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Repair information and guides for MacBook Pro models with 13" displays.

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Why is my screen black and making 3 beeping sounds

The screen is black and when the power light blinks it will beep in a morse code type- 3 short beeps, 3 long , 3 short.

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Three long tones, three short tones, three long tones: EFI ROM corruption is detected, and your Mac is in EFI ROM recovery mode. Newer computers automatically recover from a corrupted ROM; when this occurs, a progress bar appears on the screen during ROM recovery mode. Don't disturb your Mac while the ROM recovery takes place. When recovery is complete, your Mac restarts.

What exact model do you have?

UPDATE

There are 12 A1278 models. Please pick yours from this list:

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-loo...

Do you know what system you are running or what update you have been trying to install?

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3 Comments:

A1278 is the model number

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I usually try to keep it pretty you to date but I do not use it enough. Rarely even.

The only new thing I have is a new charger and I believe it is not Apple so this is my only conclusion

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Your exact model really could make a difference in a correct answer, please go here and enter the serial number from the back of your machine to find the exact model: http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-loo...

Are you the original owner? Has anything happened to this machine, repairs, any type of damage?

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@mayer, you did not read Brandon's original question correctly. He states that his computer is making three short then three long then 3 short beeps and not turning on. The answer that you responded with would have been if his computer was making 3 LONG, 3 SHORT and then 3 LONG beeps which would indicate the EFI problem. The 3 SHORT, 3 LONG, 3 SHORT beep combination indicates an issue with RAM. Try each RAM card individually to figure out which one is corrupt.

I experienced the same issue when I upgraded my mid 2007 iMac and then downloaded El Capitain. Ran a few weeks with no problem, then bam! I made sure I upgraded with OEM cards too and 1TB of storage. I even used the patch and did a clean upgrade. IDK why it happened, it just did.

Update (10/06/2021)

Follow up to this issue.... I discovered my newest memory card was corrupt. How did I figure this out, you ask?

Took out card in slot 2. With only card in slot 1, I powered on system while holding down Cmd-Alt-P-R. Continue to hold all four keys down until you hear the regular chime sound for powering on. Allow system to chime 3 cycles. (Takes about 20-30 sec to complete.) This indicates the card is good.

Now take that card out and put card 2 in slot 1 and repeat. If it cycles through the 3 chimes it is good and the slot is good.

Repeat the procedure with each card for slot 2. This will tell you if this slot is working properly.

If you power on and systems does 3S-3L-3S pattern, that indicates a corrupt item. You will be able to narrow it down to a card issue or slot issue.

I discovered my newest card was corrupt. While I'm waiting for a new 2GB card, system is functioning, just incredibly slow.

My system is a mid 2007 iMac upgraded to El Capitain. I hope this helps anyone like myself.

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Let's try doing a SMC reset. Follow this Apple T/N: Resetting SMC on your Mac. Did that fix things?

Update (08/30/2017)

Here is another thing you can try. Not a specific fix for your situation but I've had luck with trying all of the resets and seeing what works.

Remove one stick of RAM. Press power button. Immediately hold down P, R, Command and Option keys and held them down. Hold the keys down through 3 cycles of the (tone, chime).

Then switch to the other RAM stick and repeat.

This is actually an EFI reset (you can't do this on the newer machines. It can only be done with a RAM change and only once per change. So not knowing what model you have it might not work.

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Brandon Tipton will be eternally grateful.
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