MacBook Pro Mid-2012 crashes, then beeps three times and only works again after a few hours

[beta2k]

A friend's laptop is a MacBook Pro Mid-2012 (it is a MacBook Pro 13-Inch "Core i5" 2.5 Mid-2012). She had issues with it in the past, as I posted here: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...e-exited-due-to-sigbus.2237841/?post=28541643

In the thread above, I could find a workaround by creating a new user account. Then, everything was back to normal. However, once in a while the following (as also described in the thread above) happens: The laptop crashes and when I try to reboot, I hear "3 beep tones" and it turns off again. I then have to wait a few minuntes or even hours and can only then use the MBP again. I have researched that the 3 beeps seem to indicate issues with the RAM. However, I am very certain that the RAM is not faulty, because my friend bought new ram just recently and I hardware-checked them and I replaced them one at a time. Everything still worked.

What makes this issue more annoying is the fact that the MBP works for a long period of time (even months) and then suddenly it crashes and stop working again. This happened again a few days ago. It crashed with the subsequent "3 beep tones". I then had to wait overnight for it to work again. I need to resolve this issue, because the MBP is also used for live performances and it would be nightmare if this happens in a live setting. As it is right now, it is a time bomb that is ticking...

I already tried the following things to no avail: SMC reset, PRAM/NVRAM reset, safe mode.

Do you have any suggestions on what to do here? I am slowly running out of ideas.

 

[0128672]

@beta2k, there's some schools of thought that posting a device's serial number isn't a good idea. In this case, it's someone else's serial number. You may want to edit that out.

 

[beta2k]

@beta2k, there's some schools of thought that posting a device's serial number isn't a good idea. In this case, it's someone else's serial number. You may want to edit that out.

thanks! i thought in some cases the serial number might help to more precisely identify the model. anyways, after i have posted this (or similar topics) here and on other boards, you are the first one to tell me. thanks!

 

[0128672]

thanks! i thought in some cases the serial number might help to more precisely identify the model. anyways, after i have posted this (or similar topics) here and on other boards, you are the first one to tell me. thanks!

The model # is MD101LL/A (from https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...re-i5-2.5-13-mid-2012-unibody-usb3-specs.html)

 

[Peadogie]

Make sure she has a backup of anything important. NOW!
@beta2k Also, three beeps on startup means that the Mac can't "find" the memory.
I know that your situation is different but, you may want to try this.

 

[beta2k]

Make sure she has a backup of anything important. NOW!
@beta2k Also, three beeps on startup means that the Mac can't "find" the memory.
I know that your situation is different but, you may want to try this.

thanks, I will try that. the theory that the memory is okay, but somehow the logic board cannot "connect" to the memory, makes sense. it's just weird that 95% of the time it works.

I will report back.