Computer beeps (BIOS audio decoding)

Lecture



When you turn on the computer, it produces a short squeak (unless of course you have no problems with the computer). But not many thought, why the computer beeps. In fact, the squeak is not issued by chance, before it there is a procedure for testing computer components (POST-Power-On-Self-Test). And if there were no failures found, a short signal about successful passing of the test is signaled. But if any error is discovered, the computer will use POST to report it in the form of a certain number of short or long squeaks. Decipher what happened, will help the instruction to the motherboard, but often this is absent.

We give several tables with decoding computer signals. In order to take advantage of these tables, you need to know the manufacturer of the BIOS of your motherboard. Knowing the manufacturer of the BIOS is very simple, just go into the BIOS itself, how to do this is described in the article and find the manufacturer's signature. Below are screenshots of popular BIOS manufacturers (they may look different from yours, it depends on the version).

AMI (American Megatreds Inc.)

Computer beeps (BIOS audio decoding)

Award

Computer beeps (BIOS audio decoding)

Phoenix

Computer beeps (BIOS audio decoding)

After determining the manufacturer of the BIOS, we find it in the tables and decipher the POST signals.

AMI BIOS

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1 short No errors detected, the PC is OK
2 short RAM parity error or you forgot to turn off the scanner or printer
3 short Error in the first 64 KB of RAM
4 short Malfunction of the system timer. Set the time in the BIOS or in the WINDOWS system
5 short CPU issues
6 short Keyboard controller initialization failed
7 short Motherboard issues
8 short Video card memory error
9 short BIOS checksum is incorrect
10 short CMOS write error
11 short Cache error located on the motherboard
1 long, 1 short Power supply problems
1 long, 2 short Video Card Error (Mono-CGA)
1 long, 3 short Video Card Error (EGA-VGA)
1 long, 4 short No video card
1 long, 8 short Video card problems or no monitor connected
3 long RAM - read / write test completed with an error. Reinstall

memory or replace with a good module.

Missing and blank screen The processor is faulty. The contact pin of the processor may be bent (broken).
Continuous beep

Faulty power supply or computer overheating

Award BIOS

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1 short Successful POST
2 short Found minor bugs.
The sentence appears on the monitor screen.

enter the CMOS Setup Utility and correct the situation.
Check the reliability of fastening loops in the connectors of the hard disk and motherboard.

3 long Keyboard controller error
1 short, 1 long RAM Error
1 long, 2 short Video card error
1 long, 3 short Video Memory Error
1 long, 9 short Error reading from ROM
Repetitive short

Power supply problems;

Problems with RAM.

Repeating long Problems with ram
Repeat high-low frequency CPU issues
Continuous Power supply problems

Phoenix BIOS

1-1-2 means 1 beep, pause, 1 beep, pause, and 2 beeps.

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1-1-2 An error occurred while testing the processor. The processor is faulty. Replace processor
1-1-3 Error writing / reading data to / from CMOS-memory.
1-1-4 An error was encountered while calculating the BIOS checksum.
1-2-1 Error initializing motherboard.
1-2-2 or 1-2-3 DMA controller initialization failed.
1-3-1 Error initializing the memory regeneration scheme.
1-3-3 or 1-3-4 Error initializing the first 64 Kbytes of RAM.
1-4-1 Error initializing motherboard.
1-4-2 Error initializing RAM.
1-4-3 System timer initialization failed.
1-4-4 Error writing / reading to / from one of the input / output ports.
2-1-1 An error was detected when reading / writing the 0th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-2 An error was detected when reading / writing the 1st bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-3 An error was detected when reading / writing the 2nd bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-4 An error was detected when reading / writing the 3rd bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-1 An error was detected when reading / writing the 4th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-2 An error was detected when reading / writing the 5th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-3 An error was detected when reading / writing the 6th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-4 An error was detected when reading / writing the 7th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-1 An error was detected when reading / writing the 8th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-2 An error was detected when reading / writing the 9th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-3 An error was detected when reading / writing the 10th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-4 An error was detected when reading / writing the 11th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-1 An error was detected when reading / writing the 12th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-2 An error was detected when reading / writing the 13th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-3 An error was detected when reading / writing the 14th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-4 An error was detected when reading / writing the 15th bit (in hexadecimal representation) of the first 64 KB of RAM
3-1-1 Error initializing the second DMA channel.
3-1-2 or 3-1-4 Error initializing the first DMA channel.
3-2-4 Error initializing keyboard controller.
3-3-4 Video memory initialization failed.
3-4-1 There were serious problems when trying to access the monitor.
3-4-2 Cannot initialize video card BIOS.
4-2-1 System timer initialization failed.
4-2-2 Testing completed.
4-2-3 Error initializing keyboard controller.
4-2-4 Critical error when the CPU goes into protected mode.
4-3-1 Error initializing RAM.
4-3-2 Error initializing the first timer.
4-3-3 Error initializing the second timer.
4-4-1 Error initializing one of the serial ports.
4-4-2 Failed to initialize the parallel port.
4-4-3 Error initializing math coprocessor.
Long, incessant signals Faulty motherboard.
Siren sound from high to low Faulty video card, check electrolytic capacitance, leakage or replace everything with new, obviously serviceable ones.
Continuous signal Not connected (faulty) CPU cooler.

Compaq bios

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1 short No errors. Normal system load.
1 long + 1 short CMOS BIOS memory checksum error. The ROM battery may have sat down.
2 short Global error
1 long + 2 short Video card initialization failed. Check the installation of the video card.
7 signals Malfunction of AGP video card. Check the installation.
1 long standing Error RAM, try to reboot.
1 short + 2 long Malfunction of RAM. Reboot through reset.

DELL BIOS

1-2 means 1 beep, pause, and 2 beeps.

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1-2 Video card not connected
1-2-2-3 BIOS BIOS checksum error
1-3-1-1 DRAM update error
1-3-1-3 Keyboard Error 8742
1-3-3-1 Memory is bad
1-3-4-1 Xxx RAM Error
1-3-4-3 RAM error on low bit xxx
1-4-1-1 RAM error on the high bit xxx

AST BIOS

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1 short Error while checking processor registers. CPU fault
2 short Keyboard controller buffer error. Keyboard controller malfunction.
3 short Error resetting keyboard controller. Malfunctioning keyboard controller or motherboard.
4 short Error communicating with the keyboard.
5 short Keyboard error.
6 short Motherboard error
9 short BIOS ROM checksum mismatch. The BIOS BIOS ROM is faulty.
10 short System Timer Error. The system timer chip is faulty.
11 short Chipset Error.
12 short Error register power management in non-volatile memory.
1 long DMA 0 controller error. DMA controller 0 channel chip defective.
1 long, 1 short DMA controller error 1. The DMA controller 1 channel chip is faulty.
1 long, 2 short Error of suppression of the reverse course of the personnel scan. The video adapter may be faulty.
1 long, 3 short An error in the video memory. Faulty video memory adapter.
1 long, 4 short Video adapter error. Faulty video adapter.
1 long, 5 short 64K memory error.
1 long, 6 short Failed to load interrupt vectors. BIOS failed to load interrupt vectors into memory
1 long, 7 short Failed to initialize video equipment.
1 long, 8 short Video memory error.

IBM BIOS

Beep sequence BIOS decryption
1 short Successful POST
1 beep and blank screen Faulty video system
2 short No monitor connected
3 long Faulty motherboard (keyboard controller error)
1 long, 1 short Faulty motherboard
1 long, 2 short Faulty video system (Mono / CGA)
1 long, 3 short Faulty video system (EGA / VGA)
Repetitive short Faults related to power supply or motherboard.
Continuous Problems with the power supply or motherboard
Missing Faulty power supply, motherboard, or speaker

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Diagnostics, maintenance and repair of electronic and radio equipment

Terms: Diagnostics, maintenance and repair of electronic and radio equipment