Bios sounds and their solutions. BIOS beeps and BIOS error codes

The BIOS is responsible for checking the functionality of the main components of the computer before each startup. Before the OS is loaded, BIOS algorithms check the hardware for critical errors. If any are detected, then instead of loading the operating system, the user will receive a series of specific sound signals and, in some cases, information displayed on the screen.

BIOS is actively developed and improved by three companies - AMI, Award and Phoenix. Most computers have a built-in BIOS from these developers. Depending on the manufacturer, sound alerts may vary, which is sometimes not entirely convenient. Let's look at all the computer startup signals from each developer.

AMI beeps

This developer distributes sound alerts by beeps - short and long signals.

Audio messages are given without pauses and have the following meanings:

• No signal means the power supply is faulty or the computer is not connected to the network;
• 1 short signal - accompanied by system startup and means that no problems were detected;
• 2 and 3 short messages are responsible for certain RAM problems. 2 signal - parity error, 3 – inability to start the first 64 KB of RAM;
• 2 short and 2 long signal – failure of the floppy disk controller;
• 1 long and 2 short or 1 short and 2 long– video adapter malfunction. Differences may be due to different BIOS versions;
• 4 short signal indicates a malfunction of the system timer. It is noteworthy that in this case the computer may start, but the time and date in it will be lost;
• 5 short messages indicate CPU inoperability;
• 6 short signals indicate a problem with the keyboard controller. However, in this case, the computer will start, but the keyboard will not work;
• 7 short messages – system board malfunction;
• 8 short beeps indicate an error in video memory;
• 9 short signals is a fatal error when starting the BIOS itself. Sometimes restarting the computer and/or resetting the BIOS settings helps get rid of this problem;
• 10 short messages indicate an error in the CMOS memory. This type of memory is responsible for correctly saving BIOS settings and starting it when turned on;
• 11 short beeps in a row means that there are serious problems with the cache memory.

Sound signals Award

Sound alerts in BIOS from this developer are somewhat similar to signals from the previous manufacturer. However, Award has fewer of them.

Let's decipher each of them:

• The absence of any sound alerts may indicate problems with the electrical connection or problems with the power supply;
• 1 short a non-repeating signal is accompanied by a successful startup of the operating system;
• 1 long the signal indicates problems with RAM. This message can be played either once or repeated for a certain period of time depending on the motherboard model and BIOS version;
• 1 short the signal indicates problems with the power supply or a short circuit in the power supply circuit. It will run continuously or repeat at a certain interval;
• 1 long And 2 short alerts indicate the absence of a graphics adapter or the inability to use video memory;
• 1 long signal and 3 short warns about a video adapter malfunction;
• 2 short signals without pauses indicate small errors that occurred during startup. Data on these errors is displayed on the monitor, making it easy to figure out how to solve them. To continue loading the OS, you will have to click on F1 or Delete, more detailed instructions will appear on the screen;
• 1 long message and subsequent ones 9 short indicate a malfunction and/or failure to read BIOS chips;
• 3 long signals indicate a problem with the keyboard controller. However, the operating system will continue to load.

Phoenix Sounds

This developer has made a large number of different combinations of BIOS signals. Sometimes this variety of messages causes problems for many users in identifying the error.

In addition, the messages themselves are quite confusing, since they consist of certain sound combinations of different sequences. The decoding of these signals is as follows:

• 4 short—2 short—2 short messages indicate completion of component testing. After these signals, the operating system will begin loading;
• 2 short—3 short—1 short the message (the combination is repeated twice) indicates errors when processing unexpected interrupts;
• 2 short—1 short—2 short—3 short signal after a pause indicates an error when checking the BIOS for copyright compliance. This error occurs more often after updating the BIOS or when starting the computer for the first time;
• 1 short—3 short—4 short—1 short the signal indicates an error that was made when checking the RAM;
• 1 short—3 short—1 short—3 short messages occur when there is a problem with the keyboard controller, but the operating system will continue to load;
• 1 short—2 short—2 short—3 short a beep warns of an error in calculating the checksum when starting the BIOS.;
• 1 short And 2 long a beep means an error in the operation of adapters that may have their own BIOS built into them;
• 4 short—4 short—3 short you will hear a beep if there is an error in the math coprocessor;
• 4 short—4 short—2 long signal will report an error in the parallel port;
• 4 short—3 short—4 short signal indicates a real time clock failure. With this failure, you will be able to use the computer without any difficulties;
• 4 short—3 short—1 short signal indicates a problem with the RAM test;
• 4 short—2 short—1 short the message warns of a fatal failure in the central processor;
• 3 short—4 short—2 short you will hear if any problems are detected with the video memory or the system cannot find it;
• 1 short—2 short—2 short beeps indicate a failure to read data from the DMA controller;
• 1 short—1 short—3 short beeps will sound when there is an error related to CMOS operation;
• 1 short—2 short—1 short A beep indicates a problem with the system board.

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 fix 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!

1. What are BIOS beeps for?

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 loading.

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 (they now 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 a splash screen of the motherboard manufacturer, 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:

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:

3.3. Phoenix BIOS

PHOENIX has very characteristic “beeps”; they are written in the table differently from AMI or AWARD. In the table they are indicated as combinations of sounds and pauses. For example, 1-1-2 would sound like one beep, a pause, another beep, another pause and two beeps.

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 the system speaker is missing (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 :)

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Dont touch to the pins of the microcircuits.
5. 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.
6. 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!

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 while 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.

An attentive user may notice that the computer makes sounds when turned on. Usually this is one short squeak from the speaker (device on the motherboard). But during operation, other signals may be emitted. Read about what they mean and how to find out what to do with them in this article.

The first thing you need to do is find out which one you have. You can find out about this when you turn on the computer, when letters appear on a black background. Look at the top or bottom of the abbreviations AMI or AWARD BIOS.

Learned? Then let's go!

BIOS BEEP: AMI BIOS

When you turn on the computer, it must undergo a self-diagnosis process and if you hear one short signal, then there is nothing to worry about, the computer is working properly. But if errors are detected during the self-test and the BIOS cannot display information on the monitor, you can hear various beeps. Different BIOS versions have different error notification options, and it’s worth mentioning right away that POST diagnostics is not a panacea; the BIOS tells us about “possible” system problems.

The BIOS version can be found out when the computer boots, the BIOS name usually appears on the screen first, or the BIOS brand can also be found out by entering it using the DEL key (F 2, F 12, F 4, depending on the version). Alternatively, you can look at the chip markings on the motherboard. Below are tables of BIOS beeps from various manufacturers.

If, after successfully booting your computer, some data turns out to be damaged, contact our specialists, who perform high-quality and fast repairs.

AWARD BIOS signals:

Messages AwardBIOS displayed on the monitor screen:

AMI BIOS signals

AST BIOS signals:

Phoenix BIOS Signals:

Compaq BIOS Signals:

IBM Desktop BIOS signals:

IBM Thinkpad BIOS signals:

Mylex BIOS Signals:

Mylex 386 BIOS Signals:

Signals Quadtel BIOS: