Different motherboard manufactures use different beep codes to diagnose problems. You can use these codes to diagnose why your computer may not be starting. If you don’t know your motherboard manufacturer you can look at your screen when it first starts and it should tell you or you can try using the standard IBM codes. Here are the most common codes.
Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes:
BEEP CODE | WHAT IT MEANS | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
1 – 1 – 2 | CPU / motherboard failure | Defective CPU / motherboard |
1 – 1 – 3 | CMOS read/write failure | Defective motherboard |
1 – 1 – 4 | BIOS ROM failure | Defective BIOS chip |
1 – 2 – 1 | Timer failure | Defective motherboard |
1 – 2 – 2 | DMA failure | Defective motherboard |
1 – 2 – 3 | DMA failure | Defective motherboard |
1 – 3 – 1 | Memory refresh failure | Defective memory |
1 – 3 – 2 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
1 – 3 – 3 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
1 – 3 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
1 – 4 – 1 | Address line failure | Defective memory |
1 – 4 – 2 | Parity error | Defective memory |
1 – 4 – 3 | Timer failure | Defective motherboard |
1 – 4 – 4 | NMI port failure | Defective motherboard |
2 – 1 – 1 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 1 – 2 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 1 – 3 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 1 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 2 – 1 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 2 – 2 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 2 – 3 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 2 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 3 – 1 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 3 – 2 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 3 – 3 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 3 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 4 – 1 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 4 – 2 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 4 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
2 – 4 – 4 | 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
3 – 1 – 1 | Slave DMA failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 1 – 2 | Master DMA failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 1 – 3 | Interrupt controller failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 1 -4 | Slave IC failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 2 -2 | Interrupt Controller failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 2 – 3 | <RESERVED> |
|
3 – 2 – 4 | Keyboard control failure | Defective motherboard |
3 – 3 – 1 | CMOS batter failure | Defective CMOS battery |
3 – 3 – 2 | CMOS configuration error | Incorrect setting |
3 – 3 – 3 | <RESERVED> |
|
3 – 3 – 4 | Video memory failure | Defective video card or memory |
3 – 4 – 1 | Video init failure | Defective video card or memory |
4 – 2 – 1 | Timer failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 2 – 2 | CMOS shutdown failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 2 – 3 | Gate A20 failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 2 – 4 | Unexpected interrupt | Defective processor |
4 – 3 – 1 | RAM test failure | Defective memory |
4 – 3 – 3 | Timer failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 3 – 4 | RTC failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 4 – 1 | Serial port failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 4 – 2 | Parallel port failure | Defective motherboard |
4 – 4 – 3 | Coprocessor failure | Defective motherboard or CPU. |
9 – 2 – 1 | Video adapter incompatibility | Use a different brand of video card |
AMI BIOS Beep Codes
BEEP CODE | WHAT IT MEANS | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
1 Beep (No video) | Memory refresh failure | Defective memory |
2 Beeps | Memory parity error | Defective memory |
3 Beeps | Base 64K memory failure | Defective memory |
4 Beeps | Timer not operational | Defective motherboard |
5 Beeps | Processor error | Defective processor |
6 Beeps | 8042 Gate A20 failure | Defective CPU or Motherboard |
7 Beeps | Processor exception | Defective processor |
8 Beeps | Video memory error | Defective video card or memory |
9 Beeps | ROM checksum error | Defective BIOS |
10 Beeps | CMOS checksum error | Defective motherboard |
11 Beeps | Cache memory Defective | Defective CPU or motherboard |
Award BIOS Beep Codes:
BEEP CODE | WHAT IT MEANS | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
1 Long, 2 Short | Video adapter failure | Defective video adapter |
Repeating | Memory error | Defective memory |
1 Long, 3 Short | Video adapter failure | Defective video adapter or memory |
High freq. beeps | CPU is overheating | CPU fan failure |
Repeating High, Low beeps | CPU failure | Defective processor |
Standard IBM Post Beep Codes:
BEEP CODE | WHAT IT MEANS | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
1 Beep (No video present) | Normal POST |
|
2 Beeps | POST Error – code shown on screen |
|
0 Beeps | Defective power supply or system board | Defective power supply or system board |
Continuous Beeps | Defective power supply, system board, or keyboard | Defective power supply, system board, or keyboard |
Repeating Beeps | Defective power supply or system board | Defective power supply or system board |
1 Long, 1 short Beep | Defective system board | Defective system board |
1 Long, 2 short Beeps | Defective display adapter | Defective display adapter |
1 Long, 3 short Beeps | Defective display adapter | Defective display adapter |
3 Long Beeps | 3270 keyboard card | 3270 keyboard card |
