3 BIOS beeps when turning on the computer. Cheat sheet - BIOS sound signals and their interpretation. Tips for troubleshooting problems with your computer emitting BIOS beeps

Good day. Today we'll talk about why computer beeps and what kind of signals BIOS(and it’s he who does it) serves it to you.

Although this article should have started differently.

Malicious power engineers turned off the lights, and when turned on, the computer began to beep briefly and refused to work? Did your brother kick the system unit, after which the latter emits one long howl and does not turn on? Is your computer beeping so loudly that everyone in the area is scared?

You can, of course, drop a brick on the energy workers and hang your brother by his feet from the ceiling, but how can you determine what happened to the computer and what does this very squeaking mean?

This material is specifically devoted to the sound signals (or lack thereof) of the computer, namely their decoding.

Let's get started.

BIOS Signals - Introductory

Let's figure out why the computer beeps and what's what

The signals differ depending on the type of BIOS that resides in your motherboard. You can find out by going into the BIOS itself (the DEL button at the earliest stage of booting the computer).

You can see approximately what a different BIOS looks like on BIOS. Generally speaking, all modern motherboards have long switched to UEFI, but the essence has not changed much from this.

Anyway, let's get to the point.

Award BIOS - computer beeps - decryption

The minimum list is something like this:

• Continuous signal - defective . Needs replacement.
• 1 short signal - No errors found. Typical behavior of a working computer - the computer boots normally.
• 2 short beeps- Minor errors found. A prompt appears on the monitor screen to enter the CMOS Setup Utility program to correct the situation. Check the reliability of the cables in the connectors and.
• 3 long beeps- Keyboard controller error. Restart your computer. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 1 long + 1 short beeps- Problems detected with . Check that the memory modules are installed correctly. Or replace with other memory modules.
• - Problem with - the most common malfunction. It is recommended to remove the board and reinsert it. Also check the connection to the video card.
• - Keyboard initialization error. Check the connection between the keyboard and the connector on the motherboard.
• 1 long + 9 short beeps- Error when reading data from the permanent memory chip. Reboot the computer or reflash the contents of the chip (if this mode is supported).
• 1 long repeating beep- Incorrect installation of memory modules. Try pulling them out and putting them in again.
• 1 short repeating signal- Problems with the power supply. Try to remove any dust that has accumulated in it.

AMI BIOS - computer beeps - decryption

What's what and how:

• 1 short beep- No errors found. The computer is ready to use.
• 2 short beeps- RAM parity error. Restart your computer. Check the installation of memory modules. Memory modules may need to be replaced.
• 3 short beeps- Error during operation of main memory (first 64 KB). Restart your computer. Check the installation of memory modules in the slots. Memory modules may need to be replaced.
• 4 short beeps- The system timer is faulty. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 5 short beeps- Defective. The processor may need to be replaced.
• 6 short beeps- The keyboard controller is faulty. Check the quality of the connection between the latter and the connector on the motherboard. Try replacing the keyboard. If this does not help, then the motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 7 short beeps- The motherboard is faulty.
• 8 short beeps- Problems with the video card.
• 9 short beeps- BIOS chip contents checksum error. A corresponding message may appear on the monitor screen. It requires either replacing the chip or rewriting its contents (if it is Flash memory).
• 10 short - Unable to write to CMOS memory. The CMOS chip or motherboard needs to be replaced.
• 11 short beeps- The external cache memory is faulty. Replacement of cache memory modules is required.
• 1 long + 2 short beeps
• 1 long + 3 short beeps- The video card is faulty. Check the connection between the monitor and the connector on the video card. The video card may need to be replaced.
• 1 long + 8 short beeps- Problems with the video card, or the monitor is not connected. Check the installation of the video card in the expansion slot again.

Let's move on to the phoenix and its signals.

Phoenix BIOS and AMI BIOS - computer beeps - decryption

Phonenix BIOS manufacturers have developed their own interleaving signal system.

• 1-1-3 signals - Error in writing/reading CMOS data. The CMOS memory chip or motherboard needs to be replaced. It is also possible that the battery powering the CMOS memory chip has run out.
• 1-1-4 signals - Checksum error on the contents of the BIOS chip. The BIOS chip needs to be replaced or flashed (when using Flash memory).
• 1-2-1 beeps - The motherboard is faulty. Turn off your computer for a while. If that doesn't help, replace the motherboard.
• 1-2-2 signals - DMA controller initialization error. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 1-2-3 signals - Error when trying to read/write to one of the DMA channels. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 1-3-1 signal - Problem with RAM. Replace memory modules.
• 1-3-3 signals - Error when testing the first 64 KB of RAM. Replace memory modules.
• 1-3-4 signals - Error when testing the first 64 KB of RAM. Replace memory modules.
• 1-4-1 beeps - The motherboard is faulty. It may need to be replaced.
• 1-4-2 signals - Problem with RAM. Check the installation of memory modules in the slots.
• 1-4-3 beeps - System timer error. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 1-4-4 signals - Error accessing the I/O port. This error may be caused by a peripheral device that uses this port for its operation.
• 3-1-1 signal - Error in initializing the second DMA channel. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 3-1-2 signals - Error initializing the first DMA channel. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 3-1-4 beeps - The motherboard is faulty. Turn off your computer for a while. If this does not help, you will have to replace the motherboard.
• 3-2-4 beeps - Keyboard controller error. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 3-3-4 signals - Error when testing video memory. The video card itself may be faulty. Check the installation of the video card in the expansion slot.
• 4-2-1 beeps - System timer error. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 4-2-3 signals - Error when operating line A20. The keyboard controller is faulty. Try replacing the motherboard or keyboard controller.
• 4-2-4 signals - Error when working in protected mode. The CPU may be faulty.
• 4-3-1 signals - Error when testing RAM. Check the installation of modules in the slots. Memory modules may need to be replaced.
• 4-3-4 signals - Real time clock error. The motherboard may need to be replaced.
• 4-4-1 signal - Serial port testing error. May be caused by a device that uses the serial port for its operation.
• 4-4-2 signals - Parallel port testing error. May be caused by a device that uses a parallel port for its operation.
• 4-4-3 signals - Error when testing the math coprocessor. The motherboard may need to be replaced.

This is such a big list. You can see the BIOS type in the BIOS itself.

It often happens that even an experienced system administrator forgets BIOS codes and signals (especially since new motherboards are already equipped with UEFI), let alone a non-professional. And knowing the signals will help you quickly, and in everyday cases, often free of charge, solve the problem with a computer or laptop that won’t start.

This is what BIOS chips from AWARD AMI and Phoenix look like.

By the way, for reference: BIOS is Basic Input-Output system or in Russian speaking, a basic input-output system. In other words, this is a low-level program that is tightly built into the chip of your computer's motherboard. The BIOS loads when you turn on the computer and is responsible for initializing its hardware components, checking their functionality and startup correctly. Then, the bootloader program starts, launching the operating system Windows, Linux, or whatever you have installed there...

Here we need to make a small digression and tell you that the signals of this very BIOS may differ depending on the manufacturer. Let's look at the most popular options, there will be three of them - AMI BIOS, AWARD BIOS, Phoenix BIOS.

Below the cut is a table describing BIOS errors.

AMI BIOS beeps

In all versions of AMI BIOS, the successful completion of self-test is one short beep, after which the installed OS is loaded. I indicated other AMI BIOS sound signals in the table:

Sound signal	Description
2 short	RAM parity error
3 short	Protected sector error 64 KB RAM
4 short	Motherboard system timer malfunction
5 short	CPU malfunction
6 short	Keyboard error
7 short	General motherboard failure
8 short	Video card memory failure
9 short	BIOS checksum error
10 short	Cannot write to CMOS
11 short	RAM error
1 long and 1 short	Power supply failure
1 long and 2 short	Video card error
1 long and 3 short	Video card error
1 long and 4 short	No video card, no video card found
1 long and 8 short
3 long
5 short and 1 long	No RAM
constant signal

AWARD BIOS beeps

With the correct post-test signal, everything is the same as in the previous version - one short AWARD BIOS beep means that everything is OK.

The remaining signals are slightly different - look at the table:

Sound signal	Description
1 short, repeating	Power supply failure
1repetitive, long
3 long	Keyboard error
1 long and 1 short	RAM fault
1 long and 2 short	Video card error
1 long and 3 short	Keyboard error
1 long and 9 short	ROM reading error
1 long and 8 short	Monitor not connected, problems with video card
3 long	Problems with RAM, memory test failed
constant signal	Problems with the power supply, PC overheating

Phoenix BIOS beeps

The third version of signals from Phoenix. BIOS from this manufacturer is becoming increasingly rare, but still.

Here it must be said that with him everything is not the same as with the previous two. Yes, yes, the guys decided to show off and do something different from everyone else; their signals are not double, but triple. In practice, this only means that, for example, a signal about problems with power supply to the video card will look like three short beeps, a pause, three short beeps, a pause, then 4 short beeps. In the table I will write them as 3-3-4. So, let's go...

Error codes from Phoenix:

Sound signal	Description
1 – 1 – 2	CPU error
1 – 1 – 3	CMOS write error, motherboard malfunction boards
1 – 1 – 4	Error in BIOS ROM checksum
1 – 2 – 1	Interrupt timer is faulty
1 – 2 – 2	DMA controller error
1–2 – 3	DMA controller read or write error
1 – 3 – 2	RAM error
1 – 3 – 3
1 – 3 – 4	RAM controller error
1 – 4 – 1	Address RAM error
1 – 4 – 2	RAM parity error
3 – 2 – 4	Error keyboards
3 – 3 – 1	Battery failure CMOS on the motherboard
3 – 3 – 4	Video card malfunction
3 – 4 – 1	Video card malfunction
4 – 2 – 1	System timer malfunction
4 – 2 – 2	CMOS error
4 – 2 – 3	Keyboard problem
4 – 2 – 4	CPU error
4 – 3 – 1	Error in RAM test
4 – 3 – 3	Timer error
4 – 3 – 4	Error in RTC operation
4 – 4 – 1	Serial port problem
4 – 4 – 2	Parallel port failure
4 – 4 – 3	Problems with the coprocessor

I would just like to add that in case of self-repair of a PC or laptop always disconnect it from the power supply and only then you can calmly climb inside, armed with a screwdriver and other necessary tools.

In the next article I will talk about UEFI. What is it, why did she come to us and other interesting points.

P.S. In some cases with memory errors, it helps to remove the memory sticks from the slots, wipe the contacts of the RAM boards with a regular soft eraser, and the memory is back in service! If the memory is not burned out but simply malfunctions, then you can also try swapping the boards with RAM in places across banks, provided that the memory itself that you are swapping is the same.

P.P.S. At the end of this article I simply post tables of codes for three BIOSes in the form of pictures. They can be used as a cheat sheet and saved to your phone, tablet or computer.

Cheat sheets describing BIOS signals for printing

It seems that I wrote everything I wanted to write. I tried clearly and without water, as always. If you have any questions, I answer in the comments.

In contact with

If you hear two short BIOS beeps shortly after turning on your computer, then this is an alarming symptom. Such signals are generated by the system speaker of the motherboard during the PC hardware test (POST) procedure and indicate a detected malfunction.

Since different BIOS encode error signals differently, the meaning given to this message in the BIOS depends on the specific motherboard, or more precisely, on the BIOS chip with which the board is equipped.

In the IBM BIOS, two short BIOS beeps indicate a video system malfunction. For Award, 2 short BIOS signals code a non-critical fault, that is, a fault after which the computer can continue booting. Such a malfunction could be a failure of a hard drive or a BIOS checksum error. Typically, in this case, the BIOS will display a detailed error message indicating the faulty component, and the computer can usually continue to boot, but only after pressing a specific key, for example, F1. Sometimes, to correct an error, the user will need to enter BIOS Setup to make the necessary changes there.

However, it should be borne in mind that even if the computer can be successfully booted after two short beeps are displayed, you should consider eliminating the problem, since it will bother you again later.

The list of AMI BIOS sound code messages also contains two short beeps. But in this case, the error causing such a message is related to the RAM test. If such an error occurs, you should check that the RAM modules are securely installed in the slots.

AST BIOS may also produce 2 short beeps, but this is usually associated with another problem - a keyboard controller testing error. In Quadtel BIOS, two short beeps mean something else - CMOS RAM damage. Finally, the Compaq BIOS emits two short beeps when it detects a general motherboard error. The 2 short signals have the same meaning in the BIOS, which is equipped with IBM ThinkPad laptops.

Today we will talk about the situation when the computer, when turned on, emits 1 long, possibly repeating signal after some time, and does not display anything on the screen.

In this situation, there are clearly problems with the equipment. Depending on the motherboard model and BIOS manufacturer, 1 long signal can indicate various problems.

Phoenix BIOS thus notifies the user that the fan in the CPU cooler has failed. In Award BIOS, such a combination indicates problems with the power supply. And for Compaq BIOS this means a violation of the correct functioning of RAM.

The IBM BIOS notifies you of video system problems with one long beep. In some cases, the user can fix such a breakdown on his own. You just need to check how correctly the video card is positioned in the motherboard slot. Perhaps the device needs to be adjusted a little, and the annoying signal will disappear.

AST BIOS in this case indicates a breakdown of the microcontroller. More precisely, the signal indicates an error detected when checking the first DMA channel. Often, to correct this situation, the user has to change the entire motherboard.

Remedies

So, the first thing to do to solve this problem is to try to remove and install the RAM, after wiping its contacts with an eraser. Ideally, take another known working memory and insert it in place of your own.

One possible reason for this signal sequence is RAM

If after this the problem does not go away, check whether the processor fan is connected to the motherboard properly and whether it is jammed. To do this, try scrolling it with your finger. The computer must be de-energized.

Checking that the CPU cooler is connected correctly

The next step in eliminating one long BIOS signal is to install a known working power supply, which you can temporarily borrow from friends or acquaintances.

The power supply is one of the possible reasons for 1 long BIOS signal

The last step in trying to eliminate the long BIOS signal during boot is to try to remove/install the video card by wiping the contacts with an eraser.

Installing/removing a video card to solve the problem of one short and two long BIOS signals when turning on the computer

If after all the described steps you are unable to start your computer, then most likely you will have to replace the entire motherboard.

Have you ever noticed that your computer makes a short sound when the system boots? Let's figure out what kind of sound this is, what other system sound signals are there and what do they mean?

What do the BIOS beeps mean when you turn on your computer?

A modern computer system consists of the following components:

• motherboard;

  

• CPU;

  

• random access memory (RAM);

  

• video card;

  

• hard drive (hard drive);

  

• power unit;

  

• sound card;

  

• monitor/display (on laptops);

  

• LAN card;

  

• peripheral devices (keyboard, mouse).

  

The main board of the PC is the motherboard or system board. It is she who unites all the elements of the computer - built-in and peripheral, and also manages them.

The board contains several control chips, of which we are interested in the BIOS chip. Its distinctive feature is the presence of its own permanent memory (Flash memory), which, like a hard drive, stores important information. This chip receives electricity from a battery located on the motherboard.

BIOS - basic input/output system - a program whose main purpose is to initially test the PC and transfer control to the boot sector of the hard drive to load the installed operating system. If the operating system is not installed, the BIOS will try to find another boot device - a CD or DVD drive, a Flash device.

The operating system will load if no critical errors are detected during testing of PC devices. Otherwise, an error code will be shown on the display and one or more beeps will sound through the system speaker, according to the error code.

This is necessary if for some reason it is not possible to observe the information on the screen. For example, the video card or the display itself is faulty.

When you press the PC power button, the POST program starts, performing a self-test.

It interrogates all major system components and compares the current configuration with the one that was written to memory during the previous boot. If any changes have been made to the system, POST will make corrections to the native CMOS memory.

Advice! The BIOS SETUP subroutine allows you to change some parts of the boot process and hardware settings. For example, you can disable some built-in devices if they are not needed, configure the processor's thermal control, etc.

If one or more devices are found to be faulty or not supported by the system, the user will hear a combination of beeps and see a corresponding message on the monitor.

The sound of these signals depends on the model of the motherboard, or more precisely, the manufacturer of the BIOS chip.

Major BIOS chip manufacturers

If, from the point of view of the basic settings, the name of the manufacturer is not particularly important, since they are standard for everyone, then when identifying faults by sound signals, you need to know the manufacturer of the factory firmware-program.

Main types of BIOS:

1. Award BIOS – Award Software company.
2. AMI BIOS is manufactured by American Megatrends.
3. Phoenix BIOS - from Phoenix Technologies.

Less common are chips from computer electronics manufacturers Intel, IBM, Compaq, Toshiba, and Dell.

The system's audible warning is a combination of long and short signals.

Award BIOS Signal Table

One of the most common manufacturers.

Signal combination	Error type
1 short	Self-test completed without errors
2 short	Minor errors. You need to turn off the PC and check the fastenings of all connectors on the motherboard and cables
3 long	Keyboard error
1 short 1 long	Problems with RAM
1 long 2 short	Video system error
1 long 3 short	The video card or video memory is faulty
1 long 9 short	Error reading from ROM chip. You need to restart your PC. Reflash BIOS
Short repeating	The power supply or RAM is faulty
Long repeating	RAM faulty
2 tones alternating cyclically	CPU faulty
Continuous	The power supply is faulty

AMI BIOS Signal Table

Signal combination	Error type
1 short	No mistakes
2 short	RAM parity error
3 short	Error in the first 64 KB of RAM
4 short	System timer malfunction
5 short	Processor problems
6 short	Keyboard error
7 short	Problems with the motherboard
8 short	Video card memory error
9 short	BIOS checksum is incorrect
10 short	CMOS write error
11 short	Cache error on motherboard
1 long, 1 short	Problems with the power supply
1 long, 2 short	Video card error (Mono-CGA). Malfunction of RAM connectors. Replace the motherboard
1 long, 3 short	Video card error (EGA-VGA), on server motherboards - incorrect memory type installed
1 long, 4 short	No video card
1 long, 8 short	Problems with the video system
3 long	RAM - read/write test completed with error. Reinstall the memory or replace it with a working module
5 short, 1 long	RAM is not installed or is not installed as recommended by the manufacturer
Continuous beep	Memory or power supply failure or computer overheating

Phoenix BIOS Signal Table

This manufacturer uses beep codes in the format: signal-pause-signal.

On a note! For example, 1-1-2: signal-pause-signal-pause-two beeps.

Signal combination	Error type
1-1-2	CPU failure
1-1-3	Error writing/reading data to/from CMOS memory
1-1-4	BIOS error
1-2-1
1-2-2 or 1-2-3	DMA controller error
1-3-1	Error initializing the RAM regeneration circuit
1-3-3 or 1-3-4	Error initializing the first 64 KB of RAM
1-4-1	Motherboard initialization error
1-4-2
1-4-3	System timer initialization error
1-4-4	Error writing/reading to/from one of the I/O ports
2-1-1	An error was detected while reading/writing bit 0 (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-2	An error was detected when reading/writing the 1st bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-3	An error was detected when reading/writing the 2nd bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-1-4	An error was detected while reading/writing the 3rd bit (in hexadecimal). .first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-1	An error was detected while reading/writing the 4th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-2	An error was detected when reading/writing the 5th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-3	An error was detected while reading/writing the 6th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-2-4	An error was detected while reading/writing the 7th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-1	An error was detected while reading/writing the 8th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-2	An error was detected when reading/writing the 9th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-3	An error was detected when reading/writing the 10th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-3-4	An error was detected when reading/writing the 11th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-1	An error was detected when reading/writing the 12th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-2	An error was detected when reading/writing the 13th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-3	An error was detected while reading/writing the 14th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
2-4-4	An error was detected while reading/writing the 15th bit (in hexadecimal) of the first 64 KB of RAM
3-1-1	Second DMA channel error
3-1-2 or 3-1-4	First DMA channel error
3-2-4	Keyboard error
3-3-4	Video memory error
3-4-1	Problems with the monitor. You need to check the monitor connector and the condition of the data cable
3-4-2	Cannot detect video card BIOS
4-2-1	System timer error
4-2-2	Testing completed
4-2-3	Keyboard error
4-2-4	Critical error when the CPU enters protected mode
4-3-1	Error initializing RAM
4-3-2	Error initializing first timer
4-3-3	Error initializing second timer
4-4-1	Error initializing one of the serial ports
4-4-2	Parallel port initialization error
4-4-3	CPU element error
Long, continuous beeps	Motherboard is faulty
Siren sound from high to low frequency	Video card is faulty
Continuous signal	The CPU fan is not connected or is faulty

Addition! DMA is a mechanism for direct access to RAM from system peripheral devices. Required to speed up the CPU and the system as a whole. DMA channel errors may appear if there are corresponding difficulties with peripheral devices.

If, after testing the BIOS, the PC does not boot, the video system does not work, and there is a suspicion that a specific device is faulty, do not rush to buy a new spare part. It is important to make sure that the problem is in this particular part. For example, the video card or RAM modules can be removed and tested on another PC. The connectors on the motherboard or any chips may be faulty or dirty (oxidized).

Some components will not work correctly on unsupported motherboards, in which case they should be replaced.

Video - The computer beeps when turned on. What is this?