My iMac Won't Turn On And Continuously Beeps

Hi, i tried turning on my iMac an hour ago and it whirred up with a black screen while beeping continuously, each beep an equal distance apart. I tried counting the beeps a few times and they don't seem to stop (I counted up to about 30 before i decided to stop, they kept going!)
I've read a few forum posts, and other things related on the internet, but no-one has a problem with continuous beeping. I don't know how to open up my mac book and replace RAM, or anything of the sorts.
Thanks, Nicolas

According to another website this COULD be a RAM failure... Have you recently upgraded your RAM or Removed it at any point?

This seemed to help the other guy out:

SMC RESET
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord and all peripherals.
Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
Release the power button.
Attach the computers power cable.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.

PRAM RESET
Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.

Hope this helps you!

Source: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3366520?start=0&tstart=0

Thanks, Sketch, For Replying ^.^

Thanks Sketch, I will try both methods you suggested and will let you know what happens. I've also read elsewhere about the RAM failure but that is usually associated with 3 beeps or SOS beeps (3 short, 3 long then 3 short).
Nicolas

Didn't Work

Hi, Sketch
I have tried both of the methods you have posted, sadly, neither of them work. I have never personally touched the RAM (or upgraded it). Although I did get my imac second hand so it may have been upgraded by the previous owner. Would that be in any relation to this problem?
Nicolas

arcticnic said:

Hi, i tried turning on my iMac an hour ago and it whirred up with a black screen while beeping continuously, each beep an equal distance apart. I tried counting the beeps a few times and they don't seem to stop (I counted up to about 30 before i decided to stop, they kept going!)
I've read a few forum posts, and other things related on the internet, but no-one has a problem with continuous beeping. I don't know how to open up my mac book and replace RAM, or anything of the sorts.
Thanks, Nicolas

Click to expand...

The beeping problem many times has to do with the ram (either ram has gone bad...or the computer has incompatible ram in it). Please read the link below:

Macintosh Beep Codes

There is no such thing as "continuous beeps". You either get 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 beeps...you're just not hearing the gap/pause correctly between the repeating of the set of beeps.

If it is ram related...you need to know how to get at your ram. Go to iFixit.com...they have DIY instructions.

HTH,

- Nick

Am I Hearing 1 Beep?

Hi Nick,
I dont hear any pattern in the beeping but there is a 5 second gap between each beep. Would that count as the 1 beep problem?

arcticnic said:

Hi Nick,
I dont hear any pattern in the beeping but there is a 5 second gap between each beep. Would that count as the 1 beep problem?

Click to expand...

If there's a 5 second gap...then I would say yes...that's probably the 1 beep message.

1 beep = no ram installed or detected.

This would certainly be "odd"...assuming you do have ram installed. It could also mean that the ram is not installed correctly (maybe the ram got dislodged somehow).

- Have you had this computer since it was new...and if so...have you done anything with the ram since buying it?
- If you bought this iMac used...how long have you had it...and how long has it been working ok?

In either case...I would remove all ram..and reinstall it to be sure it is seated properly.

- Nick

I Will Try That

Thanks Nick,
I bought it second hand and had it for about 2 years (approx.) I have never touched the ram and will definitely try taking it out and putting it back in.

arcticnic said:

Thanks Nick,
I bought it second hand and had it for about 2 years (approx.) I have never touched the ram and will definitely try taking it out and putting it back in.

Click to expand...

This is the simplest, easiest, quickest, and cheapest thing to try (taking out & then reinstalling the ram).

If this computer has been working ok for 2 years...then it probably had the correct ram installed in it. If this idea doesn't solve things...then it would probably be helpful to know what exact iMac model you have.

Many older iMacs have 2 ram slots...newer iMacs have 4. I'm guessing your iMac has 2 ram slots...so your iMac would have either 1 or 2 sticks of ram in it. If it has two sticks of ram in it...then one of the sticks could be bad...so the next step would be to only run the computer with 1 stick of ram. Try "stick A" only...then "Stick B" only...to see if only one stick is bad.

Good luck,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

This is the simplest, easiest, quickest, and cheapest thing to try (taking out & then reinstalling the ram).

If this computer has been working ok for 2 years...then it probably had the correct ram installed in it. If this idea doesn't solve things...then it would probably be helpful to know what exact iMac model you have.

Many older iMacs have 2 ram slots...newer iMacs have 4. I'm guessing your iMac has 2 ram slots...so your iMac would have either 1 or 2 sticks of ram in it. If it has two sticks of ram in it...then one of the sticks could be bad...so the next step would be to only run the computer with 1 stick of ram. Try "stick A" only...then "Stick B" only...to see if only one stick is bad.

Good luck,

- Nick

Click to expand...

Also if there are multiple RAM slots and only 1 slot being used.. The currently used RAM slot could be bad.

pigoo3 said:

This is the simplest, easiest, quickest, and cheapest thing to try (taking out & then reinstalling the ram).

If this computer has been working ok for 2 years...then it probably had the correct ram installed in it. If this idea doesn't solve things...then it would probably be helpful to know what exact iMac model you have.

Many older iMacs have 2 ram slots...newer iMacs have 4. I'm guessing your iMac has 2 ram slots...so your iMac would have either 1 or 2 sticks of ram in it. If it has two sticks of ram in it...then one of the sticks could be bad...so the next step would be to only run the computer with 1 stick of ram. Try "stick A" only...then "Stick B" only...to see if only one stick is bad.

Good luck,

- Nick

Click to expand...

Will I have lost all my data if my computer turns on after I reinstall the RAM? I haven't quite done it yet, my friend says i need to hold a metal plate before i touch anything, is that correct, or is he just talking about older iMacs (my iMac is Intel based)

arcticnic said:

Will I have lost all my data if my computer turns on after I reinstall the RAM?

Click to expand...

No you won't lose your data...your data is stored on the hard drive.

arcticnic said:

I haven't quite done it yet, my friend says i need to hold a metal plate before i touch anything, is that correct, or is he just talking about older iMacs (my iMac is Intel based)

Click to expand...

Have you gone to the website I linked earlier on how to access the ram? It should mention's this. You have to release any static electricity from your body before opening things up...and NOT moving around after.

- Nick

Thanks to all who gave me advice and helped, my iMac is now fixed, all I had to do was re-insert the RAM, it seemed as though one of them had dismantled slightly.
Nicolas

Special thanks to Nick, you helped the most

arcticnic said:

Thanks to all who gave me advice and helped, my iMac is now fixed, all I had to do was re-insert the RAM, it seemed as though one of them had dismantled slightly.

Click to expand...

Always great to hear a "Happy Ending" (and a cheap easy fix as well!!!

Thanks for getting back to us.

- Nick

Just when I thought things were all fine and dandy...

pigoo3 said:

Always great to hear a "Happy Ending" (and a cheap easy fix as well!!!

Thanks for getting back to us.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Just when i thought things were all fine and dandy. My iMac was running fine all day (even better than usual). I put my iMac on sleep for a few minutes and when I came back, I tried turning it on again and now starts the "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP" The same as it was before.
I did what i did last time (Open the iMac from the bottom, take out the RAM chips and then re-insert them) but this time when i turned it on again it didn't get fixed, It started beeping again. I tried doing it again, but nothing changed.

arcticnic said:

Just when i thought things were all fine and dandy. My iMac was running fine all day (even better than usual). I put my iMac on sleep for a few minutes and when I came back, I tried turning it on again and now starts the "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP" The same as it was before.
I did what i did last time (Open the iMac from the bottom, take out the RAM chips and then re-insert them) but this time when i turned it on again it didn't get fixed, It started beeping again. I tried doing it again, but nothing changed.

Click to expand...

Well there could be two possible issues.

1. The ram actually may be bad.
2. There could be a problem with the slot on the logic board where the ram inserts.

You never mentioned if you had one or two sticks of ram in this computer (I mentioned this earlier). If you have two sticks of ram...then you have to test using the process of elimination.

You have ram slot A & ram slot B. And (if you have two sticks of ram)...ram stick A & ram stick B.

You may have to test all combinations of ram & ram slots to determine if you have bad ram or bad slot(s).

Combinations:

1. Ram A, slot A
2. Ram A, Slot B
3. Ram B, Slot A
4. Ram B, Slot B

You have to do this 1 stick of ram at a time & one slot at a time to narrow things down. You need to do this each time by booting the computer...and then seeing if you have stability. If you get the beeping on any of these combinations...then something is bad (either ram or the slot...hopefully not both).

- Nick