BIOS beeps when turning on PC

Sections of the site

Editor's Choice:

Advertising

home - Computers

4. The most popular BIOS sounds and their meaning

I could make for you a dozen more different tables with beep decoding, but I decided that it would be much more useful to pay attention to the most popular BIOS sound signals. So, what do users most often search for:

one long two short BIOS beeps– this sound almost certainly does not bode well for anything good, namely problems with the video card. The first thing you need to check is whether the video card is fully inserted into the motherboard. Oh, by the way, how long have you been here? After all, one of the reasons for problems with loading may be banal dust that has clogged up in the cooler. But let's return to the problems with the video card. Try pulling it out and cleaning the contacts with an eraser. It would be a good idea to make sure there is no debris or foreign objects in the connectors. Still getting an error? Then the situation is more complicated, you will have to try to boot a computer with an integrated video camera (provided that it is on the motherboard). If it boots, it means that the problem is in the removed video card and you cannot do without replacing it.
one long BIOS beep at startup– Possibly problems with RAM.
3 short BIOS beeps– RAM error. What can be done? Remove the RAM modules and clean the contacts with an eraser, wipe with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol, and try swapping the modules. Also possible. If the RAM modules are working, the computer will boot.
5 short BIOS beeps– the processor is faulty. A very unpleasant sound, isn't it? If this is the first time the processor has been installed, check its compatibility with the motherboard. If everything worked before, but now the computer beeps like crazy, then you need to check whether the contacts are clean and even.
4 long BIOS beeps– low speed or CPU fan stops. It needs to be either cleaned or replaced.
1 long 2 short BIOS beeps– problems with the video card or malfunction of the RAM connectors.
1 long 3 short BIOS beeps– either problems with the video card, or RAM problems, or keyboard errors.
two short BIOS beeps – see the manufacturer to clarify the error.
three long BIOS beeps– problems with RAM (the solution to the problem is described above), or problems with the keyboard.
BIOS signals are many short– you need to count exactly how many short signals.
The computer does not boot and there is no BIOS signal– the power supply is faulty, there is a processor performance problem, or there is no system speaker (see above).

From my own experience, I can say that quite often all problems with booting a computer are due to poor contact between various modules, for example RAM or a video card. And, as I wrote above, in some cases a regular reboot helps. Sometimes you can solve the problem by resetting the system board settings.

Attention! If you doubt your abilities, it is better to entrust diagnostics and repairs to professionals. There is no point in taking risks and then blaming the author of the article for something that is not his fault :)

To solve the problem it is necessary pull out the module from the connector, remove dust and insert back. The contacts can be carefully cleaned and wiped with alcohol. To clean the connector from dirt, it is convenient to use a dry toothbrush.
Don't forget to spend visual inspection. If some elements are deformed, have a black coating or streaks, the cause of problems with loading the computer will be in plain sight.
Let me also remind you that any manipulations with the system unit should be performed only when power is off. Don't forget to remove static electricity. To do this, it will be enough to grasp the computer system unit with both hands.
Dont touch to the pins of the microcircuits.
Do not use metal and abrasive materials to clean the contacts of RAM modules or video cards. For this purpose, you can use a soft eraser.
Soberly evaluate your capabilities. If your computer is under warranty, it is better to use the services of service center specialists than to delve into the “brains” of the machine yourself.

If you have any questions, ask them in the comments to this article, we’ll sort it out!

Social buttons.

Very often people ask me what they mean BIOS beeps when turning on PC. In this article we will take a detailed look at BIOS sounds depending on the manufacturer, the most likely errors and how to eliminate them. In a separate paragraph, I will tell you 4 simple ways to find out the BIOS manufacturer, and also remind you of the basic principles of working with hardware.

Let's get started!

Every time you turn it on, you hear the computer beeping. Often this is heard from the speaker of the system unit. It indicates that the POST diagnostic self-test has successfully completed the test and has not detected any faults. After which the installed operating system begins to load.

If your computer does not have a system speaker, then you will not hear any sounds. This is not an indication of an error, just that the manufacturer of your device decided to save money.

Most often, I observed this situation with laptops and DNS stationary systems (now they produce their products under the DEXP brand). “What is the danger of not having a speaker?” - you ask. It seems like such a small thing, and the computer works fine without it. But if it is impossible to initialize the video card, it will not be possible to identify and fix the problem.

If a problem is detected, the computer will emit a corresponding sound signal - a certain sequence of long or short squeaks. Using the instructions for the motherboard, you can decipher it, but which of us keeps such instructions? Therefore, in this article I have prepared for you tables with decoding of BIOS sound signals that will help you identify the problem and fix it.

Modern motherboards have a built-in system speaker.

Attention! All manipulations with the computer’s hardware configuration should be carried out if it is completely disconnected from the power supply. Before opening the case, be sure to remove the power plug from the outlet.

2. How to find out the BIOS manufacturer

Before looking for a decoding of computer sounds, you need to find out the BIOS manufacturer, since their sound signals are significantly different.

2.1. Method 1

“Identification” can be done in various ways, the simplest is look at the screen while loading. The manufacturer and BIOS version are usually indicated at the top. To capture this moment, press the Pause key on your keyboard. If instead of the necessary information you see only the motherboard manufacturer's splash screen, press Tab.

The two most popular BIOS manufacturers are AWARD and AMI

2.2. Method 2

Go to BIOS. I wrote in detail about how to do this. Browse the sections and find the item - System Information. The current BIOS version should be indicated there. And at the bottom (or top) of the screen the manufacturer will be indicated - American Megatrends Inc. (AMI), AWARD, DELL, etc.

2.3. Method 3

One of the fastest ways to find out the BIOS manufacturer is to use the Windows + R hotkeys and enter the MSINFO32 command in the “Run” line that opens. This way it will be launched System Information utility, with which you can get all the information about the hardware configuration of your computer.

Launching the System Information utility

You can also launch it from the menu: Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Information

You can find out the BIOS manufacturer through "System Information"

2.4. Method 4

Use third-party programs, they were described in detail in. Most often used CPU-Z, it is absolutely free and very simple (you can download it on the official website). After starting the program, go to the “Board” tab and in the BIOS section you will see all the information about the manufacturer:

How to find out the BIOS manufacturer using CPU-Z

3. Decoding BIOS signals

After we have found out the BIOS type, we can begin to decipher the sound signals depending on the manufacturer. Let's look at the main ones in tables.

3.1. AMI BIOS - beeps

AMI BIOS (American Megatrends Inc.) since 2002 is the most popular manufacturer in the world. In all versions, successful completion of the self-test is one short beep , after which the installed operating system is loaded. Other AMI BIOS beeps are listed in the table:

Signal type	Decoding
2 short	RAM parity error.
3 short	Error in the first 64 KB of RAM.
4 short
5 short	CPU failure.
6 short	Keyboard controller error.
7 short	Motherboard failure.
8 short	Video card memory failure.
9 short	BIOS checksum error.
10 short	Cannot write to CMOS.
11 short	RAM error.
1 dl + 1 cor	The computer's power supply is faulty.
1 dl + 2 cor
1 dl + 3 cor	Video card operation error, RAM malfunction.
1 dl + 4 cor	No video card.
1 dl + 8 cor	The monitor is not connected, or there is a problem with the video card.
3 long	Problems with RAM, test completed with error.
5 cor + 1 dl	There is no RAM.
Continuous	Problems with the power supply or PC overheating.

No matter how trivial it may sound, I advise my friends and clients in most cases turn off and turn on the computer. Yes, this is a typical phrase from the guys from your provider’s technical support, but it helps! However, if after the next reboot you hear squeaks from the speaker that are different from the usual one short beep, then you need to fix the problem. I will talk about this at the end of the article.

3.2. AWARD BIOS - signals

Like AMI, one short beep AWARD BIOS signals a successful self-test and the start of the operating system. What do the other sounds mean? Let's look at the table:

Signal type	Decoding
1 repeating short	Problems with the power supply.
1 repeating long	Problems with RAM.
1 long + 1 short	RAM fault.
1 long + 2 short	Video card error.
1 long + 3 short	Problems with the keyboard.
1 long + 9 short	Error reading data from ROM.
2 short	Minor faults
3 long	Keyboard controller error
Continuous sound	The power supply is faulty.

1-2-2

DMA controller error.

1-2-3

DMA controller read or write error.

1-3-1

Memory regeneration error.

1-3-2

RAM test does not run.

1-3-3

The RAM controller is faulty.

1-3-4

The RAM controller is faulty.

1-4-1

RAM address line error.

1-4-2

RAM parity error.

3-2-4

Keyboard initialization error.

3-3-1

The battery on the motherboard is dead.

3-3-4

Video card malfunction.

3-4-1

Video adapter malfunction.

4-2-1

System timer malfunction.

4-2-2

CMOS termination error.

4-2-3

Keyboard controller malfunction.

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 problem.

4-4-3

Problems with the coprocessor.

Read:

Formatting via BIOS Putting things in order - cleaning the hard drive in Windows 10 Wanna Cry “shouted” to the whole world - how to solve the virus problem Temporary mail for 10 minutes without registration What to do and how to unlock?