Computer Beep Codes: Troubleshooting Hardware Issues
When your computer encounters a hardware problem during startup, it often communicates the issue through a series of beeps. Here’s a breakdown of common beep codes and their potential causes:
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No tone. No turn on.
Error Message: None.
Description: Possible power supply failure. Check the power supply unit.
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Continuous tone.
Error Message: None.
Description: Power supply failure.
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Constant beeps.
Error Message: None.
Description: Defective motherboard.
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Rapid constant beeps.
Error Message: May not see any message or an error message appears on the keyboard.
Description: Possibility that a key is stuck. Defective keypad. Check with another keyboard.
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1 long beep.
Error Message: RAM Refresh Failure.
Description: RAM components are failing or not present.
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One long and one short beep.
Error Message: None.
Description: General failure on the motherboard or the basic system ROM.
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1 long and 2 short beeps.
Error Message: No video card found.
Description: Applicable only for motherboards with built-in video cards. Failure of the graphics card.
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1 long and 3 short beeps.
Error Message: No monitor connected.
Description: Applies only to motherboard video card connected to the system.
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1 long and several short beeps.
Error Message: Video related failure.
Description: May be other series of beeps depending on the BIOS settings. Contact the seller for more information.
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Two long and one short beep.
Error Message: Not available.
Description: Failure to synchronize the images.
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2 short beeps.
Error Message: Parity Error.
Description: Memory Parity Error. Parity is not supported by the motherboard.
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3 short beeps.
Error Message: Base 64K Memory Failure.
Description: Memory failure in the first 64 Kbytes of RAM.
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4 short beeps.
Error Message: Timer Not Operational.
Description: The timer or counter motherboard is defective. The Timer 1 of the plate does not work.
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5 short beeps.
Error Message: Processor Error.
Description: The CPU has generated an error because the processor or the video memory is locked.
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6 short beeps.
Error Message: 8042 – Gate A20 Failure.
Description: The keyboard controller or processor (8042) may be in poor condition. The BIOS can not switch to protected mode. This error usually occurs when you connect / disconnect the keyboard with the computer turned on.
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7 short beeps.
Error Message: Processor Exception / Interrupt Error.
Description: The CPU has generated an exception or interrupt mode is active virtual processor.
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8 short beeps.
Error Message: Display Memory Read / Write error.
Description: The video adapter (graphics card) there is no system or video memory (RAM) has failed. It is not a fatal error.
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9 short beeps.
Error Message: ROM Checksum Error.
Description: The checksum value of the count (memory) RAM does not match the value stored in the bios.
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10 short beeps.
Error Message: Register Shutdown CMOS / Read / Write Error.
Description: The registration of the CMOS RAM failure when disconnecting.
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11 short beeps.
Error Message: Cache Error / External Cache Bad.
Description: The external cache is faulty.