If the computer runs into an error, where it can no longer control the screen, the BIOS may still express itself with beeps (beep codes). The BIOS is the small program that reports immediately when the PC is switched on, before the operating system is loaded. Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, the beeps are different and mean something different. In order to be able to interpret the tones correctly, it is therefore important to know which BIOS variant is in use. This information can be found in the description of the mainboard. If this is not available, a description can be read on the mainboard, and a look at the mainboard manufacturer's page may also help.
AMI BIOS
| 1 long |
Power on Self Test successful |
| 1 short |
DRAM refresh error |
| 2 short |
Parity error |
| 3 short |
Base 64K RAM error |
| 4 short |
System timer error Battery empty or mainboard defective |
| 5 short |
Processor (CPU) error |
| 6 short |
Keyboard controller error |
| 7 short |
Virtual mode exception error |
| 8 short |
Graphic card memory error |
| 9 short |
ROM BIOS checksum error |
10 short
|
System board error
|
| 11 short |
Cache memory error |
1 long, 1 short
|
System board error
|
| 1 long, 2 short |
Graphics card error |
1 long, 3 short
|
Conventional/Extended memory failure
|
| 1 long, 4 short |
Timer defective |
1 long, 5 short
|
Processor (CPU) error
|
| 1 long, 6 short |
Keyboard controller defective |
1 long, 7 short
|
Virtual mode problem
|
| 1 long, 8 short |
Graphic memory error |
1 long, 9 short
|
Checksum error
|
| 2 short, once long |
Graphics card contact error |
2 long, 2 short
|
Video error
|
| 3 short, 3 long, 3 short |
RAM defective |
Continuous tone
|
Power supply defective
|
Award/Phoenix
| 1 long, 2 short |
Graphics problem (system cannot display additional info) |
| 1 long, 3 short |
no graphics card or defective graphics memory |
| high frequency beeps during operation |
CPU too hot |
| repeated high low |
processor (CPU) |
| repeated (endless) |
memory error |
| all other beep(s) |
Memory |
Dell
| 1 beep |
ROM error |
| 2 beeps |
Memory (RAM) not recognized |
| 3 Beeps |
Mainboard error |
| 4 Beeps |
Working memory (RAM) defective |
| 5 Beeps |
CMOS battery error |
| 6 Beeps |
Graphics card error |
| 7 Beeps |
CPU Error |
Apple Macintosh
| 3x short, pause, 3x short |
Memory, RAM check failed |
| 3x long, 2x short, 3x long |
EFI ROM error or ROM recovery mode |
IBM
| 1 short beep |
normal start, computer is ok |
| 2 short beeps |
POST error, additional error code is displayed on screen |
| no beep |
power supply, system board, processor error |
| continuous beep |
power supply, system board, keyboard problem |
| repeated short beep |
Power supply or system board problem |
| 1 long, 1 short beep |
System board problem |
| 1 long, 2 short beeps |
Graphic card problem |
| 1 long. 3 short beeps |
Graphic card problem |
| 3 long beeps |
Keyboard problem |
IBM Post Diagnostic Codes
If the computer still manages to display the image, the following error codes provide an indication of the error:
| 100 - 199 |
System board |
| 200 - 299 |
Memory |
| 300 - 399 |
Keyboard |
| 400 - 499 |
Graphics |
| 500 - 599 |
Graphics |
| 600 - 699 |
Floppy 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 disk and/or adapter |
| 1800 - 1899 |
Expansion Unit (XT) |
| 2000 - 2199 |
Bisynchronous communication adapter |
| 2400 - 2599 |
EGA system-board video (MCA) |
| 3000 - 3199 |
Network Adapter |
| 4800 - 4999 |
Internal modem |
| 7000 - 7099 |
Phoenix BIOS Chips |
| 7300 - 7399 |
3.5 floppy disk drive |
| 8900 - 8999 |
MIDI adapter |
| 11200 - 11299 |
SCSI adapter |
| 21000 - 21099 |
SCSI Fixed Disk and Controller |
| 21500 - 21599 |
SCSI CD-ROM System |
PHOENIX
| Beep Code |
Description |
| 1-1-1-1 |
RAM chip error |
| 1-1-3-3 |
CPU |
| 1-1-4-3 |
I/O initialization |
| 1-2-1-1 |
Power management initialization |
| 1-2-2-1 |
Keyboard Controller |
| 1-2-2-3 |
BIOS ROM checksum. Replace BIOS, update |
| 1-2-3-1 |
8254 timer initialization, system board defective |
| 1-2-3-3 |
8237 DMA controller initialization, system board defective |
| 1-3-1-1 |
Main memory defective |
| 1-3-1-3 |
Keyboard controller. |
| 1-3-3-1 |
Working memory error |
| 1-3-4-1 |
Error in working memory |
| 1-3-4-3 |
Error in working memory |
| 1-4-1-3 |
Test CPU bus-clock frequency. |
| 1-4-2-4 |
Chipset error |
| 1-4-3-2 |
Cache error |
| 2-1-1-1 |
Processor (CPU) defective |
| 2-1-3-1 |
Video configuration |
| 2-1-3-2 |
Initialize PCI bus and devices. |
| 2-1-3-3 |
Initialize graphics card. |
| 2-1-4-1 |
Graphics card |
| 2-1-4-3 |
Graphics card |
| 2-2-1-1 |
show processor type and speed |
| 2-2-1-3 |
test keyboard |
| 2-2-3-3 |
show Press F2 to enter SETUP. |
| 2-2-4-1 |
Test memory between 512 and 640k. |
| 2-3-1-1 |
Tests expanded memory. |
| 2-3-1-3 |
Test extended memory address lines. |
| 2-3-2-3 |
configure cache registers. |
| 2-3-3-1 |
Enable cache (external and CPU caches). |
| 2-3-3-3 |
show external cache size |
| 2-4-1-1 |
show error messages |
| 2-4-1-3 |
search for configuration errors |
| 2-4-2-1 |
test clock |
| 2-4-2-3 |
Test keyboard |
| 3-1-1-3 |
RS232 port |
| 3-1-2-1 |
parallel ports. |
| 3-1-2-3 |
Re-initialize onboard I/O ports. |
| 3-1-4-1 |
Initialize floppy disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-1 |
Initialize hard disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-2 |
Initialize local-bus hard disk controller. |
| 3-2-4-1 |
Set-up power management. |
| 3-3-3-1 |
Clear F2 message |
| 3-3-4-1 |
Enter SETUP. |
| 4-3-4-2 |
Initialize boot device. |
| 4-3-4-3 |
Boot code was read OK. |
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