Award bios signals. Short repeating BIOS beeps - what do they mean? The BIOS does not beep when you turn on the PC

Such unpleasant situations often occur when working with personal computers, when users encounter various problems and errors. And if the problem is exclusively related to any specific software or application, then it is often possible to fix it quite quickly. In contrast to an error related directly to the system itself, the only warning about which is transmitted by the BIOS through This kind of problem often has the most critical impact on the entire performance of the computer. And literally every home PC owner should be prepared for one of the most common errors, which the BIOS notifies with one long and two short consecutive signals.

What is the role of the BIOS in detecting and notifying the user of system errors?

To understand the essence of the problem and the principle of its further solution, any user must understand the basic operation of the basic system components of his computer.

When the computer starts, the BIOS - the basic data input/output system - performs a short analysis of all components connected to the PC. This test is called POST (Power-on-Self-Test), and it usually lasts only a few seconds.

And only after it has been carried out, the BIOS receives all the information about all the components of the computer. If the entire system is fully operational, then the user will hear one short signal so pleasant to the ear. It is supplied through a speaker - the simplest sound reproduction device that comes with any motherboard.

But if, during the POST self-test, at least one problem is detected with any of the components connected to the PC, the BIOS will alarm the user with a whole set of different signals, variations and combinations of which have completely different meanings from each other.

Also, information about the results of the POST test can be displayed on the screen of a monitor connected to a computer. This visual alert immediately gives the user specific information about the problem, eliminating the need to decipher audio signals. However, such information output may not always be available to the PC owner for a number of different technical reasons, which is why the speaker remains a more reliable and stable source of information from the BIOS.

One long, two short BIOS beeps - more details on decryption

In this case, the monitor does not display absolutely any information, which is directly related to the type of problem itself. This is a problem with computer components, when it occurs, the user has to recognize the essence of the malfunction only by the sound notification of the speaker. Indicates that there is a problem: one long, two short

In almost all BIOS versions from many different manufacturers (including such well-known brands as AMI, IBM, Compaq, Quadtel, etc.), such a combination of sounds usually indicates a malfunction of the computer’s video system. Or, speaking in general terms, such a signal indicates a faulty video card.

Meaning of the same signal in different versions of IBM, AMI, AST and Compaq

However, some individual features of the meaning of the same signal in different BIOS versions deserve special attention. Even the manufacturer of the motherboard is not so important when at startup we receive one long and two short BIOS signals. Asus, Gigabyte, MSI or ASRock - the company that manufactured the device does not matter. We are only interested in the version of the BIOS itself.

For example, in BIOS from IBM and AMI, one long and two short signals are generated only if the user's computer is a Mono/CGA type. Nowadays, such hardware has disappeared from the market almost without a trace, giving way to more modern developments. This means that your chances of encountering such a signal on this type of BIOS are practically zero.

In the AST version, the signal notifies only about a specific problem with the video card - problems with the frame scanning of the signal. Owners of this type of BIOS, pay special attention - you will be warned about other video card errors by completely different sound combinations.

This error takes on a slightly different meaning in the Compaq and Quadtel versions. One long, two short BIOS signals in this case indicate problems with the video card initialization. The system simply cannot determine it correctly. Therefore, it is far from certain that users whose computer is equipped with one of these BIOS types actually encountered a breakdown of the video card itself.

The situation is similar with Award BIOS, however, a similar signal can occur if a monitor is not connected to the computer.

One long, two short BIOS beeps: what to do and how to solve the problem

The ideal start for such a problem would be, firstly, to accurately determine the BIOS version on the user's computer. The monitor will not display an image, so you should first read the information in the documentation that came with the motherboard. If you have an alternative video card (spare, outdated, borrowed from a friend, etc. - the main thing is that it works), then the task becomes much simpler. It will be enough to press the Pause/Break key during the POST self-test procedure. In the information list provided, find one of the above names - this will be the name of the BIOS manufacturer on your motherboard.

Award BIOS owners first need to check the connection of the monitor to the corresponding video card connector - the simplest procedure that solves most of these problems. In any other cases (including with manufacturers Compaq and Quadtel), you should disconnect the video card from the PCI-Express connector as carefully as possible, and then plug it back in again - problems with initializing a video card at home can be solved in this way.

None of the above helps? Are you still hearing one long, two short BIOS beeps? Is your laptop or computer still not functioning properly?

Before rushing to the nearest service center, find out one important detail. Find a working video card for a short time to replace the one with which the BIOS notifies you of a problem. If the problematic part is replaced with an alternative one and the BIOS gives one short signal when turned on, the problem was clearly in the video card itself. And if even after such a replacement you still hear the same annoying signal, then the problem lies deep in the skeleton of the computer - in the motherboard. For example, an inoperative PCI-Express video card connector is not a common problem, but it still occurs from time to time.

This way you will determine exactly which component the problem is located in, and you will know what exactly to bring to the service center for diagnostics.

If the laptop died for a long time with one long and two short BIOS signals...

And even on laptops, the unfortunate one long, two short BIOS beeps may one day sound. Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, etc. - the brand does not play a special role here, because not a single computer is immune from such a problem. Therefore, laptop owners should also take into account a couple of nuances when a similar problem occurs. Fortunately, in most of these cases everything is solved using the same methods that apply to desktop PCs.

However, the problem does not always lie in the laptop’s video card. And if this is the case, then first of all you should replace the RAM sticks with third-party working analogues. The problem may be in this element of the system.

Afterword

As you can clearly see for yourself, such a problem with computer hardware can easily be resolved at home. However, measures like “reconnect the video card/monitor cable” are completely useless when it comes to a truly broken video card or motherboard. In such cases, you should immediately contact a specialist in the field of computer component repair.

It often happens that even an experienced system administrator forgets BIOS codes and signals (especially since new motherboards are already equipped with UEFI), let alone a non-professional. And knowing the signals will help you quickly, and in everyday cases, often free of charge, solve the problem with a computer or laptop that won’t start.

This is what BIOS chips from AWARD AMI and Phoenix look like.

By the way, for reference: BIOS is Basic Input-Output system or in Russian speaking, a basic input-output system. In other words, this is a low-level program that is tightly built into the chip of your computer's motherboard. The BIOS loads when you turn on the computer and is responsible for initializing its hardware components, checking their functionality and startup correctly. Then, the bootloader program starts, launching the operating system Windows, Linux, or whatever you have installed there...

Here we need to make a small digression and tell you that the signals of this very BIOS may differ depending on the manufacturer. Let's look at the most popular options, there will be three of them - AMI BIOS, AWARD BIOS, Phoenix BIOS.

Below the cut is a table describing BIOS errors.

AMI BIOS beeps

In all versions of AMI BIOS, the successful completion of self-test is one short beep, after which the installed OS is loaded. I indicated other AMI BIOS sound signals in the table:

AWARD BIOS beeps

With the correct post-test signal, everything is the same as in the previous version - one short AWARD BIOS beep means that everything is OK.

The remaining signals are slightly different - look at the table:

Phoenix BIOS beeps

The third version of signals from Phoenix. BIOS from this manufacturer is becoming increasingly rare, but still.

Here it must be said that with him everything is not the same as with the previous two. Yes, yes, the guys decided to show off, and do something different from everyone else; their signals are not double, but triple. In practice, this only means that, for example, a signal about problems with power supply to the video card will look like three short beeps, a pause, three short beeps, a pause, then 4 short beeps. In the table I will write them as 3-3-4. So, let's go...

Error codes from Phoenix:

I would just like to add that in case of self-repair of a PC or laptop always disconnect it from the power supply and only then you can calmly climb inside, armed with a screwdriver and other necessary tools.

In the next article I will talk about UEFI. What is it, why did she come to us and other interesting points.

P.S. In some cases with memory errors, it helps to remove the memory sticks from the slots, wipe the contacts of the RAM boards with a regular soft eraser, and the memory is back in service! If the memory is not burned out but simply malfunctions, then you can also try swapping the boards with RAM in places across banks, provided that the memory itself that you are swapping is the same.

P.P.S. At the end of this article I simply post tables of codes for three BIOSes in the form of pictures. They can be used as a cheat sheet and saved to your phone, tablet or computer.

Cheat sheets describing BIOS signals for printing

It seems that everything I wanted to write, I wrote. I tried clearly and without water, as always. If you have any questions, I answer in the comments.

In contact with

Hearing a BIOS signal (1 long beep), the user usually becomes wary. After all, as you know, in most BIOSes the message about the successful completion of hardware testing sounds somewhat different, although it is similar - one signal, but a short one. Is there any cause for concern in this case? Practice shows that in most cases - Yes.

First of all, it is worth defining the concept of “long signal”. In many cases, one continuous sound can be considered long. If you hear a similar sound and you have an Award BIOS installed, then this means that the power supply is faulty. In the case of Phoenix BIOS, in a similar situation, there is a malfunction of the CPU cooler fan. In the Compaq BIOS, this type of sound indicates a problem with the RAM.

However, most often the user may encounter a slightly different situation, when there is only a long but time-limited signal. This type of signal is used by many BIOS manufacturers to encode error messages.

However, one long BIOS beep is a sound that is often used for more than just signaling errors. For example, you can find BIOS versions from the well-known manufacturer American Megatrends, in which the BIOS signal 1 long beep is used to notify that tests have completed normally, instead of the usually used short beep. A similar approach is also used in the Mylex 386 BIOS. This factor should also be kept in mind, especially if you are dealing with a certain computer for the first time.

In AST BIOS, one long squeak has a completely different meaning, namely, an error detected when testing the first channel of the DMA controller. Typically, this situation means the microcontroller is faulty, which may result in the need to replace the entire motherboard.

In this article we have collected the most common BIOS signals for diagnosing computer malfunctions. But, if your computer is making a beep that is not listed below, please refer to the guide to identify the faulty hardware components.

The POST (power-on self-test) feature checks your computer's internal hardware to ensure compatibility and connectivity before booting. If your computer boots normally, it may beep once (some computers may beep twice) as it starts up and continues to boot. However, if the computer crashes, it will either not beep or beep, which indicates a problem.

AMI BIOS beeps

Below are the AMI BIOS beeps. However, due to the wide variety of different computer manufacturers running this BIOS, the beep codes may vary.

AWARD BIOS beeps

Below are the Award BIOS beep codes. Also, due to the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS, the sound codes may differ.

If any other hardware problems are detected, the BIOS will display a message.

Dell beeps

IBM BIOS beeps

Below are the IBM BIOS beep codes.

Phoenix BIOS beeps

Below are the beep codes for Phoenix BIOS Q3.07 ​​OR 4.X

Reset BIOS to default settings

The easiest way to reset your computer's BIOS settings is through its menu. To open the menu, restart your computer and press the key that appears on the boot screen, in most cases this is Delete or F2.

In the BIOS, find the parameter ( Reset to default, Load factory defaults, Clear BIOS settings, Load setup defaults), or something similar. Select it using the arrow keys, press Enter and confirm the operation. The BIOS will now use its default settings.

Another way to reset the settings is to remove the battery that is located on the computer's motherboard.

First, make sure your computer is turned off. Locate the round, flat battery on the motherboard and carefully remove it. Wait five minutes before replacing it. The settings will also be reset to factory settings.

Installation of new equipment

It starts with diagnosis. You can often use the diagnostic tools of the PC itself, or rather the BIOS. If everything is in order, 1 signal is sent to the speaker. If earlier, during normal operation, you also did not hear any signals from the speaker, then you need to check whether it is even in the system unit. In most cases it looks like this:

If you hear multiple sounds, there is most likely a hardware error. A specific error is indicated by a combination of speaker signals. Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, they may differ from each other. Before deciphering the signals, you need to find out which BIOS is on your motherboard. This can be done in several ways:

1. Look at the documentation for the computer, namely the instructions for the motherboard.
2. View the name upon boot or by going into the BIOS setup.
3. Open the cover of the system unit and read the name of the chip from the BIOS.

When the manufacturer is found, you can check the combination emitted by the speaker with the data in the tables below: