Resolved MacBook Pro beeping and shutting off after a few minutes of use

[TerraMati]

Hello, I have a problem with my 2010 15' Macbook Pro (i7, 6GB of Ram and Geforce GT 330M), it has High Sierra installed on it. I had so many problems with this MacBook that I really want to sell it. So, this issue started around a week ago when I was just using my MacBook as always but after like 10 minutes of use the MacBook froze, I couldn't move the mouse or do anything, and it beeped 3 times, then stopped beeping, then beeped 3 times again and it did that a few times then shut off. It does that every time I try to do anything. I had this problem a few months ago when I installed Catalina on it using the dosdude1 patcher, that was the reason I went back to High Sierra. This Macbook just can't stop having problems. If I fix this problem I'm gonna sell it probably immediately. Also I searched for a beep problem on the web and I only found beeping at the boot up of the Mac and it indicates RAM problem. Please, help.

- TerraMati

 

[Fishrrman]

Three beeps sounds like a RAM problem.

Here's what I suggest you try:
a. take the back panel off (you need a Phillips #-00 driver). Make a drawing ON PAPER so you know "where the long screws go back to"
b. GENTLY remove the RAM DIMMs, clean the contacts, then re-seat them.
c. put the back on, use just a few screws to hold it.
d. turn the MBP over and boot again, let it run a while
Any better?

You can find pics on changing RAM DIMMs at ifixit.com ...

 

[Audit13]

This MacBook also has a known problem when it switches to the nVidia GPU from the Intel GPU. I'm not sure if the issue with your MacBook is related to the GPU switching.

GPU Kernel Panic in mid-2010; what's the best fix?

Over the past several months I've been getting kernel panics due to the graphics card, resulting in my mid-2010 MBP crashing. It's been getting progressively worse, something several times a day. (I missed the recall/repair program by a week because the d*cks at Apple never notified me that...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[TerraMati]

Three beeps sounds like a RAM problem.

Here's what I suggest you try:
a. take the back panel off (you need a Phillips #-00 driver). Make a drawing ON PAPER so you know "where the long screws go back to"
b. GENTLY remove the RAM DIMMs, clean the contacts, then re-seat them.
c. put the back on, use just a few screws to hold it.
d. turn the MBP over and boot again, let it run a while
Any better?

You can find pics on changing RAM DIMMs at ifixit.com ...

It was a RAM problem. I reseated the RAM DIMMs and I used the Macbook for around 30 minutes and it worked perfectly fine. That means when I had Catalina installed here I could just reseat the RAM and not install the OS once again, High Sierra this time. Anyways, thank you, If the problem comes back I'll know what to do.

This MacBook also has a known problem when it switches to the nVidia GPU from the Intel GPU. I'm not sure if the issue with your MacBook is related to the GPU switching.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/gpu-kernel-panic-in-mid-2010-whats-the-best-fix.1890097

Yes, I know about this problem, I actually have this problem sometimes, mostly when I do some editing in iMovie, the MacBook just does a Kernel Panic, but as I said it almost never happens when doing stuff that's not heavy on the GPU and switches the card. But if the Kernel Panics start happening more often I'm probably going to swap the faulty capacitor for the better one.

 

[kibepo73]

In case of memory or firmware-related issues, your Mac may beep once or more times during the startup process or it may be stuck on a black screen. Also called 3 beeps of death, this unusual beeping signals that your Mac might have startup issues, such as not turning on and loading to a black screen.

However, you can try the below DIY methods to fix the issue:

1. Reset the SMC
2. Reset the NVRAM
3. Replace the original RAM module
4. Run Apple Diagnostics

Hope it helps!