BIOS Beep Codes
AMI
Award
Dell
IBM
Insyde
Macintosh
Phoenix
AMI BIOS Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description
1 short beep
DRAM (dynamic random access memory) refresh failure.
2 short beeps
Parity circuit failure.
3 short beeps
Base 64 K RAM failure.
4 short beeps
System timer failure.
5 short beeps
Process failure.
6 short beeps
Keyboard controller Gate A20 error.
7 short beeps
Virtual mode exception error.
8 short beeps
Display memory Read/Write test failure.
9 short beeps
ROM BIOS checksum failure.
10 short beeps
How to replace the CMOS battery.
11 short beeps
Cache memory error.
1 long, 2 short beeps
Video card memory issue.
1 long, 3 short beeps
Conventional/Extended memory failure.
1 long, 8 short beeps
Display/Retrace test failed.
Two-tone siren
Low CPU (central processing unit) fan speed, voltage level issue.
Award BIOS Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description
1 long, 2 short beeps
Indicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information.
1 long, 3 short beeps
Video card not detected (reseat video card) or bad video card.
Beeps repeating endlessly
RAM problem.
Repeated high frequency beeps while PC is running
Overheating processor (CPU).
Repeated beeps alternating high & low frequency
Issue with the processor (CPU), possibly damaged.
Dell Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description
1 beep
BIOS ROM corruption or failure.
2 beeps
Memory (RAM) not detected.
3 beeps
Motherboard failure.
4 beeps
Memory (RAM) failure.
5 beeps
CMOS battery failure.
6 beeps
Video card failure.
7 beeps
Bad processor (CPU).
IBM BIOS Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description
No beeps
Why won’t my computer turn on?
1 short beep
Normal POST, computer is ok.
2 short beeps
POST error, review screen for error code.
Continuous beep
No power, loose card, or short.
Repeating short beep
No power, loose card, or short.
1 long, 1 short beep
Motherboard issue.
1 long, 2 short beeps
Video (Mono/CGA display circuitry) issue.
1 long, 3 short beeps
Video (EGA) display circuitry.
3 long beeps
Keyboard or keyboard card error.
1 beep, blank or incorrect display
Video display circuitry.
Insyde Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description
5 short and 1 long beep
Problem with the DMA page registers.
4 short, 1 long, 1 short beep
Circuit for refreshing RAM not working.
4 short and 2 short beeps
BIOS ROM checksum failure.
3 short, 1 long, 2 short beeps
CMOS RAM test failure.
3 short, 1 long, 1 short, 1 long beep
DMA controller failure.
3 short, 2 long, 1 short beep
Interrupt controller failure.
3 short and 3 long beeps
Keyboard self-test issue.
2 short, 1 long, 3 short beeps
Video card not found.
2 short, 1 long, 2 short, 1 long beep
No RAM installed or RAM not recognized.
Macintosh Startup Tones
Tones
Error
Error tone (two sets of different tones)
Problem with logic board or SCSI (small computer system interface) bus.
Startup tone, drive spins, no video
Problem with video controller.
Powers on, no tone
Logic board problem.
High tone, four higher tones
Problem with SIMM (single inline memory module).
Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes
Beep Code
Description and what to check
1-1-1-1
Unconfirmed beep code. Reseat RAM chips or replace RAM chips as possible solution.
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 (direct memory access) 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
Autosize DRAM.
1-3-3-3
Clear 512 K base RAM.
1-3-4-1
Test 512 base address lines.
1-3-4-3
Test 512 K 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 (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) 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 (Peripheral Component Interconnect) 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
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 640 K.
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 CMOS 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 (original equipment manufacturer) 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.
Two-tone siren
Low CPU fan speed, voltage level issue.