Originally Posted by artie505
Y'know, it just occurred to me that maybe the RAM isn't bad...that by beeping, the MBP was just telling me that it's insufficient for Catalina (despite the fact that Apple specifies 4 GB)?

"Bad RAM beeps", what a blast from the good old days! The beep indicates the processor does not detect any RAM and is independent of the particular operating system, but that doesn't mean you can put your screwdriver away. The most common causes are:
  1. Improperly seated DIMM (remove and reseat the DIMM being sure it is seated all the way to the bottom of the logic board connector. This could also help with items 2 and 3 below and I would try it two or three times before giving up.)
  2. Corroded contacts on the DIMM (a soft pencil eraser will clean the contacts)
  3. Dirty or corroded contacts in the DIMM connector on the logic board (a puff of canned air to blow out any dust and clean the contacts with a 70% isopropyl alcohol swab or a Contact Cleaner spray)
  4. A DIMM module performing at the lower end or below the specification range. (replace the DIMM)


I know that many on this forum swear by (not at) Crucial memory grin but I have had multiple failures with Crucial DIMMs over the years, but OWC has never let me down yet. (Now that Apple is building the Memory on the same fabric as the processor I do not anticipate ever being concerned about new DIMMs in the future.)

BY-THE-WAY: nice troubleshooting!


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein