General Beep Codes:
If the BIOS manufacturer is unknown
the following will be the general
Beep codes:
• 1 Long and 1 Short Beep
?Bad Motherboard
• 1 Short Beep and nothing else
happens ?Disk Drive/Video
Related Problems
• 1 Long and 2 Short Beeps ?Bad
Video Card
• 1 Continuous Beep or Non-stop
short Beeps ?Bad Power Supply
• 3 Short Beeps - Bad Memory
American Megatrends Inc. (AMI)
BEEP Codes:
• 1 Beep - Memory refresh
timer error.
Reseat the memory, or replace
with known good modules.
• 2 Beeps - Parity Error
Reseat the memory, or replace
with known good modules.
• 3 Beeps - Main memory read /
write test error.
Reseat the memory, or replace
with known good modules.
• 4 Beeps - Motherboard timer
not operational
• 5 Beeps - Processor Errors
• 6 Beeps - Keyboard controller
BAT test error.
• 7 Beeps - General exception
error.
• 8 Beeps - Display memory
error.
If the system video adapter is
an add-in card, replace or
reseat the video adapter. If the
video adapter is an integrated
part of the system board, the
board may be faulty.
• 9 Beeps - ROM checksum error
• 10 Beeps - CMOS shutdown
register read/write error
• 11 Beeps - Cache Memory Bad
Beeps 4-7, 9-11
Fatal error indicating a
serious problem with the
system. Consult your system
manufacturer.
Before declaring the
motherboard beyond all hope,
eliminate the possibility of
interference by a
malfunctioning add-in card.
Remove all expansion cards
except the video adapter.
If the beep codes are
generated even when all
other expansion cards are
absent, the motherboard has
a serious problem. Consult
your system manufacturer.
If the beep codes are not
generated when all other
expansion cards are absent,
one of the add-in cards is
causing the malfunction.
Insert the cards back into
the system one at a time
until the problem happens
again. This will reveal the
malfunctioning add-in card.
Award Bios BEEP Codes:
• 1 Long Beep: Memory problem
Explanation: There is a failure
of some sort related to the
system memory.
Diagnosis: The first bank of
memory probably has a failure of
some sort; this is usually just
a physical problem such as an
incorrectly inserted module, but
may also mean a bad memory chip
in a module. It is possible that
there is a failure related to
the motherboard or a system
device as well.
• 1 Long, then 2 Short Beeps:
Video error
Explanation: The BIOS is unable
to access the video system in
order to write any error
messages to the screen.
Diagnosis: This is usually
caused by a problem with the
video card, or the memory on the
video card. It can also be a
motherboard issue.
• 1 Long, then 3 Short Beeps:
Video error
Explanation: The BIOS is unable
to access the video system in
order to write any error
messages to the screen.
Diagnosis: This is usually
caused by a problem with the
video card, or the memory on the
video card. It can also be a
motherboard issue.
• Continuous Beeping: Memory
or video problem
Explanation: The system is
producing constant beeping in no
specific pattern, or a fast
"ringing" sound.
Diagnosis: This is usually
caused by a problem with the
system memory, or possibly the
video card. The memory is more
likely--the system complains
long and loud if it can't find
any usable memory, as there is
no way to even start the boot
process when this is the case.
The motherboard itself could
also be the problem.
• Other Beep Codes
Explanation: You have
encountered an Award BIOS beep
code I do not have documented.
Diagnosis: Award says that any
beep patterns other than "one
long followed by two short" are
likely problems with the system
memory. However, of late they
have started adding other beep
codes to their systems as well.
Phoenix BEEP Codes:
• 1-1-3
Explanation: Your computer can't
read the configuration
information stored in the CMOS.
Diagnosis: Replace the
motherboard.
• 1-1-4
Explanation: Your BIOS needs to
be replaced.
Diagnosis: Got to your
motherboard manufacturers web
site and download the new Bios.
• 1-2-1
Explanation: You have a bad
timer chip on the motherboard.
Diagnosis: Replace the
motherboard.
• 1-2-2 or 1-2-3 or 1-3-1 or
1-3-3 or 1-3-4 or 1-4-1
Explanation: Motherboards is
bad.
Diagnosis: Replace the
motherboard.
• 1-4-2
Explanation: Some of your memory
is bad.
Diagnosis: Go to Basic Trouble
Shooting
• 1-3-1
Explanation: Motherboards is
bad.
Diagnosis: Replace the
motherboard.
• 2-_-_ Any combination of
beeps after two
Explanation: Some of your memory
might be bad.
Diagnosis: Go to Basic Trouble
Shooting
• 3-1-_
Explanation: One of the chips on
your motherboard is broken.
Diagnosis: Replace the
motherboard.
• 3-2-4
Explanation: Keyboard controller
failure.
Diagnosis:
• 3-3-4
Explanation: Your computer can't
find the video card.
Diagnosis: Is it there? If so,
try swapping it with another one
and see if it works.
• 3-4-_
Explanation: Your video card
isn't working.
Diagnosis: Replace Video Card
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