BIOS Beep Codes
When your computer won't boot and starts to beep, it's actually telling you it's having problems with the hardware or BIOS, however there are different types of motherboard with different beeping codes.
I've compiled a list of beeping codes for your use:
HP and Compaq bios beep codes
| Beeps | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 short beep and 1 long beep | Memory problem |
| 2 short beeps and 1 long beep (repeats 5 times) | Problems with the video card |
| 3 short beeps and 1 long beep | CPU configuration error, problems with the CPU |
Beep codes for an AMI motherboard
| Beeps | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 beep | DRAM refresh failure. There is a problem in the system memory or the motherboard. |
| 2 beeps | Memory parity error. The parity circuit is not working properly. |
| 3 beeps | Base 64K RAM failure. There is a problem with the first 64K of system memory. |
| 4 beeps | System timer not operational. There is problem with the timer(s) that control functions on the motherboard. |
| 5 beeps | Processor failure. The system CPU has failed. |
| 6 beeps | Gate A20/keyboard controller failure. The keyboard IC controller has failed, preventing gate A20 from switching the processor to protect mode. |
| 7 beeps | Virtual mode exception error. |
| 8 beeps | Video memory error. The BIOS cannot write to the frame buffer memory on the video card. |
| 9 beeps | ROM checksum error. The BIOS ROM chip on the motherboard is likely faulty. |
| 10 beeps | CMOS checksum error. Something on the motherboard is causing an error when trying to interact with the CMOS. |
| 11 beeps | Bad cache memory. An error in the level 2 cache memory. |
| 1 long beep, 2 short | Failure in the video system. |
| 1 long beep, 3 short | A failure has been detected in memory above 64K. |
| 1 long beep, 8 short | Display test failure. |
Beep codes for a Phoenix motherboard
| Beeps | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Continuous beeping | A problem with the memory or video. |
| 1-1-1-3 | Faulty CPU/motherboard. Verify real mode. |
| 1-1-2-1 | Faulty CPU/motherboard. |
| 1-1-2-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 1-1-3-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values. |
| 1-1-3-2 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 1-1-3-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. Initialize CPU registers. |
| 1-1-3-2 1-1-3-3 1-1-3-4 | Failure in the first 64K of memory. |
| 1-1-4-1 | Level 2 cache error. |
| 1-1-4-3 | I/O port error. |
| 1-2-1-1 | Power management error. |
| 1-2-1-2 1-2-1-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 1-2-2-1 | Keyboard controller failure. |
| 1-2-2-3 | BIOS ROM error. |
| 1-2-3-1 | System timer error. |
| 1-2-3-3 | DMA error. |
| 1-2-4-1 | IRQ controller error. |
| 1-3-1-1 | DRAM refresh error. |
| 1-3-1-3 | A20 gate failure. |
| 1-3-2-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 1-3-3-1 | Extended memory error. |
| 1-3-3-3 1-3-4-1 1-3-4-3 | Error in first 1MB of system memory. |
| 1-4-1-3 1-4-2-4 | CPU error. |
| 1-4-3-1 2-1-4-1 | BIOS ROM shadow error. |
| 1-4-3-2 1-4-3-3 | Level 2 cache error. |
| 1-4-4-1 1-4-4-2 2-1-1-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 2-1-1-3 2-1-2-1 | IRQ failure. |
| 2-1-2-3 | BIOS ROM error. |
| 2-1-2-4 2-1-3-2 | I/O port failure. |
| 2-1-3-1 2-1-3-3 | Video system failure. |
| 2-1-1-3 2-1-2-1 | IRQ failure. |
| 2-1-2-3 | BIOS ROM error. |
| 2-1-2-4 | I/O port failure. |
| 2-1-4-3 2-2-1-1 | Video card failure. |
| 2-2-1-3 2-2-2-1 2-2-2-3 | Keyboard controller failure. |
| 2-2-3-1 | IRQ error. |
| 2-2-4-1 | Error in first 1MB of system memory. |
| 2-3-1-1 2-3-3-3 | Extended memory failure. |
| 2-3-2-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 2-3-2-3 2-3-3-1 | Level 2 cache error. |
| 2-3-4-1 2-3-4-3 | Motherboard or video card failure. |
| 2-3-4-1 2-3-4-3 2-4-1-1 | Motherboard or video card failure. |
| 2-4-1-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 2-4-2-1 | RTC error. |
| 2-4-2-3 | Keyboard controller error. |
| 2-4-4-1 | IRQ error. |
| 3-1-1-1 3-1-1-3 3-1-2-1 3-1-2-3 | I/O port error. |
| 3-1-3-1 3-1-3-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 3-1-4-1 3-2-1-1 3-2-1-2 | Floppy drive or hard drive failure. |
| 3-2-1-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 3-2-2-1 | Keyboard controller error. |
| 3-2-2-3 3-2-3-1 3-2-4-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 3-2-4-3 | IRQ error. |
| 3-3-1-1 | RTC error. |
| 3-3-1-3 | Key lock error. |
| 3-3-3-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 3-3-3-3 3-3-4-1 3-3-4-3 3-4-1-1 3-4-1-3 3-4-2-1 3-4-2-3 3-4-3-1 3-4-4-1 3-4-4-4 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 4-1-1-1 | Floppy drive or hard drive failure. |
| 4-2-1-1 4-2-1-3 4-2-2-1 | IRQ failure. |
| 4-2-2-3 4-2-3-1 4-2-3-3 4-2-4-1 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 4-2-4-3 | Keyboard controller error. |
| 4-3-1-3 4-3-1-4 4-3-2-1 4-3-2-2 4-3-3-1 4-3-4-1 4-3-4-3 | Faulty motherboard or one of its components. |
| 4-3-3-2 4-3-3-4 | IRQ failure. |
| 4-3-3-3 4-3-4-2 | Floppy drive or hard drive failure. |
| 1-1-2 | Faulty CPU/motherboard. |
| 1-1-3 | Faulty motherboard/CMOS read-write failure. |
| 1-1-4 | Faulty BIOS/BIOS ROM checksum error. |
| 1-2-1 | System timer not operational. There is a problem with the timer(s) that control functions on the motherboard. |
| 1-2-2 1-2-3 | Faulty motherboard/DMA failure. |
| 1-3-1 | Memory refresh failure. |
| 1-3-2 1-3-3 1-3-4 | Failure in the first 64K of memory. |
| 1-4-1 | Address line failure. |
| 1-4-2 | Parity RAM failure. |
| 1-4-3 | Timer failure. |
| 1-4-4 | NMI port failure. |
| 2-_-_ | Any combination of beeps after 2 indicates a failure in the first 64K of memory. |
| 3-1-1 | Master DMA failure. |
| 3-1-2 | Slave DMA failure. |
| 3-1-3 3-1-4 | Interrupt controller failure. |
| 3-2-4 | Keyboard controller failure. |
| 3-3-1 3-3-2 | CMOS error. |
| 3-3-4 | Video card failure. |
| 3-4-1 | Video card failure. |
| 4-2-1 | Timer failure. |
| 4-2-2 | CMOS shutdown failure. |
| 4-2-3 | Gate A20 failure. |
| 4-2-4 | Unexpected interrupt in protected mode. |
| 4-3-1 | RAM test failure. |
| 4-3-3 | Timer failure. |
| 4-3-4 | Time of day clock failure. |
| 4-4-1 | Serial port failure. |
| 4-4-2 | Parallel port failure. |
| 4-4-3 | Math coprocessor. |
Remember that this is a short list, it is not a complete list. Your motherboard also comes with a manual with the specific bios beep codes for that motherboard. Sometimes it's hard to determine your specific computer bios beep codes, and I've had to call sometimes the manufacturer to know for sure which bios beep codes fit my computer.
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Everytime your computer doesn't respond or it's having a hard time booting or loading Windows, you should expect an error message, these messages can come in the form of a beep sound or a text message. Use this beep code table to determine which problem your computer may have.