3 beeps/logic board/works fine?

[pimpsterr]

so i got the kernel panic with 3 beeps = no RAM banks. did some searching and found that if you remove the RAM sticks altogether and turn back on if only 1 beep occurs = bad RAM stick so replace in a matched pair. If 3 beeps still occurs = bad logic board.

I got 1 beep = bad RAM stick/s

I take it in to see a genius at the apple store and he runs tests and comes back with bad logic board and now there is no panic kernel only solid LED upon start up which he said means bad logic board.

Fast forward several hours i try to turn my laptop on just for the heck of it and it turns on just fine and works as if nothing ever happened.

So my question is what is the problem? a loose connection somewhere? what should i do? just leave it and see what happens? Do the genius' really know what the heck they are doing? how difficult is it to swap logic boards?

it is a macbook 5,1 intel core 2 duo 2.0ghz/2x1gb/160gb from 11/2008 if this helps!

Much appreciated!
Cheers!

 

[thekev]

So my question is what is the problem? a loose connection somewhere? what should i do? just leave it and see what happens? Do the genius' really know what the heck they are doing? how difficult is it to swap logic boards?

it is a macbook 5,1 intel core 2 duo 2.0ghz/2x1gb/160gb from 11/2008 if this helps!

Much appreciated!
Cheers!

Half of the "geniuses" are really geniuses in the ironic sense, and swapping out a logic board is essentially a complete disassembly. It's very expensive unless you find a salvaged one off ebay or something. Sometimes Apple offers depot repair as in flat repair fee.

Here's a better suggestion for you. Download and run something like memtest or another memory checker. Memtest is good if you run it in single user mode. If you end up with bad ram, it's a very cheap thing to fix. Noting that it's 2x1 I would imagine you're using the original ram.

Has your computer shown any other weird signs?

 

[pimpsterr]

just google memtest to find it? i'll try that.

No signs of anything being wrong with it. In fact this is the first hick up i have had since i purchased this computer new in early 09 and has been absolutely perfect. the funny thing is i was telling my friend how great my apple macbook has been and how nothing has gone wrong with it or slowed down or anything since i got it and i went to turn it on in front of them and BEEP BEEEP BEEEP and this whole logic board thing after i take it in and now it's been working the last 6 hours just fine!

how does RAM just go bad? i checked that first thing after my computer booted up and it says the POST passed and that the status of both RAM sticks is OK......im assuming that means they pass (they either pass or fail?) and yes they are the original RAM the comp came with.

actually that was my other question what ram do i need? i read something about latency? 204 pin? 13333 something i don't remember? should i get 2x2gb? and what company? i have heard crucial/kingston/samsung/hynix

Cheers!

 

[thekev]

I don't have an up to date link or I'd post it. I should probably find one. I usually buy ram that's at least tested on macs. The intel macs aren't that picky, so it's not such a big deal these days. Back in the PowerPC days, you really did have to purchase ram that was properly tested for Macs. Crucial is decent. Kingston HyperX is popular in some macs that support it where integrated graphics are used, as they must share main memory. I think the 2009 will allow for up to 8GB, but I'd have to check. It would be cheap if that is your problem. It's possible it was just seated improperly. You have owned the laptop for a while, and that would explain how it works fine now.

I'd run memtest for five cycles or so overnight one evening, then the Apple diagnostics dvd the next (you still have an OS dvd right?). See if it turns up anything. It is slightly odd. Ram isn't a component that frequently dies, but it happens. Like I said about the Apple Geniuses.... "geniuses" in the ironic sense.