Macbook Pro makes beeping sound on startup with Apple Logo!!

TheGoonerKid · Apr 19, 2012

Hi, i bought a second hand Macbook Pro (intel i5, 4gb ram..)..its got a wiped hard drive so im trying to install snow leopard.
When i hold "C" to boot from the CD on startup, the apple logo appears and after a few seconds, a repeating beeping sound starts and thats it..
I can access disk utilities btw

So how th **** do install it? Is something wrong? Help please :/

TheGoonerKid · Apr 19, 2012

Also because its second hand, is warranty an issue (warranty still under previous owner's name)? There's still some warranty left if it is a hardware issue

Brunhild · Apr 19, 2012

sounds like a memory issue.

open the laptop up and look at the memory sticks. If two are in there make sure they are pushed all the way down. If they were pull one out and see what happens. If it does the same thing, pull the other out and replace it with the one you left out and see what happens. try both memory slots separately as well. I would find it hard to believe that both memory sticks went bad, or both slots. It could possible be either though.

If you have a friend with a PC laptop there is a program called memtest86+ or something that they can download for free and run a memory test. I usually only let it run through 4 passes and it finds most errors.

TheGoonerKid · Apr 19, 2012

Brunhild said:
sounds like a memory issue.

open the laptop up and look at the memory sticks. If two are in there make sure they are pushed all the way down. If they were pull one out and see what happens. If it does the same thing, pull the other out and replace it with the one you left out and see what happens. try both memory slots separately as well. I would find it hard to believe that both memory sticks went bad, or both slots. It could possible be either though.

If you have a friend with a PC laptop there is a program called memtest86+ or something that they can download for free and run a memory test. I usually only let it run through 4 passes and it finds most errors.

basically it was all Working well, then using disk utilities the hard dive was wiped clean to restore the MBP to snow leopard factory settings. Now when I put the snow leopard disk in, that problem happens. I mean it's not like wiping the HD has anything to with the RAM does it? :/
Will apple cover it if it's under warranty?

Brunhild · Apr 19, 2012

yes it would be covered by apple care.

sometimes memory just fails.. It doesnt necessarily have to be something you did or didnt do

pfgpowell · Dec 25, 2015

TheGoonerKid said:
Hi, i bought a second hand Macbook Pro (intel i5, 4gb ram..)..its got a wiped hard drive so im trying to install snow leopard.
When i hold "C" to boot from the CD on startup, the apple logo appears and after a few seconds, a repeating beeping sound starts and thats it..
I can access disk utilities btw

So how th **** do install it? Is something wrong? Help please :/

Actually, the solution is simpler but far from satisfying for you. I had the same problem when trying to install Snow Leopard on an i5 Core Macbook Pro (for unimportant reasons). What it means is that the OS is too old for that model e.g. the drivers will be the wrong ones. The only solution would be to find out what would be the earliest OS you can install then install that. However, as after Mountain Lion all OS were not sold but given away and, crucially, were not distributed as a CD or DVD but over the net, that might well cause complications.

techiesteve · Dec 25, 2015

I can confirm that the issue can be caused by an older OS or one not intended for that MacBook Pro.

As the MBP is an i5 model, if an early 2011 model it would require an original 2 DVD set of 10.6.6 or 10.6.7. Did it previously have Snow Leopard installed when you bought it? If so the last retail Snow Leopard sold was 10.6.3, not suitable. You would need to order the correct 2 DVD set from Apple.

If a late 2011 or mid 2012, it would have shipped with Lion. You can then download and install Lion via internet recovery.