the memory stick and computer specifications.

3, 4 and 5 beeps – Motherboard problems including processor and memory banks burnt out.

At this point you need to contact your Apple dealer or a qualified computer repair technician for further repairs.

Contact AlexPC for a free estimate.