One beep at Startup, replaced RAM, still beeping

[Paul B]

Hi MR,

Like the title says, my iMac is beeping once every five seconds at startup. Results from Google all say this means the iMac is not detecting any RAM.


First I tried reseating the RAM, in the same slots, different slots, and that didn't work.

Then, thinking that my RAM sticks went bad, I bought new RAM. Put them in and they didn't work either.

So now I have no idea what's wrong. Is this now a problem with the logic board not detecting the RAM? am I going to have to replace the entire logic board?

 

[Paul B]

Would love to get some insight on this, if anyone has been in a similar situation. Been scouring the net and it seems most people resolved this by reseating the RAM...

 

[Bruno09]

What info do you get about the RAM in System Information ?

Check this : http://hpics.li/105bd64

 

[Paul B]

My iMac doesn't boot up at all. After powering on, goes straight to the beeping.

 

[Weaselboy]

Would love to get some insight on this, if anyone has been in a similar situation. Been scouring the net and it seems most people resolved this by reseating the RAM...

Try running the Apple Hardware Test and see what that turns up.

 

[Bruno09]

Did you test with the old RAM ?

Are you sure the new one is the right one for your Mac ?

 

[The-Pro]

only if it beeps 3 times in a row is ram the issue, as far as i know,

wait sorry thats incorrect. dont mind me

 

[Paul B]

Did you test with the old RAM ?

Are you sure the new one is the right one for your Mac ?

Yes and yes.

----------

Try running the Apple Hardware Test and see what that turns up.

I just tried this (holding D) but nothing comes up. Just a black screen and the aforementioned beeping.

It's looking more and more like a faulty logic board

 

[fhopper]

Your original RAM should be known good parts, put them back in. We are all assuming you know how hard you have to push RAM to seat it in slots, it is disturbingly hard sometimes.

 

[Weaselboy]

I just tried this (holding D) but nothing comes up. Just a black screen and the aforementioned beeping.

It's looking more and more like a faulty logic board

What OS version are you on? Older versions you have to run the hardware test from the grey installer DVD.

 

[Paul B]

Your original RAM should be known good parts, put them back in. We are all assuming you know how hard you have to push RAM to seat it in slots, it is disturbingly hard sometimes.

I believe I am doing so. I'm painfully putting them in until it seems they can't go back any further, but this whole process is making me second guess myself...

What OS version are
you on? Older versions you have to run the hardware test from the grey installer DVD.

OS X 10.6.7 Snow Leopard. The iMac isn't even taking discs at this point.

 

[nufanec]

POST beeps:

1 beep = no RAM installed
2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
3 beeps = no good banks
4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)
5 beeps = processor is not usable

--

1 beep is usually the logic board, especially given that you have tried different RAM.

 

[53kyle]

POST beeps:

1 beep = no RAM installed
2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
3 beeps = no good banks
4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)
5 beeps = processor is not usable

--

1 beep is usually the logic board, especially given that you have tried different RAM.

This ^^^^^ 1 beep = no ram = bad logic board in this case. Take the computer to an apple store.