We choose the MacBook for its simplicity: Apple laptops do not require extra attention and study of technical details. Even in the event of a failure, it is often enough to simply restore the system and not worry about the rest... However, even users of Apple products may require service, for example, if the MacBook beeps and does not turn on, a simple recovery is unlikely to solve the problem.

Such sounds when starting a MacBook may indicate, first of all, the failure of individual system components. In the event of hardware problems, the system has several basic sound signals, with the help of which the device reports certain malfunctions:

If your MacBook emits one long or three short beeps every five seconds,this indicates problems with RAM:

The memory module has failed and the system cannot detect it,

The memory failed the data integrity test.

In both cases, it is necessary to check the contact between the RAM and the slot and, if necessary, replace the module or repair the connectors/contact tracks responsible for the memory.

Long beep when the power button is pressedindicates that the system is updating the EFI firmware.

If the MacBook beeps, transmitting an “SOS” signal(three short beeps, three long beeps and three short beeps again), this indicates that the EFI firmware memory is corrupted.

In both cases, the firmware installation process will take some time, during which it is not recommended to perform any actions on the MacBook. For models manufactured before 2008, EFI recovery may require the installation disc that came with your computer.

If your MacBook beeps, but the sound is not coming from the speaker or it contains a different code, the cause may be various components of the laptop: there are several typical MacBook malfunctions, accompanied by characteristic sounds when the laptop is turned on:

Hard drive failure. In this case, the problem can be resolved by replacing the drive yourself.

Cooler wear. A malfunction of the cooling system can significantly affect the performance of the computer, making it impossible to operate in this mode. The malfunction can be eliminated by repairing or replacing the cooler.

Video card malfunction. It can be caused by overheating of the computer, which most often results in the graphics module failing. It can be eliminated by replacing the video chip or the entire video card, depending on the nature of the damage.

Motherboard failure. It may be due to either overheating of the computer or exposure to liquid. In the first case, component repair or complete replacement of the board will be required; In case of liquid ingress, the malfunction is eliminated by cleaning the board from oxides.

The problem may also be of a different nature. Service center specialists will help you diagnose the problem most accurately. But, despite the apparent seriousness, you shouldn’t give up on your laptop ahead of time: if the MacBook beeps, in most cases this is the result of not the most serious damage, and repairs will not take much time and money.

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It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the fact that Apple technology is of high quality and reliable. It is worth noting that most modern and recently released laptops from other manufacturers are much inferior to the MacBooks of 2008. All available models in the line work without failures or freezes, but this does not guarantee uninterrupted operation of the device. Sometimes unexpected situations happen. This is exactly what this article is dedicated to. Let's look at the reasons why your MacBook may not turn on, and how to fix them.

How can you tell if your MacBook won't turn on?

In order to understand that the equipment does not turn on, you do not need to have skill or any special knowledge. When loading, it is enough to pay attention to what is drawn on the screen. If an icon appears in the form of a gray folder with an exclamation mark on it, then there is a problem with the laptop. There is no need to panic right away. If there is no system failure, then laptop technologies are capable of protecting all the data on the hard drive.

How to reset settings?

If a slight freeze occurs and you don’t want to spend a lot of time with recovery, you can use the EFI memory quick rollback function. All data after this will not be deleted and will remain on the hard drive. What needs to be done for this? First, turn off the laptop by holding down the Command-P-R-Option buttons and pressing the power key. It is worth pressing on them until the loading screen appears. This will quickly get rid of freezes, the memory will be cleared, and the operation of the MacBook will be completely restored. In the future, to avoid such troubles, it is better to backup your computer and place it on any cloud storage. Then, in the event of an unexpected failure, it will be easy to restore all data.

If after such manipulation the laptop still does not start, then you need to check the condition of the hard drive, as well as how the cable is attached to the motherboard.

Possible reasons

Before choosing ways to solve the problem, you need to determine why the freeze occurred. The question of why the MacBook won’t turn on will bother every owner who finds himself in this situation. What caused the software to turn off: a system failure, a memory or processor error, or some other problem? In addition, the breakdown could also occur as a result of unstable operation of the operating system. Often such a reaction occurs in a laptop during the update process. Sometimes this happens when you connect an incompatible device to a MacBook. This problem can be easily solved - just turn off all additional equipment.

Fixing the problem: first method

First of all, you should use a safe way to turn on your laptop - Safe Boot. What is it for? When working with it, the MacBook only downloads software that has been verified and installed from certified sources. In order to turn on the laptop in this mode, you need to press the Shift button and then carry out the usual manipulations. Unfortunately, the download process can be long, but you shouldn’t rush or interrupt it, because all data should remain unharmed.

If the user needs to do a detailed boot in order to understand why the failure occurred, then they should start turning on the laptop in the usual way, additionally holding down the Command, Shift and V keys. Then the MacBook will boot into safe mode with the ability to view all the startup details. In other words, Verbose Mode is additionally activated. What does this mean? This download method allows you to find out all the information about the utility and driver files, as well as see all the errors that occurred as a result of their operation.

If after such a launch the laptop functions normally, then it can be loaded as standard. But sometimes this method does not help solve the current problem, then you need to proceed to the second option for troubleshooting. If after this the MacBook Pro does not turn on, what to do, you can understand further.

Fixing the problem: second method

Of course, a laptop may freeze and not turn on for many reasons. If we assume that the problem is with the hard drive, then you can use the Disk Utility program to check its status.

First of all, you need to turn off your laptop. If the display shows a gray/blue/other color screen and this cannot be done, you will have to forcefully turn off the power. To do this, just hold down the start button for 7 seconds.

Now you can open recovery mode. It is from this that you need to launch Disk Utility. How to do it? You need to hold down the MacBook's power button, as well as Command and R at the same time. After this, the user will see a screen with utility icons installed in the operating system. You need to find the Disk Utility program and run it. Now you need to find the name of your hard drive on the screen and enable checking it. After finishing, you need to fix all the problems and restart the laptop. However, if the MacBook turns on and off, and the methods described above did not help, then proceed to the next step.

Fixing the problem: third method

If the user has made a backup copy of documents, but cannot get to it due to a failure in the MacBook, then the third method will suit him. You need to enter the external disk mode, which is called Target Disk Mode.

How to launch it? A second MacBook is required. It is needed to connect them with one cable. Now you can turn on your own laptop. If any problems arise, you can hold down the power button for a few seconds until the logo appears. Now you immediately need to press the T key. Keep it in this state until the inscription appears on the screen in the form of Thunderbolt. External disk mode has started. At the moment, a laptop is actually just that, and not a familiar computer. If the download is successful, a new hard drive will appear. Thanks to this, you can easily transfer the necessary data to this medium. You are now allowed to restore your laptop. Even if the information is deleted from the main disk, it will remain on the new secondary disk.

Fixing the problem: fourth method

If none of the methods described above could help resolve the problem and its results, and the MacBook screen does not turn on, then the last option remains - reinstalling the operating system. In order to do everything correctly and not end up with a crash, you need to enable the laptop recovery mode. How to do this is indicated above in the article: you should press the MacBook start button while holding down the R and Command keys.

After this, the operating system will turn on. You need to find the Reinstall menu. A dialog box will open. You must follow all the instructions described in it. Now the question of what to do if the MacBook does not turn on should resolve itself.

Let's not talk about Apple's reliability for the 100th time. Everything breaks.

But this case is strange, almost paranormal - at least it seems so when it happens to you.

Given: a new MacBook in excellent condition and without repairs. Sit and work on it. Suddenly, it turned off. Without warning, the screen went dark and the power went out.

You try to turn it on, but it doesn't respond at all. No way. Long press the power button, connect the charging cable, change the charger. Just zero reaction.

Don't rush to go to the service just yet. And don't rush at all. Perhaps this problem can be solved right now.

I experienced my Mac suddenly shutting down 2 times in 1 week

I believe in coincidences, so I think I was just “lucky.” But any of you could be in this place.

A week ago, a colleague of mine experienced the above problem on his MacBook Pro. The computer simply turned off out of the blue and no longer showed any signs of life. I tried different chargers, cables, opening and closing the lid. Useless.

A few days later the situation repeated itself with me and a 12-inch MacBook. Only the circumstances are different.

I didn't have a sudden blackout. The MacBook had 2% charge left when it went out. I didn’t think anything bad, put it in my bag and forgot about it. In the evening I put it on charge.

I open it in the morning, try to turn it on - zero reaction.

The laptop just seemed completely dead. It’s a strange feeling – just there was a computer, and now there’s a piece of metal with buttons. And it seems like it’s not your fault.

If something like this happens to you, do not despair: most likely, the problem is a failure of the SMC controller.

What is an SMC controller, why is it needed?

Literally, SMC stands for System Management Controller, that is, a system management controller.

This is a chip on the motherboard that solves several specific problems. Quoting the official Apple website, SMC is responsible for:

• response to pressing the power button
• response to opening and closing the display lid on Mac laptops
• battery resource management
• temperature control
• operation of the sudden motion sensor (SMS)
• ambient light sensor operation
• keyboard backlight
• status indicator control
• battery status indicators
• Select an external (rather than internal) video source for select iMac displays.

SMC controllers are found on all MacBooks with Intel processors. Under ideal operating conditions they function without problems.

But for some, SMC may begin to become dull. The cause cannot be guessed or diagnosed at home. This could be problems after an unsuccessful update or restoring the system from a backup, or power surges when recharging the battery. Or something else.

If the cause of the SMC controller failure is extremely difficult to determine, then you will notice the problems themselves almost immediately.

Again, we turn to the official Apple website for a list of situations that require resetting the SMC controller:

• The computer fans are spinning at high speeds even though the computer is not heavily loaded and is properly ventilated.
• The keyboard backlight is not working properly.
• The status light (if equipped) does not light up correctly.
• Battery indicators (if present) do not work correctly on Mac notebooks with a non-removable battery.
• The display backlight does not respond correctly to changes in ambient light.
• Your Mac doesn't respond when you press the power button.
• Your Mac laptop doesn't respond correctly when you close or open the lid.
• Your Mac suddenly goes to sleep or shuts down and then can't turn on.
• The battery is not charging properly.
• Your MacBook or MacBook Pro won't charge using the built-in USB-C port.
• Your MacBook or MacBook Pro doesn't recognize external devices connected to its built-in USB-C port.
• The LED indicator on the MagSafe power adapter (if equipped) does not correctly indicate the current charging status.
• Your Mac is running unusually slow, even though it isn't using excessive CPU usage.
• Your Mac that supports Shared Display mode doesn't switch to or from Shared Display mode as expected, or it switches unexpectedly.
• The lighting around the I/O ports on your Mac Pro (Late 2013) does not activate when you move the computer.

Normal, right? Reading this entire list makes you want to immediately reset the SMC on your Mac, no matter how it's running. Suddenly it will get better.

Fortunately, the SMC reset procedure is safe, does not lead to negative consequences, and is often used by Apple service centers as the first step in resolving owner complaints. No data or settings will be lost. All files will be in place.

As you may have guessed, it was the SMC reset that helped my colleague and I revive our MacBooks. Only the procedure turned out to be not as simple as it was described on the Apple website.

How do I reset SMC on my Mac?

If you have a MacBook with a non-removable battery: Turn off your MacBook (if it's on), hold down the CMD (command) + Option (alt) + Shift keys on the left side of the keyboard, and press the power button with your other hand. Keep it all pressed for 10 seconds, then release. Turn on your Mac as usual.

If your MacBook has a removable battery: throw it away, it's time to upgrade. Okay, seriously, you need to turn off the beech, remove the battery from it, hold down the power button for five seconds, then release, insert the battery pack back and turn on the laptop normally.

If you have a desktop Mac, iMac, and Mac mini: turn it off, unplug the power cable, wait 15 seconds. Insert the cable back. Wait another 5 seconds, turn on as usual.

If you have an iMac Pro: turn it off, hold down the power button for 8 seconds, release it for 2 seconds and then just press.

Mac computers give no indication that the SMC settings have actually been reset. If your problem is not solved, although it is mentioned in the reasons to reset, try again. Once again.

Damn it, try ten times. Because for some unknown reason it very rarely works out the first time.

Personally, about the sixth attempt brought me success. The Mac suddenly turned on, started charging and generally acted as if nothing bad had happened.

What if resetting the SMC didn’t help and the Mac still won’t turn on?

I highly recommend trying to reset SMC at least five times. This observation is confirmed by numerous topics on Western forums. For some reason, the keyboard shortcut window is very small on newer MacBook models.

Apple computers are highly reliable, but their owners sometimes run into trouble. Let's figure out what needs to be done when the MacBook does not turn on. If you didn’t manage to flood your laptop and didn’t drop it on the floor, the problem can most likely be solved without going to a service center.

First, you should perform an external test to ensure that the monitor and power adapter are working properly. The first applies more to owners of Mac Mini and iMac all-in-one PCs. Laptops manufactured before 2016 use a MagSafe magnetic port for charging. Its power cord is equipped with an indicator light.

When connected correctly, it should glow orange or green. The L-shaped magnetic latch can operate even if the contacts have not yet connected. In this case, the power cord is externally connected, but due to slight misalignment, power is not supplied. The latest generation of T-latches do not have this drawback. Make sure MagSafe is connected correctly.

All 12-inch models, and after 2016 – the MacBook Pro, use a power supply with a USB-C connector, which does not have a light indication. MagSafe remains only in Air. The cord of the new adapters has two identical connectors at the ends and connects to the laptop and power supply through a port.

Unplug it on both sides and plug it back in. The adapter can automatically interrupt the power supply if there is a disturbance in the electrical network. To reset the triggered protection, unplug it from the socket for one minute. Once turned back on, the computer should begin charging normally.

Reset NVRAM/PRAM

When the adapter is working properly, power is supplied and the apple on the lid lights up, but the screen is still black, you will need to reset the NVRAM/PRAM.

1. Completely turn off the computer using the power button. Turn it on and immediately press the combination shown in the screenshot.

1. We hold down all the keys until the laptop starts up, emitting the boot beep again. After the startup went smoothly and we are logged in, we need to check for updates. Click on the apple logo in the menu bar located in the left corner. Select the marked item.

1. On the main page, click the indicated button to open the App Store.

The system will automatically check for updates. We install all available ones and, if necessary, update the OS to the latest version of High Sierra.

Resetting the SMC

The SMC controller is responsible for the power supply functions. These include battery management, response to closing and opening the lid, the operation of some system sensors and interaction with peripheral devices. In any case, if you feel like your Mac isn't working properly, forcefully restarting the controller may resolve the issues.

For Aimak monoblocks and all Mini versions, it is enough to disconnect the power cord for 15 seconds. You must wait at least five more seconds before turning it back on. For laptop computers, which include all versions of Air, Pro and 12-inch Retina, we perform the following steps.

1. Turn off the device completely using the menu item shown.

1. Disconnect the power cord. Press the three keys shown in the screenshot in the left corner simultaneously with the power button and hold for ten seconds. Reconnect the power adapter and turn on the laptop.

As in the previous case, we check and install available OS updates.

Consequences of the upgrade

Apple has made it almost impossible to upgrade in recent years. In previously released MacBooks, the user could independently replace the memory sticks. The operation is, in principle, simple, but requires the correct selection of modules. If, after an upgrade, the laptop starts beeping while turning it on, this indicates problems with the new memory.

In this case, signals are given with a pause of five seconds. Depending on the model, this may be one repeating beep or a series of three consecutive beeps. The only way out of this situation is to reinstall old modules or purchase suitable ones.

Finally

If resetting the NVRAM and SMC didn't help you, then your Mac has serious problems. The best solution would be to contact a certified service for professional diagnostics. Don't forget that your MacBook is covered by Apple's limited warranty for one year from activation and some repairs are free.

Video instruction

In the video below you can see firsthand how the described operations are performed by a professional.

Many of you have probably heard that Apple's operating system is famous for its reliability and the low number of errors and failures that occur during operation. However, Mac OS, unfortunately, is not perfect and one day it may simply not boot for no reason at all.

Without a doubt, this behavior of your Mac can be caused by a number of different errors, which need to be eliminated in different ways, but the author of this article has recently increasingly encountered a situation where MacBook won't boot after operating system update(Mac OS Sierra in this particular case) and makes three loud squeaks, repeated with a certain frequency.

Unfortunately, this can happen to any of us, and contacting a service center is often not timely and, of course, not cheap. Luckily, there's an easy method worth trying before you take your Mac anywhere. Judging by the reviews on foreign forums, it helped many people save money on using the service, and such a “hint” has helped the author of this article more than once. This is what we will talk about. So, what to do if your MacBook won't turn on?

Error appearing when booting Mac

As mentioned above, a computer can behave in a similar way due to a number of different errors (at least 4, judging by the help on the Apple website).

However, in our case, the sequence of actions and the patient’s symptoms look like this:

1. you have installed an update to the Mac OS operating system (or the computer installed it itself if you have auto-update enabled);
2. when you turned on (rebooted) your MacBook, instead of the expected operating system loading bar, you saw only a black (well, slightly gray, the side backlight of the monitor still turns on) screen;
3. Looking at this “light black” screen, you heard three long sounds like “beep-beep-beep”, repeated at intervals of 5 seconds.

Having carefully studied the official Apple website, we find the symptoms and description of our error:

"Three consecutive beeps, repeated with a five-second pause: RAM has failed the data integrity check."

Okay, I see, it's a RAM error on our MacBook. But the officials somehow forgot to offer any solution. But we found it, and it turned out to be as simple as shelling pears. Of course, it’s not a fact that this method will help you 100%, but it’s worth a try, because... for many it is works.

By the way, judging by discussions on foreign forums, the following MacBook models most often produce this error and do not turn on: MacBook Air a1466, MacBook Pro a1278 and a1260. It is from the first that we are writing this article.

Solving the problem - resetting SMC parameters

So if your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro won't turn on and beeps- This indicates a random access memory (RAM) error, which can most often be resolved by resetting the System Management Controller (SMC).

Depending on what device you have, follow one of the algorithms below.

If you have a MacBook with a non-removable battery

And most modern models are like this, then the algorithm of actions for you is as follows:

If you have a MacBook with a removable battery

Although, in my opinion, these have not been produced for a long time, but just in case, we proceed as follows:

If you have an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro

That is, one of Apple’s desktop computers, then resetting the system management controller (SMC) parameters is even easier:

Using the method appropriate for your Mac, you will most likely see the usual Mac OS loading window - this means that the problem is solved.

What does resetting SMC affect?

If you are not very knowledgeable about computers or are simply encountering such a procedure for the first time, then before performing the steps described above, a completely reasonable question may arise: “Will I lose important data or settings on my MacBook as a result of resetting, because this procedure is somewhat similar to "hard reset" on some gadgets?"

We hasten to reassure you - no, you will not lose anything important. If you are really interested, then take a look at the list of functions for which the system management controller (SMC) is responsible, the parameters of which we reset:

• response to pressing the power button;
• response to opening and closing the display lid on Mac laptops;
• battery resource management;
• temperature control;
• sudden motion sensor;
• ambient light sensor;
• keyboard backlight;
• status indicator control;
• battery status indicators;
• Select an external (rather than internal) video source for select iMac displays.

Alternative option - rearrange the RAM

If the option suggested above did not help and your MacBook still does not start, then you should try an alternative method. However, it is not suitable for any Mac computer, but only for those whose RAM can be replaced and not soldered on the motherboard (as is done in most modern Mac models).

If you have one of these computers, then this option may well help you, you just need to know how to get to the RAM slot. The algorithm of actions is very simple:

That's all. Now you know what you can try first if your Mac won’t start and beeps with a nasty signal. We hope that one of the options suggested above will help you solve this problem and save a significant amount of money on contacting a service center.