What causes black Macbook (Late 2006) to chime a few times during startup

[Microman]

It happened a couple of weeks ago, and just this morning. When I hit the startup button I hear the chime, then I hear it again, then again..

I was wondering if it was from the two external HD's I have connected that are asleep at the time?

[deckeda]

Disconnect anything external and try it again, perhaps with Shift held down.

Hearing the chime repeatedly after a short while could be the Mac trying to boot, then reboot ... from a bad OS. Got another OS to boot from, maybe on DVD?

Hearing it beep in quicker succession is more like it's failing POST (bad RAM or something else internal).

[RgrF]

If it's a 2006 an still wakes up, I'd be loath to either question or tinker with it. Grandson has one we gave him in 8th grade, it's been tweeked once or twice but still functions, he still uses it in college but doesn't watch a lot of video downloads.

One of the Macs strengths, staying power and durability. Not sure that's still the case but it was then.

[Black]

Typically it's something power supply related that causes spontaneous restarts.

[Gareth]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202768

1 tone, repeating every 5 seconds: This indicates no RAM is installed.
3 successive tones, a 5 second pause (repeating): This indicates RAM does not pass a data integrity check.
1 long tone while holding down the power button: Indicates an EFI ROM update is in progress on a computer manufactured before 2012.
3 long tones, 3 short tones, 3 long tones: Indicates EFI ROM corruption is detected and the computer is in EFI ROM recovery mode.

[Black]

I thought the OP was about startup chimes.

[btfc]

For some Macs, this could be related to a failing PRAM battery. Have you noticed any date/time weirdness?

[RAMd®d]

With the exception of the third circumstance, all the other tones occur at startup with the attendant circumstances mentioned.

I assume Gareth included the third one as a free FYI, since it was already included in the linked page.

[ArtP]

Sometimes a Firmware update causes multiple "pre" restarts I think??

[vision63]

Most likely it has something to do with incontinence. Rockin' a decade old computer is awesome.