I have a Mid-2012 MacBook Pro that gives a single soft beep every now and then and I've been trying to track down the cause. My MacBook Pro has a 2.5 GHz processor and 16 GB of OWC RAM. My system is on an SSD and I have a second drive installed (Data Doubler.)

Here's the history. I started having some random kernel panics about a year ago. I figured it was either a RAM issue or I needed to do a clean install of the system. It wasn't causing a lot of problems but seemed to go away when I removed the two RAM modules and replaced them in the opposite slots (I just switched the modules). About six months later, I started getting the random beeps. I didn't worry about it to much until it started beeping every minute or so. (That was two months ago.)

I called OWC and they sent out replacement RAM (although the Mac Hardware Test did not show a RAM issue.) After installing the new RAM, everything went well for about six weeks and then I got random freezes and kernel panics. I ran the hardware test and it showed a RAM issue. I called OWC and replaced the RAM again. That was about 10 days ago.

Now, I'm running smoothly but I've had the faint beep go off three times over the course of a week, usually when I'm taxing the system – working in Lightroom and Photoshop. Nothing to panic about but I'm trying to decide my next steps in tracking this down. My concern is that I may have a faulty logic board (can a faulty logic board cause RAM to go bad?) Before I have Apple look at it, I want to do some more trouble shooting. Can a hard drive cause the random beep? If so, I may pull my SSD and put the backup drive in (it's a regular hard drive.) I am still considering doing a clean install but wonder if software could cause this. Any thoughts to possible causes?

wow, that's a tough one, I never heard of this. I am curious what the Doc says about this.

I remember a beeping hard drive once upon a time, but I don't remember anything else...

hard drives CAN beep

[www.harddrivebeeping.com]

This is just the first indication that you really should have kept wearing your tin foil hat all along.

The beep is coming from inside your skull, not inside the Mac Pro!!

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

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rjmacs
This is just the first indication that you really should have kept wearing your tin foil hat all along.

The beep is coming from inside your skull, not inside the Mac Pro!!

Thanks for the chuckle!

Is your real name Kent?

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bazookaman
Is your real name Kent?

Not me. I'm Michael.

Try taking out the HD.

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C(-)ris
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FWIW - several of my Macs -including a factory stock Retina I used for a time- do/have done the that faint chime at different points too. I believe it's Apple MAIL that is responsible, but honestly never pinned it down. My iMac at home does it at carious.

you didn't list mail - do you have Mail open as well?

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magicmikey
I have a Mid-2012 MacBook Pro that gives a single soft beep every now and then and I've been trying to track down the cause. My MacBook Pro has a 2.5 GHz processor and 16 GB of OWC RAM. My system is on an SSD and I have a second drive installed (Data Doubler.)

Here's the history. I started having some random kernel panics about a year ago. I figured it was either a RAM issue or I needed to do a clean install of the system. It wasn't causing a lot of problems but seemed to go away when I removed the two RAM modules and replaced them in the opposite slots (I just switched the modules). About six months later, I started getting the random beeps. I didn't worry about it to much until it started beeping every minute or so. (That was two months ago.)

I called OWC and they sent out replacement RAM (although the Mac Hardware Test did not show a RAM issue.) After installing the new RAM, everything went well for about six weeks and then I got random freezes and kernel panics. I ran the hardware test and it showed a RAM issue. I called OWC and replaced the RAM again. That was about 10 days ago.

Now, I'm running smoothly but I've had the faint beep go off three times over the course of a week, usually when I'm taxing the system – working in Lightroom and Photoshop. Nothing to panic about but I'm trying to decide my next steps in tracking this down. My concern is that I may have a faulty logic board (can a faulty logic board cause RAM to go bad?) Before I have Apple look at it, I want to do some more trouble shooting. Can a hard drive cause the random beep? If so, I may pull my SSD and put the backup drive in (it's a regular hard drive.) I am still considering doing a clean install but wonder if software could cause this. Any thoughts to possible causes?

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OWC Larry
Other World Computing
[www.macsales.com]

It's not messenger receiving a txt or Apple mail checking home?

I do usually operate with Mail open. It never occurred to me that it might have something to do with Mail.

......Road Runner.....???

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

I would say your MBP wants attention. Talk to it occasionally. )

Mail making the beep?

Okay, I experimented yesterday. I worked in Lightroom, Photoshop and Bridge without Mail opened. After a while, I got the soft beep so it doesn't seem related to Mail. It only beeped once over a three to four hour time period.

The search for an answer continues.