Three Startup Chimes at restart?

Something odd has happened with my Core2Duo 24" imac. I went into windows and installed bootcamp 3.0. When I was finished, I restarted to come back to the mac os, and it played the startup chime 3 times (they seemed a little shorter than the normal chime) then booted and everything seems normal.
I restarted again, and had the 3 times again as well.
Any ideas on what this means?

Same here, seems to have begun with Snow Leopard.
I had other problems with Windows 7 as well after applying the Boot Camp 3 drivers. For a while Windows wouldn't start at all. It hung at the "Starting Windows" screen unless I booted into safe mode.
I think I solved that by disabling Apple's HFS drivers for Windows.
Might be related, thought I'm unsure how.
I think I'm just going to sit tight until W7 is officially released. Maybe Apple will release a Boot Camp update with different drivers.

Similar Messages

My MacBook Pro does not "chime" on Restart or Startup

My new MacBook Pro (w/ Mac OS 10.7.1) does not "chime" on Restart or Startup. I can get it to "chime" if I perform the PRAM reset procedure but I shouldn't have to do this everytime to get the MacBook Pro to chime on Restart or Startup. Any suggestions to fix this problem?

I just updated my OS to 10.7.2 ... and then, I tried your latter suggestion (in the "Sound Preferences", I unchecked the mute checkbox to the right of the output volume slider). I did a "Restart" and I heard the "chime". YEAH! I had tried the SMC reset several times before and that didn't work. Thanks for your suggestion about unchecking the "mute" checkbox in the Sound Preferences. I'll try some more "Restarts" and "Startups" over the next few days and see if your suggested fix continues to work.

Mac Mini won't boot, distorted startup chime, gray screen

Hi all --
I've seen similar posts (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12170891&#12170891) but thought I'd start a new one, mainly because I haven't heard anyone mention the startup chime.
I woke up my 2007 stock Mac Mini Friday morning and the cursor was frozen. Unplugged and replugged the mouse to no avail. Couldn't force quit, so I had to power down. Restarted with a badly distored startup chime (not "speaker breakup" from excessive volume, just distortion, and some "stuttering") and a gray screen that didn't go away. Restarted many, many times. Inserted Snow Leopard DVD to run Disc Utility but it wasn't recognized -- just a gray screen. Tried resetting the PMU and SMC with no results. Tried booting into single-user mode (with a wired USB keyboard) to eject the DVD, but no luck. Tried open firmware, but nothing. Once in an while I would get the Apple icon and a spinning progress bar that never went away.
Took it to the Genius Bar, where they tried to boot from a Firewire drive, with no success. The best they could do was tell me my 17-month old Mac was out of warranty. That confirmed, I took it home, cracked it open and removed the Snow Leopard DVD (with a credit card) to insert the install disc it shipped with. That didn't work. A couple of times it looked like it would, but then after the spinning bar I got the multilingual system bomb message. Tried to run Hardware Test, but nothing. Put in original Disc 2... and that gave me a flashing folder! Progress! Forced the DVD out and slipped in Disc 1. That started to read, and then I got some kernel-panic looking text and a shutdown. My last attempt was to create a USB boot drive from the original install discs, but my old Sawtooth won't let me run the installer.
Is there any hope at this point? I just bought the thing last May, so I've had it less than a year and a half. The distorted startup chime makes me think the logic board is fried and no amount of fooling with the startup drive will make a difference. The only thing out of the ordinary in this case was that it went to sleep last Thursday night with a DV camera hooked up via Firewire.
I'm not thrilled about giving Apple any more money for another Mini, but I'm heavily invested in Logic Studio so I don't have much of a choice of platform.
I'm pretty sure I'm doomed, but I thought I'd post anyway. A quick internet search shows I'm not the only one with the gray screen of death on a fairly new Mini. Thanks in advance for any pointers.

Thanks.
The Genius was able to get to the Apple logo and spinning... thing (what used to be the beachball). His theory was that as long as the Snow Leopard disc was in there, the boot process would never get to the Firewire port. Once I got home I literally pried the Snow Leopard disc out and put in the original install disc. But any progress whatsoever ends in the system bomb message.
Thing is, I had tried to eject the disc by booting with the mouse button down. But on restarting, the laser in the optical mouse flashes quickly, once. I don't think the USB ports are going "live" at all... so I can't get into single user mode, safe mode, hardware test, anything. The Genius' keyboard was no help in that regard. So yeah, I suspect a hardware problem.
A search of "gray screen of death" shows this happening to a lot of models.

No startup chime, red light, fans running loud...

yeah, I know that there are other threads with the same topic, but I just wanted to know how common this problem is?
How many people have experienced this?
What are the common disturbances?
What is going on?
Why is such an expensive, powerhouse computer become such a puny electronic product because of power issues?
I posted this in another thread but,
Here's my story:
I am having the same problem.
Now before you start taking advice to back up all your data, reformat your hard drive, and reinstall all the software; please take note of a few things:
first off, I'm ****** that this is happening to me. I spend $5000+ for a "reliable" Apple computer. Then it doesn't want to turn on because its not safe. Sorry if I drown this post with bitter sarcasm but I am coming to the end of the line with my patience.
I called Apple Care, read a bunch of posts (here and elsewhere), and yes I do know about the SMU Reset button (like that really does anything?).
My problem happened a few weeks ago and I thought nothing of it at first. There was a power outage for a quick second and it turned everything off. When I went to turn on my computer, there was no chime, the red light was on, and the fans were running and eventually began running very loud. After letting it run like that in hopes of the screen lighting up, I turned it off by holding the power button. By the way, there's nothing on the screen and the keyboard doesn't work (I use a wireless keyboard, but I plugged in the OG cord keyboard to push whatever series of buttons recommended by these "geniuses") Trust me, the computer doesn't make it to that part of the boot process, so stop with commandoption+PR or F12 to get the CD out. It doesn't work! What's up with this computer! It can handle all these intense calculations,etc. but a power surge is going to shut it down indefinitely.
So I left the computer came back the next day, turned it on and its fine. Cool, I'm happy. It's Working!! I go on a few weeks, then I go to turn it on this Monday, same problem. But actually a worse situation. I had a client come over and the computer wouldn't work. I looked like a idiot. Couldn't do anything cause my computer didn't want to turn on. I do music production/editing. I use my G5 for running ProTools LE. I have other programs but that is the main one I use. There's nothing wrong with it. It's optimized for use with the mac. So those people who are going to advise me to uninstall all my software and all that - I appreciate your concern but don't give advice when you don't know anything!
So I am getting frustrated. My client left a little disappointed, but what can you do? I tried to call AppleCare on Mon. but it was Memorial Day. So I waited for Tues.
Tues morning, my computer turns on like everything is fine.
I'm happy but cautious. I talk to AppleCare rep. He tells me that it is a common problem they have heard about with the G5's. Wherever blackouts, brownouts, spikes, sags, dips, and other electricity inconsistencies occur, the Power Mac G5 has a breaker in it which flips so it doesn't receive uneven power supply and damage internal components.
I like that feature. Good thinking Apple. Protecting my investment from bad electrical grids. But I don't like the fact my computer has a mind of its own where it decides when it wants to boot or when it wants to sit there and run its fans all loud.
I shut down Tues morn to go to work. I come back in the evening, it doesn't want to boot up. Instead of getting angry trying a bunch of times to turn on/turn off the computer, I leave my house all together and go and have a few drinks. I come home ,don't even look at my computer, and go to bed.
I wake up Wed. morning. Go to turn on my computer. Successful boot. It's running. Okay, I think, I'm going to get down to the problem. I read all the logs, not like I know every piece of info, but just to see what's happening. Everything looks fine. I decide to run the AppleCare CD Tech Tool. It says restart holding down C. I do that. When the gray Apple Logo comes up, all this writing about kernals comes up and it tells me to restart or shutdown. I shutdown and attempt to restart, same problem: no chime, red light on, and fans eventually spin loud. Now the CD is stuck in there. I'm going to take it to the Apple Store tomorrow to if these "geniuses" can figure it out.
(Just a side note: Apple calls them geniuses, but its hard for me to think some disconnected college kid with a bad haircut and questionable social skills knows what's up with the power supply issues of a computer; maybe I'm wrong, but you can run your diagnostics and look at the chart of what to do and all that BUT Apple needs to listen to the people)
I am going to get a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) with a clean sine wave output to curb the issue at my end. It's not my fault I live in a area that receives uneven power output. I live in Los Angeles. Summer is starting up and I think its going to be hot, so blackouts, power dips and sags are inevitable. I just don't understand why Apple hasn't considered this problem and fixed it with something:
A recall to change the power supply, Is it something on the logic board?, are they going to reimburse me for lost income (Ha, yeah right)
I really want to know how many people are having this problem?
From what I've heard, it is a common problem.
So I think we need a common solution.
If its so common, it must be the computer. We are all going to live in different areas where the power may vary. Not all of us have the consistent power flow of 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, CA. So if it is such a common problem, Apple needs to fix it.
I can't spend more than five grand on a super duper computer and have it wuss out on some power issues.
Its a loss of income and productivity to me.
I can't have that anymore.
Sometimes my computer turns on, sometimes it doesn't.
I bought my PowerMac G5 in April 2006, its been about a month and a half and I'm having these problems.
Thank you for your time.
If anyone else has been having this problem, I feel for you.
It was been very difficult for me not to curse in this post, but I have tried to extend the same respect to all that use these discussion boards to create dialogue, find help, and create solutions.
LETS FIX IT!
Peace,
Swami G
Power Mac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.6) Dual 2.3 Ghz / 4.5 GB RAM

Well, you can see my specs below. I have the same problems as you, just worse. I am also running (as I have my previous systems) on an APC Smart-UPS 2200, and it doesn't solve this problem.
I bought my machine last December. In early March (just 2 days before my 90 days of phone support were up), I woke the computer from sleep to check email; about 5 minutes later it just froze. I had to force it down, but it never even got to the startup chime.
Called Apple, bought Apple Care on the spot, spent about 45 minutes on the phone with two levels of support, and Apple couldn't really diagnose the problem. They decided to send out a replacement logic board, processor unit and power supply for on-site service (I don't have an Apple service center nearby).
Nearly two weeks later the technician arrived with the parts, installed all of them, and - nothing. The system still exhibited the same symptoms as before the repair. He spent around five hours here, most of it on the phone with Apple. They decided that the processor unit they shipped was defective, so they sent another processor unit.
Nearly another two weeks later, the re-replacement processor unit arrived with the tech. He installed it, and everything worked. This was around April 1.
Fast forward to last Wednesday. Arrived home from work, tried to wake the Mac. Nothing happened. Had to force the machine off. Never booted again. Called Apple and went through the motions again. They're sending another logic board, processor unit, and power supply.
I asked about having the machine replaced since this will be the third repair attempt, considering it took two visits and nearly a month to repair it the first time it died. Apple was unwilling to replace it but I was told that if I had another failure, a replacement would be in the cards.
I agree with you about needing reliability in a computer as expensive as a Power Mac. It is not acceptable to have this kind of failure, repeatedly, with this kind of system. If my Windows PC has a hardware failure, I can take care of it myself. A top-end power supply is ~$200, a quality system board is ~$200-$300 - all very doable, and in very little time, if the need arises. A Power Mac logic board is ~$1K, a cpu module is well over $1K, who knows how much that crappy power supply costs, etc. If you have Apple Care, you face the kinds of downtime I'm having to deal with. A month without use of your computer. I mean, if I buy a Dell workstation, or an HP workstation, and pay an extra $200-$300 for service and something fails, Unisys will be here the next day and it will be fixed. That's the standard business class service experience you get from those companies with a computer that costs $600, much less the $3000+ you dish out for a Quad Power Mac. Apple's response is unacceptable.
It's a good thing I have kept my Windoze machine around, cause it's really saved my butt the last 2-3 months; that also makes me really sad, because in the last 6-7 years of Power Mac ownership I've had zero problems with any of them. My dad has my previous machine, a Rev A Dual 2.0 G5, and it's rock solid.
I sure hope that the Intel based Power Mac replacement doesn't suffer from what ever seems to afflict the recent Power Macs. I would absolutely hate to abandon OSX, but I will not put up with this kind of quality failure (hardware & service) again.
Power Mac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.4) Quad 2.5 GHz, 4GB RAM, Disk0: 74GB WD Raptor

No startup chime

I have a 1.25GHz powerbook that has been acting up for the past month or so and being a teacher I have not had much time to do anything about it and now that school is out for the year I have spent the last two days working like crazy on it and one thing occured to me. I have not heard a startup chime in a some time. So, after looking around on these boards I see it might be due to a logic board failure. Sure enough, after looking under system profiler/diagnostics, it showed "no information" So, I powered down, removed the battery, opened the ram door. I pulled out both sticks, (a 1 gig stick, and a 256 stick), swapped their positions and restarted. After checking diagnostics again, it showed a P.O.S.T. of failed!!!! Failure type is memory.
So, I removed a stick memory and tried to boot - it just beeped at me - so I guess that confirms I have a bad logic board???
The good news is that I have applecare, the bad news is that it expired on 5/24/07, and today is 6/02/07 - is it possible Apple would be flexable regarding this issue?

Welcome to the Apple discussions.
Sometimes vendors will effect a repair for something just out of warranty, on a goodwill basis, not because they are obligated to. As Joe suggested, either write a letter, visit your local Apple store, or talk to Apple customer service to see if they would do a repair. Perhaps, due to your job and timing, they'll consider it, however, if they tell you no, you'll have to pay for the repair, that should not be a suprising outcome.
Others have done what you described, which is to put a 1GB stick in the upper slot, and run that way, in lieu of replacing or repairing the board. There are one or two companies that claim to repair the board, if you do a search on the discussions you'll find them, if you want to go that route.

Re-Start Issue: Chime Echo after startup chime ??

My 20 Intel Imac running OS 10.4.9 has developed a minor problem related to its startup sequence and I suspect firmware startup instructions:
When using the control panel startup disk dialogue to reboot from Windows XP back into OS 10 I get a repeating shorter echo of the familiar startup chime and the machine will not reboot into Mac OS until I hold down the power key at the back and force it to.
Similarly, altho with less serious effect, the machine echoes its startup chime a second or two following the normal restart chime when in OS 10, but in this case it des then reboot normally.
I suspect a corruption of firmware or NVRAM but I am unable to force a reset of NVRAM by holding down COMMAND-OPTION-O-F during restart. This works on a PPC G5 but does not seem to reset NVRAM on an Intel-based Mac.
Any suggestions from the list as to the cause and fix for this strange echo of the startup chimes ??

A NVRAM or PRAM reset is accomplished with Option +  + P + R.
Startup key combinations for Intel-based Macs
The startup chime is an indication that your RAM is OK and the Mac has passed the Power On Self Test. You might try reseating the RAM modules.

MacBook Startup Chime Repeating

Hi, I have a late a late 2009 Macbook and im having a problem with the startup chime repeating and its starting to get rather annoying. It usually just gets to the point where i get sick of listening to it and just hold down the power button to restart it. I have had a look around on other forums and have seen a few people posting the same problem but im yet to find a solution. Have tried the 4 key combo for reseting the PRAM and the problem went away for a couple of days, not sure if it was just a coincidence or... taking it into apple to get looked at isn't really an option as i'm not in the original country of purchase and am constantly travelling at the moment. Anyways has anyone had the same problem or has any ideas on how to solve this? it would be very much appreciated!!
Also it sounds like the chime sound file is corrupted, it crackles a little towards the end of it and cuts off before it finishes and then just loops again....
Message was edited by: ValdiCBU

Hello v:
Welcome to Apple discussions.
The single chime is an audible indication that the Mac has successfully performed self testing at start up.
The repeat is a new one and I do not know if that is indicating some sort of hardware issue.
You could reset the PRAM again and also reset the SMC:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Barry

Pismo G4 550 - no startup chime after 10.4.6

Since installing 10.4.6 I've had trouble with my start-up chime not working. I have isolated the problem down to the IOAudioFamily.kext file. When I take it out of extension and boot into Classic then back into Tiger I get a chime and it stays on even if I reboot into tiger. If I replace IOAudioFamily.kext to the extensions folder I get a chime on the next boot but after that my reboots are silent. The audio function works well after the boot-up is complete only if I have IOAudioFamily.kext installed. So, I either have a start-up chime and no sound or I have no chime and normal sound. Also, when I run profiler either way I get "There was an error while gathering this information." under the Audio (built in) tab. I've tried taking the IOAudioFamily.kext off the TIger install dvd and using it instead but I get the same problem as before. There must be some sub-extension or something that was changed to cause this. Does anyone have any suggestions besides live with it?
I've tried the PRAM reset thing and its doesn't work.
Thanks

When
booted in 10.4.6, do you always get the startup chime
through a restart? If so, then the difference lies
with the cold start versus the restart and there are
a few differences.
I lose the chime whenever I boot into Tiger and let it run to the log-in page. When I safe boot the chime is preserved but the os doesn't recognize my built in speakers and the volume control disappears. If I boot into OS 9 the chime is still gone until I shut down and power up or reboot, then the chime is back. So, my thinking is that there is a kernel extension that enables Tiger to see my IO card (built in speakers and headphone jack) and it must turn off the speakers from the system somehow. The OS 9 startup must unhook the IO card from the driver and therefore allows it to chime when no driver is present.
A cold start runs the POST (power-on self-test); when
powered on, the Start Manager, contained in ROM,
makes sure that certain hardware components on the
computer's logic board are working, like the
microprocessor, ROM, drives, ports, expansion slots,
and RAM. When you hear the startup chime, the Start
Manager has successfully completed its test.
Open your System Profiler > Hardware > Diagnostics
and see what the last POST reports.
OK, this is weird. When I go to profiler and look up Diagnostics it says "No information found" but you say that post should give some sort of account.
On my iMac G5 it says:
"Power On Self-Test:
Last Run: 6/12/06 8:17 AM
Result: Passed"
I think that means the boot ROM on the pismo (boot rom version 4.1.8f5) isn't talking to the system profiler log.
Just another tidbit: Audio (built in) says "There was an error while gathering this information"
No error code.
This smacks of a firmware issue. Do you think there is a firmware update that would fix it?
I don't know what else you can do. If it is in fact
strictly a software problem (which I cannot explain
since software does not begin to load until after the
startup chime), I would not be concerned. The other
test you could perform is removing the added
RAM...maybe OSX has a small problem with the new
memory module.
iMac G5 17in 1.8ghz, Powerbook Pismo g4 550mhz, 40gb Mac OS X (10.4.6) My wife has an icebook

Turn off startup chime

how can I turn off the startup chime, which I hate and makes it impossile to turn on the machine silently eg in bed!
<Edited By Host>

Paste the following script into Applescript, compile it,then save it as an app called silent shutdown. Move it to your Utilities folder. Then drag it to the left side of your Dock, creating an alias there. Launch the app from the dock to always shutdown your system. While shutting down, it will set your volume to zero, ensuring the next startup will be silent.
tell application "Finder"
    display dialog "What would you like to do?" buttons {"Shutdown", "Restart", "Cancel"} default button "Shutdown" with icon caution
    if button returned of result is "Shutdown" then
        set volume 0
        shut down
    else if button returned of result is "Restart" then
        set volume 0
        restart
    end if
end tell

No startup chime on iMac since 10.4.11 install- should i worry?

There's been no startup chime on my iMac G4 since OS10.4.11 update. It boots fine, tho slowly, and there is sometimes a video blip/sort of half-restart in the middle of booting (which may have been there before, for all i've noticed). It otherwise runs fine. Should i worry, and if so, about what?

never mind. the issue was that the speaker jack connection was loose! (blush)

Startup Sound Pref Pane killed Startup Chime...

I made the mistake of installing and trying out the Startup Sound Pref pane from Arcana -
http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~arcana/StartupSound/index.en.html
I'm running 10.5.6 on an Al Intel iMac. What it seems this pane will do is allow you to turn the startup chime down, but not adjust it back up...if you mute it, it's muted permanently. I've tried uninstalling the pane and flushing caches, and zapping PRAM (though I can't tell if it actually zapped). Still no Startup chime.
I want the Apple default back...how do I fix?..

If you want to start from scratch I would download 1.1b2 and run the Uninstaller that comes in the .dmg, which should remove all vestiges of Startup Sound.pref from your Mac.
Normally the System Volume controls the volume of the Startup Chime if it is the last thing that you adjust before you Shut Down your Mac. For example, if you set the System Volume to the level at which you want to hear the chime and then Shut Down your Mac, when you Restart your Mac, that should be the volume level that you hear the chime. Likewise, if the last thing you do is mute the System Volume and then Shut Down the Mac, when you Restart the Mac, you should not hear the Startup Chime.
The one caveat to this is if your Mac has been sleeping. If you waken your Mac and immediately Shut Down, when you Restart the Mac, the Startup Chime will be muted. To insure that your Startup Chime is not muted, after you awaken your Mac, either play a sound intentionally or adjust the System Volume, then Shut Down your Mac and when it Restarts the Startup Sound should be the level that you have set.
On my iMac Intel, even though I have external speakers, the Startup Chime plays through the internal speakers. On my old iMac G3, with external speakers connected, everything plays through the external speakers.
The Startup Chime is your Mac alerting your that it has passed the POST (Power On Self Test), and that the Test has found usable RAM installed at startup. iMacs, based on the model, have a series on Alert Codes, chimes, beeps or flashing power indicator lights, that alert you when the POST encounters problems.

No startup chime all of a sudden - help please...

I started up our G4 hoping to do a safe boot in order to install new software.
I had just done a SuperDuper backup. All was well.
Touched on/power button on my Apple Studio Display (the way I always turn it on) - and waited for startup chime, no chime.
I made sure the sound is turned on. I played something in iTunes, there's speaker sound. I repaired permissions and verified state of HD just in case you'd ask but I don't think that has anything to do with it.
We replaced the PRAM battery about 4 months ago. It was new from Other World Computing (OWC) - a reputable Apple place.
I just read the post before mine and it seems a bit similar but I do have sound, just no startup chime.
What do you all suggest I do - I haven't done what was suggested in other post since it's probably not the same issue - I do have sound from my speakers just not at startup.
Help, please,
Mrs H
Message was edited by: Mrs H
Message was edited by: Mrs H

~Bee wrote:
Mrs. H.
Reporting as instructed, Ma'am!
No luck yet. Actually I have just begun to deal with the problem, but I wanted to get this information in here - so that anyone else who reads this thread will know what ~Bee and I are talking about in this comment and see what ~Bee has suggested already.
In http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2097007&tstart=0
I made reference to my sudden no chime issue.
That prompted ~Bee to write there about the chime problem.
I have copied her suggestions from there and my response there to have all the discussion in one place. (and to prevent my being chastised for double posting)
~Bee wrote:
Mrs H.
Hello again . . .
So sorry to hear of your recent problems.
As to the Kernel Panic screen (grey screen with restart warning),
If there's anything attached to you Mac with a cable, unplug it.
Other than an Apple Keyboard and Mouse.
Then see how things go from there . . .
Which Mac is it, by the way???
*_And I replied_*:
Thanks for your concern ~Bee.
I asked a question about the start up problem in the G4 thread
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2097097&tstart=0
I just referred to it here.
It's not a "Kernel Panic screen (grey screen with restart warning)," problem - I think! The chime doesn't chime, but everything else works fine at startup. No warnings, no grey blank screens...
" If there's anything attached to you Mac with a cable, unplug it. Other than an Apple Keyboard and Mouse. " All that's attached with USB, (besides keyboard which is attached to display) and my mouse is a UPS power supply, and my LaCie HD which is my startup drive - don't ask - that's just the way my system was reconfigured for me by the Apple store when I wanted to move up to Tiger - OS 9 runs on my internal HD and OSX is on the LaCie.
I'll disconnect the UPS and try again tomorrow. I'm scared to try tonight.
If we are going to discuss this issue further, could we do it at the place where I asked about it - the link above, so I don't get people upset for posting the same thing in 2 places.
Thanks again for your concern.
Mrs H

Startup chimes

I have had the startup chimes on my '09 iMac silenced since almost new (I think I probably installed a 3rd party patch to quiet the chimes). Suddenly, three days ago (Jan. '14) they started up again! I hadn't done anything to the computer (Mavericks OS), so why they appeared is a mystery. I have my external speakers running off the headphone jack and that is apparently where the chimes come through. So I have been searching and searching the net for a way to silence them. There are suggestions that utilize the Terminal, but they are so techy that I have no confidence I could make the change without screwing up my aging Mac. There are NO patches (for iMac) available that I could find, and I had just about given up when I stumbled onto a Redit page that explained that if you UNPLUG the headphones (my external speaker connection) and then go into preferences and mute the sound, it should work. And it did!!! Wow, what a relief! I plugged the speakers back in and they are working fine. Apparently the mute/sound function detects if there are headphones plugged in, and detecting none, allows you to mute the internal speaker circuit. This is then saved into the p-ram memory location. Then, when you plug the headphones/speakers back in to the jack, the OS recognizes the hookup and runs the sound through per your volume settings. I am not a technical person, as you can tell, so if you ARE a MacTech and see any problems with this solution, PLEASE post a response quickly so that my suggestions don't screw up someone's Mac. Thanks! (It is a total mystery to me why Apple has allowed this situation to fester without a realistic patch being issued, or to note the solution I mention here. Why is this solution such a SECRET!? If the diagnostic aspect of the chimes is so important, why not just offer a VISUAL symbol alternative, perhaps with a simple animation, that would SILENTLY notify the operator that the startup was successful? Please, Apple, I know you can do it...)

Unplug your external speakers, lower your internal speaker volume way way down and plug your external sperkers back in.

Startup Chime Help; computer eats batteries

When I boot up my Aluminum PB G4 I do not hear a start-up chime. I read somewhere that this means my Mac is malfunctioning in some way, but I keep thinking I once found some way to shut off the start-up chime. What can I do here?
I am planning to reset the NVRAM and PRAM. I have the Open Firmware instructions, which will solve the problem that arises from not being to hear the start-up chime, but now I am wondering whether there might be some other problem that needs addressed. (the computer is having trouble charging a brand new battery after apparently eating the two original batteries within a month of each other)
Any ideas about the battery eating would also be welcome. It just seems like a big coincidence that they would both die at the same time. The computer works like brand new otherwise.
Most humble advance thanks,
Cam

Thanks. The startup chime doesn't really come and go. It was there one day and gone the next and its been gone for almost a year, I think.
I have two original batteries because I have two Powerbooks. They were both preowned, one, 1.5 GHz, in mint condition and the other, 1.25Ghz, I picked up for a song. I believe the batteries have been replaced during the recall, because neither of the serial numbers indicate they weren't. (if only) Yes, they were older batteries, but they were working at full capacity, lasting 2.5 to three hours each, and died really suddenly. Now its looking like neither computer will charge the new one during use.
This is what I am seeing now:
If second computer, (1.25GHz) is asleep without the battery, and I install the battery but don't wake the computer, the power adapter indicates it is charging. If I wake the computer up to check on the progress, then it stops charging. If I don't wake the computer, it will charge for a few minutes, but not fully.
I tried resetting the PMU on both machines, because that can cause strange behavior like this, but it doesn't seem to have worked on the 1.5GHz machine, because the date reset but not the time. (There was a period of time when I didn't have any working batteries and the 1.5GHz did not want to wake up from sleep.) I also tested and charged the backup batteries, too, because this started (with this battery) when my husband ran the battery down to reserve power and then it shut-down almost immediately.
A very ungracious tech at the authorized apple dealer also said that the batteries were just old, there is nothing wrong with the computer, but without giving him the machine and a wad of cash he refused to tell me anything else. Do they work on commission or something?
I can't keep buying new batteries, they are unreasonably expensive.

How Do I Get My Startup Chime Back?

I have the opposite of what most posters on this subject say. I can't turn the chime back on again.
Like many others, I did not want the chime to disturb meetings and such. So one day I held the mute button down while pressing the startup button on my PowerBook. It worked to get rid of the chime (the PB started up in silence). The system volume remains adjustable and otherwise works normally.
But after trying several combinations of buttons on startup, I can't restore the chime.
I'd rather not turn to third party preference panels, but I will if I have to.
Any thoughts?

Hi Richard
This is the Apple answer
Mac OS X 10.4: Startup chime doesn't play on startup
If you wake your Mac from sleep, then shut it down or restart it before playing any audio or adjusting the volume, you won't hear the startup chime on your next startup.
Don't worry. There's nothing wrong with your Mac; it will start up normally. To ensure that the startup chime sounds on startup, simply play an audio file or adjust the system volume after waking your Mac from sleep before restarting it or shutting it down.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302353
chris

Three Startup Chimes at restart?

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