Computers & Internet Logo

Related Topics:

Anonymous Posted on Oct 18, 2008

Bios problem Power On Self Test (POST) Beep Codes and Bios Error Messages

  • Anonymous Mar 15, 2014

    HP DC 5100 MT TOWER WITH 4 BY 4 BIOSE BEEP CODES ON POWER UP

×

1 Answer

Anonymous

Level 2:

An expert who has achieved level 2 by getting 100 points

MVP:

An expert that got 5 achievements.

Scholar:

An expert who has written 20 answers of more than 400 characters.

Hot-Shot:

An expert who has answered 20 questions.

  • Expert 84 Answers
  • Posted on Oct 18, 2008
Anonymous
Expert
Level 2:

An expert who has achieved level 2 by getting 100 points

MVP:

An expert that got 5 achievements.

Scholar:

An expert who has written 20 answers of more than 400 characters.

Hot-Shot:

An expert who has answered 20 questions.

Joined: Oct 17, 2008
Answers
84
Questions
0
Helped
18842
Points
199

Standard Original IBM POST Error Codes1 short beep Normal POST - system is ok
2 short beeps POST Error - error code shown on screen
No beep Power supply or system board problem
Continuous beep Power supply, system board, or keyboard problem
Repeating short beeps Power supply or system board problem
1 long, 1 short beep System board problem
1 long, 2 short beeps Display adapter problem (MDA, CGA)
1 long, 3 short beeps Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA)
3 long beeps 3270 keyboard card


   

  

PCHELL.COM Newsletter
If you would have read my E-book on Internet Security, you may not have ended up in PCHELL. Join the PCHELL.com mailing list and receive your free E-book now.
Name: 
Email: 







 





 




 



 


Tools for Removing Spyware, Adware, and Malware

PC HELL
Other Pages

Spyware/Adware Removal Help

MSBlast.exe Worm Removal

Welchia (Dllhost.exe and SVCHost.exe) Worm Removal

Uninstall McAfee Instructions

Uninstall Norton Instructions

Uninstall Avast Instructions

Uninstall AVG Instructions

Uninstall Antivir Instructions

How to Manually Run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool

Bloodhound.Exploit.6 Virus Removal

MyDoom Virus Removal

MiMail.C Virus Removal

Swen Worm Virus Removal

SoBig.F Worm Removal

Dumaru Virus Removal

BugBear.B Worm Removal

SoBig.E Worm Removal

Pop Up Ad Removal Info

KAK Worm Removal

MiMail.A Worm Removal

W95.MTX Virus Removal

Snow White Virus Removal

BadTrans Trojan Removal

Wininit Virus (Bymer Trojan)

Happy99 Worm Removal

VBS Netlog Worm Removal

Pretty Park Worm Removal

Sasser Worm Virus Removal

Backdoor SDBot.H Trojan Removal

VBS.Loveletter Help

Computer Security Information

Back Orifice Information

PC HELL Main Page

 

IBM POST Diagnostic Code Descriptions 

 
100 - 199 System Board
200 - 299 Memory
300 - 399 Keyboard
400 - 499 Monochrome Display
500 - 599 Color/Graphics Display
600 - 699 Floppy-disk drive and/or Adapter
700 - 799 Math Coprocessor
900 - 999 Parallel Printer Port
1000 - 1099 Alternate Printer Adapter
1100 - 1299 Asynchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1300 - 1399 Game Port
1400 - 1499 Color/Graphics Printer
1500 - 1599 Synchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1700 - 1799 Hard Drive and/or Adapter
1800 - 1899 Expansion Unit (XT)
2000 - 2199 Bisynchronous Communication Adapter
2400 - 2599 EGA system-board Video (MCA)
3000 - 3199 LAN Adapter
4800 - 4999 Internal Modem
7000 - 7099 Phoenix BIOS Chips
7300 - 7399 3.5" Disk Drive
8900 - 8999 MIDI Adapter
11200 - 11299 SCSI Adapter
21000 - 21099 SCSI Fixed Disk and Controller
21500 - 21599 SCSI CD-ROM System


 



AMI BIOS Beep Codes

 1 Short Beep One beep is good! Everything is ok, that is if you see things on the screen. If you don't see anything, check your monitor and video card first. Is everything connected? If they seem fine, your motherboard has some bad chips on it. First reset the SIMM's and reboot. If it does the same thing, one of the memory chips on the motherboard are bad, and you most likely need to get another motherboard since these chips are soldered on. 
2 Short Beeps Your computer has memory problems. First check video. If video is working, you'll see an error message. If not, you have a parity error in your first 64K of memory. First check your SIMM's. Reseat them and reboot. If this doesn't do it, the memory chips may be bad. You can try switching the first and second banks memory chips. First banks are the memory banks that your CPU finds its first 64K of base memory in. You'll need to consult your manual to see which bank is first. If all your memory tests good, you probably need to buy another motherboard. 
3 Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above. 
4 Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above. It could also be a bad timer 
5 Short Beeps Your motherboard is complaining. Try reseating the memory and rebooting. If that doesn't help, you should consider another motherboard. You could probably get away with just replacing the CPU, but that's not too cost-effective. Its just time to upgrade! 
6 Short Beeps The chip on your motherboard that controls your keyboard (A20 gate) isn't working. First try another keyboard. If it doesn't help, reseat the chip that controls the keyboard, if it isn't soldered in. If it still beeps, replace the chip if possible. Replace the motherboard if it is soldered in. 
7 Short Beeps Your CPU broke overnight. Its no good. Either replace the CPU, or buy another motherboard. 
8 Short Beeps Your video card isn't working. Make sure it is seated well in the bus. If it still beeps, either the whole card is bad or the memory on it is. Best bet is to install another video card. 
9 Short Beeps Your BIOS is bad. Reseat or Replace the BIOS. 
10 Short Beeps Your problem lies deep inside the CMOS. All chips associated with the CMOS will likely have to be replaced. Your best bet is to get a new motherboard. 
11 Short Beeps Your problem is in the Cache Memory chips on the motherboard. Reseat or Replace these chips.
1 Long, 3 Short Beeps You've probably just added memory to the motherboard since this is a conventional or extended memory failure. Generally this is caused by a memory chip that is not seated properly. Reseat the memory chips.
1 Long, 8 Short Beeps Display / retrace test failed. Reseat the video card.

Add Your Answer

×

Uploading: 0%

my-video-file.mp4

Complete. Click "Add" to insert your video. Add

×

Loading...
Loading...

Related Questions:

0helpful
1answer

Laptop beeps 7 times

Try link: http://blog.parts-people.com/2014/06/27/dell-inspiron-m501r-m5010-beep-codes-diagnostic-indicators-2/ How to identify beep codes: When a laptop or computer first powers on, it goes through an initial set of diagnostic tests to make sure vital components are preforming correctly. These tests are called POST or Power On Self Test. When a test fails, the user is notified via POST codes, Light codes, or Beep codes. For diagnosing Beep codes you need to:
  • Power on the laptop or restart it if it is already on.
  • Listen to the number of consecutive beeps when the computer begins to boot. Restarting the laptop may be necessary and should not harm the laptop at this time.
Dell Inspiron M501R (M5010) Beep Codes # of Beeps Description Possible Cause(s) 1 BIOS ROM checksum in progress or failure System board failure, covers BIOS corruption or ROM errors. 2 No Memory (RAM) detected Memory or Memory slot failure 3
  • chipset Error (North and South bridge error, DMA/IMR/Timer error)
  • Time-Of-Day Clock test failure
  • Gate A20 failure
  • Super I/O chip failure
  • Keyboard controller test failure
System board failure 4 Memory read / write failure Memory failure 5 Real Time Clock (RTC) power fail CMOS battery failure 6 Video BIOS test failure Video subsystem failure 7 CPU Cache test failure Processor failure or motherboard failure 8 LCD LCD failure Most Common Fixes:
  • 1 Beep: Replace the motherboard / system board.
  • 2 Beeps: Reseat the memory or replace the memory.
  • 3 Beeps: Replace the motherboard / system board.
  • 4 Beeps: Reseat the memory or replace the memory.
  • 5 Beeps: Replace the CMOS battery.
  • 6 Beeps: Reseat or replace the video card or replace the motherboard / system board.
  • 7 Beeps: Reseat or replace the CPU or replace the motherboard.
  • 8 Beeps: Reseat the LCD cable or replace the LCD screen.
tip

Computer POST and beep codes The computer power on self test (POST) will test...

Computer POST and beep codes
The computer power on self test (POST) will test your computer to make sure it can boot properly(test hardware and sys requirements), once it does the computer will then finish the boot process. Normally, if your computer passes the POST test it will beep once or possibly twice. If the computer fails the POST then it will either not beep at all or generate a beep code.

The beep code you receive can indicate what may be wrong with your computer. The beep codes vary depending on your motherboard BIOS manufacturer(AMI, Award, Phoenix). You can find what BIOS you are using by paying attention to the BIOS screen when your computer boots up. It should tell you what brand BIOS.

You can usually find the meaning of your beep code by doing a simple google search i.e "phoenix beep codes". Below, I have provided links to sites which go over beep codes and their respective meaning.

AMI BIOS Beep Codes
Award BIOS Beep Codes
Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes

-G33k





Keywords
computer beep codes, post beep codes, bios beep codes, computer beeps, computer will not start beeps, computer beeping, pc beep codes, award beep codes, phoenix beep codes, Ami beep codes

on Jul 27, 2011 • Computers & Internet
tip

A Comprehensive Guide on Computer Beep Codes. (AWARD BIOS)

When a computer is booted up its BIOS, it performs a power-on self test, also known as POST, to test and verify the computers hardware and to make sure all components are working properly. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to determine which component has failed on a particular beep code and give you an idea on where to start for troubleshooting.

The exact meaning of the beep codes depends on the type and version of BIOS that you have. The three most popular types of BIOS are those made by Award, American Megatrends (AMI) and Phoenix. If you are using a PC made by a company that writes its own BIOS, e.g. DELL, HP, etc, you will have to consult your PC user's manual or the company's web site for assistance.


Beep Codes for Award Bios.

iantechson.png

1 long, 2 short = Video adapter error

Troubleshooting: Either video adapter is bad or is not seated properly.

Repeating (endless loop) = Memory error

Troubleshooting: Check for improperly seated or missing memory. Reseat the memory if you can.

1 long, 3 short = No video card or bad video RAM.

Troubleshooting: Reseat or replace the video card.

High frequency beeps while running = Overheated CPU

Troubleshooting: Check the CPU fan for proper operation. Check the case for proper air flow.

Repeating High/Low = CPU failure.Either the CPU is not seated properly or the CPU is damaged. May also be due to excess heat.

Troubleshooting: Check the CPU fan or BIOS settings for proper fan speed.


I will be posting more tips on other versions of BIOS.
Hope this helps.
on Mar 25, 2011 • Computers & Internet
0helpful
1answer

Beep codes

AMI BIOS beep codes Below are the AMI BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.
Beep Code Descriptions 1 short DRAM refresh failure 2 short Parity circuit failure 3 short Base 64K RAM failure 4 short System timer failure 5 short Process failure 6 short Keyboard controller Gate A20 error 7 short Virtual mode exception error 8 short Display memory Read/Write test failure 9 short ROM BIOS checksum failure 10 short CMOS shutdown Read/Write error 11 short Cache Memory error 1 long, 3 short Conventional/Extended memory failure 1 long, 8 short Display/Retrace test failed Award BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary. Beep Code Description 1 long, 2 short Indicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information Any other beep(s) RAM problem. If any other correctable hardware issues is found the BIOS displays a message. No Power, Loose Card, or Short.1 Short BeepNormal POST, computer is ok.2 Short BeepPOST error, review screen for error code.Continuous BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.Repeating Short BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.One Long and one Short BeepMotherboard issue.One Long and Two Short BeepsVideo (Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue.One Long and Three Short Beeps.Video (EGA) Display Circuitry.Three Long BeepsKeyboard or Keyboard card error.One Beep, Blank or Incorrect DisplayVideo Display Circuitry. Phoenix BIOS Q3.07 OR 4.X Beep Code Description and what to check 1-1-1-3 Verify Real Mode. 1-1-2-1 Get CPU Type. 1-1-2-3 Initialize system hardware. 1-1-3-1 Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values. 1-1-3-2 Set in POST flag. 1-1-3-3 Initialize CPU registers. 1-1-4-1 Initialize cache to initial POST values. 1-1-4-3 Initialize I/O. 1-2-1-1 Initialize Power Management. 1-2-1-2 Load alternate registers with initial POST values. 1-2-1-3 Jump to UserPatch0. 1-2-2-1 Initialize keyboard controller. 1-2-2-3 BIOS ROM checksum. 1-2-3-1 8254 timer initialization. 1-2-3-3 8237 DMA controller initialization. 1-2-4-1 Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller. 1-3-1-1 Test DRAM refresh. 1-3-1-3 Test 8742 Keyboard Controller. 1-3-2-1 Set ES segment to register to 4 GB. 1-3-3-1 28 Autosize DRAM. 1-3-3-3 Clear 512K base RAM. 1-3-4-1 Test 512 base address lines. 1-3-4-3 Test 512K base memory. 1-4-1-3 Test CPU bus-clock frequency. 1-4-2-4 Reinitialize the chipset. 1-4-3-1 Shadow system BIOS ROM. 1-4-3-2 Reinitialize the cache. 1-4-3-3 Autosize cache. 1-4-4-1 Configure advanced chipset registers. 1-4-4-2 Load alternate registers with CMOS values. 2-1-1-1 Set Initial CPU speed. 2-1-1-3 Initialize interrupt vectors. 2-1-2-1 Initialize BIOS interrupts. 2-1-2-3 Check ROM copyright notice. 2-1-2-4 Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs. 2-1-3-1 Check video configuration against CMOS. 2-1-3-2 Initialize PCI bus and devices. 2-1-3-3 Initialize all video adapters in system. 2-1-4-1 Shadow video BIOS ROM. 2-1-4-3 Display copyright notice. 2-2-1-1 Display CPU Type and speed. 2-2-1-3 Test keyboard. 2-2-2-1 Set key click if enabled. 2-2-2-3 56 Enable keyboard. 2-2-3-1 Test for unexpected interrupts. 2-2-3-3 Display prompt Press F2 to enter SETUP. 2-2-4-1 Test RAM between 512 and 640k. 2-3-1-1 Test expanded memory. 2-3-1-3 Test extended memory address lines. 2-3-2-1 Jump to UserPatch1. 2-3-2-3 Configure advanced cache registers. 2-3-3-1 Enable external and CPU caches. 2-3-3-3 Display external cache size. 2-3-4-1 Display shadow message. 2-3-4-3 Display non-disposable segments. 2-4-1-1 Display error messages. 2-4-1-3 Check for configuration errors. 2-4-2-1 Test real-time clock. 2-4-2-3 Check for keyboard errors 2-4-4-1 Set up hardware interrupts vectors. 2-4-4-3 Test coprocessor if present. 3-1-1-1 Disable onboard I/O ports. 3-1-1-3 Detect and install external RS232 ports. 3-1-2-1 Detect and install external parallel ports. 3-1-2-3 Re-initialize onboard I/O ports. 3-1-3-1 Initialize BIOS Data Area. 3-1-3-3 Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area. 3-1-4-1 Initialize floppy controller. 3-2-1-1 Initialize hard disk controller. 3-2-1-2 Initialize local bus hard disk controller. 3-2-1-3 Jump to UserPatch2. 3-2-2-1 Disable A20 address line. 3-2-2-3 Clear huge ES segment register. 3-2-3-1 Search for option ROMs. 3-2-3-3 Shadow option ROMs. 3-2-4-1 Set up Power Management. 3-2-4-3 Enable hardware interrupts. 3-3-1-1 Set time of day. 3-3-1-3 Check key lock. 3-3-3-1 Erase F2 prompt. 3-3-3-3 Scan for F2 key stroke. 3-3-4-1 Enter SETUP. 3-3-4-3 Clear in POST flag. 3-4-1-1 Check for errors 3-4-1-3 POST done - prepare to boot operating system. 3-4-2-1 One beep. 3-4-2-3 Check password (optional). 3-4-3-1 Clear global descriptor table. 3-4-4-1 Clear parity checkers. 3-4-4-3 Clear screen (optional). 3-4-4-4 Check virus and backup reminders. 4-1-1-1 Try to boot with INT 19. 4-2-1-1 Interrupt handler error. 4-2-1-3 Unknown interrupt error. 4-2-2-1 Pending interrupt error. 4-2-2-3 Initialize option ROM error. 4-2-3-1 Shutdown error. 4-2-3-3 Extended Block Move. 4-2-4-1 Shutdown 10 error. 4-3-1-3 Initialize the chipset. 4-3-1-4 Initialize refresh counter. 4-3-2-1 Check for Forced Flash. 4-3-2-2 Check HW status of ROM. 4-3-2-3 BIOS ROM is OK. 4-3-2-4 Do a complete RAM test. 4-3-3-1 Do OEM initialization. 4-3-3-2 Initialize interrupt controller. 4-3-3-3 Read in bootstrap code. 4-3-3-4 Initialize all vectors. 4-3-4-1 Boot the Flash program. 4-3-4-2 Initialize the boot device. 4-3-4-3 Boot code was read OK.


http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm
1helpful
1answer

Display problem, CPU Fan starts but no Power on self test begin. Pls help

The computer power-on self-test (POST) tests the computer to make sure it meets the necessary system requirements and that all hardware is working properly before starting the remainder of the boot process. If the computer passes the POST the computer will have a single beep (with some computer BIOS manufacturers it may beep twice) as the computer starts and the computer will continue to start normally. However, if the computer fails the POST, the computer will either not beep at all or will generate a beep code, which tells the user the source of the problem. Once the problem is located, simply replace the defective part.
Below are the AMI BIOS Beep codes that can occur. However, because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.
Beep CodeDescriptions1 shortDRAM refresh failure2 shortParity circuit failure3 shortBase 64K RAM failure4 shortSystem timer failure5 shortProcess failure6 shortKeyboard controller Gate A20 error7 shortVirtual mode exception error8 shortDisplay memory Read/Write test failure9 shortROM BIOS checksum failure10 shortCMOS shutdown Read/Write error11 shortCache Memory error1 long, 3 shortConventional/Extended memory failure1 long, 8 shortDisplay/Retrace test failed

0helpful
1answer

1 What are the POST ErrorBeepCodes-2 Key sequence to eneter SETUP

Do a google search on Bios Beep Codes for the first, and to enter the BIOS setup, most PCs use the DEL key during the self-test. Some others use the F2 key. Most detail that, on the bottom line of the display during the post sequence.
0helpful
1answer

At POST I get 2 short beeps

it depends on the bios chip maker Here's some other beep codes:

for Award and Phoenix BIOS:

1 short beep: Normal
2 short beeps: CMOS error
1 long and 1 short beep: DRAM error
1 long and 2 short beeps: Video card error
1 long and 3 short beeps: Keyboard error
1 long and 9 short beeps: ROM error
Long continuous beeps: DRAM not installed correctly
Short continuous beeps: Bad power supply


AMI BIOS:

1 short beep: DRAM flash error
2 short beeps: DRAM ECC check error
3 short beeps: DRAM detect error
5 short beeps: CPU error
6 short beeps: Keyboard error
8 short beeps: Video card error
9 short beeps: ROM error
1 long and 3 short beeps: Bad DRAM
1 long and 8 short beeps: Video card error


Invoking Beep Codes

.

If the computer is actually functioning and the computer beeps continuously, then there is a problem with a voltage on the power supply being incorrect or the CPU overheating. IMMEDIATELY go into the BIOS and check CPU temperature, fan speed and voltages

**********************************************
BIOS Beep Codes

Annoying isn't it? You have built your computer you switch it on and then nothing happens except a few beeps from the PC speaker. Frustration sets in as you try to figure out what is wrong with it. If you didn't already know the computer has already told you the problem. It can't speak of course but it can direct you to the problem. Its all in the beeps. The BIOS can recognise when the problem occurs and sends a signal out to send a certain amount of beeps through the speaker. These beeps then tell you the location of the problem.

Unfortunately not all the BIOS' use the same codes as each other. Two of the main BIOS manufactures AMI and Award (now Phoenix) have different codes for there errors.

AMI BIOS

# of Beeps Error Description
1 Refresh Failure The memory refresh Circuitry is faulty
2 Parity Error Parity error in the Base (1st 64K) of memory
3 64K Base Memory Error Memory error in the base memory (1st 64K)
4 Timer Not Operational Timer 1 is not functioning (also caused by error in base memory)
5 Processor Error CPU error
6 8042 Gate A20 Failure Unable to switch to protected mode
7 Processor Exception Interrupt error The CPU on the CPU card generated an interrupt error
8 Display Memory Read/Write Error Video adapter is missing, incorrectly seated or has faulty memory
9 ROM checksum error The ROM checksum does not match that of the BIOS
10 Coms Shutdown Register Read/Write The shutdown register for coms RAM has failed
11 Cache Memory Bad The cache memory test has failed. Cache memory will be disabled. *** DO NOT enable it ***


With the first 3 beep codes, its well worth re-seating the memory just to make sure that it's in correctly. 8 Beeps is probably the most common in my experience. Can be caused by a badly seated Graphics card. If you have re-seated it then check with another Graphics card in the board.

Always check for loose components before sending the board back as this is the main cause of errors on the POST.



Award BIOS

Award states that they now only use one beep from there BIOS. This beep is one long beep and then two short beeps. This indicates a graphics card problem. Any other beeps should be treated as a RAM problem first and then the board sent in to be inspected.

The reason that the Award BIOS only uses the beep code for display problems is that it tries to display the error on-screen if at all possible. If the BIOS cannot initiate the display adapter then this causes the BIOS to make the beep code for a display error, which must be corrected before any other errors can be determined. Memory Test fails and hard disk failures etc will all be displayed on screen

IBM BIOS

The IBM BIOS works with Short and Long beeps as well as the Award BIOS. However the IBM one does still have codes to work from.

Beep Code Error
1 Short Beep Normal POST, System booted OK
2 Short Beeps POST Error - Code on Display
No Beep Power supply or Motherboard error
Continuous Beep Power supply or Motherboard error
Repeating short beeps Power supply or Motherboard error
1 short, 1 long beep System board error
1 long, 2 short beeps Display adapter error (MDA/CGA)
1 long, 3 short beeps Display adapter error (EGA/VGA)
3 long beeps 3270 keyboard card
Phoenix BIOS
The Phoenix BIOS works on a slightly more complicated manor than the others. It does display an error code for you and produce a series of beeps. This BIOS produces its beeps according to the hexadecimal code the error produces. The Phoenix BIOS has many different codes for its possible errors and so many different beep codes. Rather than list the entire section here, I have provided a link to the official PDF file containing the codes and how they are derived.

Phoenix BIOS Post Codes

System board errors should be looked at by a specialist, Again always try to re-seat components to ensure they are in correctly. If necessary take all components out except for the RAM CPU and graphics card, then try the system. Re-seating components is the number one fix for getting past the POST screen. One badly seated components can cause the entire system not to function. so pick out your bios and follow the steps above to diagnose .hope this helps
5helpful
3answers
0helpful
3answers

I need to know the signs of a BIOS failure

you should be getting error messages
Not finding what you are looking for?

2,773 views

Ask a Question

Usually answered in minutes!

Top Computers & Internet Experts

Grand Canyon Tech
Grand Canyon Tech

Level 3 Expert

3867 Answers

Brad Brown

Level 3 Expert

19187 Answers

Cindy Wells

Level 3 Expert

6688 Answers

Are you a Computer and Internet Expert? Answer questions, earn points and help others

Answer questions

Manuals & User Guides

Loading...