When your computer beeps, it means that an error has occurred in the hardware . BIOS recognises internal errors and sends signals in the form of beep sounds, indicating the location of the problem in the hardware. When you start your computer and hear strange beeps in the boot up process, it means trouble. It would be good to understand what the beeps mean. When your computer starts-up to perform a power-on self test or 'POST', then the booting problems are diagnosed with error codes displayed on the monitor. The computer architecture uses beeps to indicate an error in a number of patterns and timings of beeps when nothing is displayed on the monitor. Every BIOS has a unique code of beep. BIOS manufactures AMI and Award (now Phoenix) signal different codes for similar errors.

How to recognize beep errors

It is not uncommon to get some beep sounds while starting your computer, and they correspond to different errors that can occur with your hardware. Below is a list of the most common ones and what they refer to.

How to recognize the beep errors

Very short beep

This problem is linked to your motherboard. It can also mean that you are facing a problem with your system memory (BIOS AWARD)

Short beep

No problem.

Long beep followed by three sequential short beeps.

This issue is linked to your graphics card configurations.

Short beep followed by three sequential long beeps

You are facing a system memory problem.

Beep, pause, beep, pause, two sequential beeps

This error is linked to your CPU.

Three beeps, pause, three beeps, pause, four beeps

You have an issue with the video memory.

One long beep and nine short

Problem with the ROM (Bios AWARD).

Three beeps, pause, four beeps, pause, beep

This is linked to an error with your graphics card.

Four beeps, pause, three beeps, pause, beep

You have a system memory problem.

Five short beeps

You are facing a problem with your CPU.

Long constant beeps

It's a system memory problem.

Tips


If your PC beeps after the OS has been launched, it may be due to the fact that your CPU is overheating and that could be a serious matter.

Additional information about the BIOS

• Bios

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