All About BIP

==>Standard Original IBM POST Error Codes

1 short beep Normal POST - system is ok
2 short beeps POST Error - error code shown on screen
No beep Power supply or system board problem
Continuous beep Power supply, system board, or keyboard problem
Repeating short beeps Power supply or system board problem
1 long, 1 short beep System board problem
1 long, 2 short beeps Display adapter problem (MDA, CGA)
1 long, 3 short beeps Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA)
3 long beeps 3270 keyboard card


==>IBM POST Diagnostic Code Descriptions

100 - 199 System Board
200 - 299 Memory
300 - 399 Keyboard
400 - 499 Monochrome Display
500 - 599 Color/Graphics Display
600 - 699 Floppy-disk drive and/or Adapter
700 - 799 Math Coprocessor
900 - 999 Parallel Printer Port
1000 - 1099 Alternate Printer Adapter
1100 - 1299 Asynchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1300 - 1399 Game Port
1400 - 1499 Color/Graphics Printer
1500 - 1599 Synchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1700 - 1799 Hard Drive and/or Adapter
1800 - 1899 Expansion Unit (XT)
2000 - 2199 Bisynchronous Communication Adapter
2400 - 2599 EGA system-board Video (MCA)
3000 - 3199 LAN Adapter
4800 - 4999 Internal Modem
7000 - 7099 Phoenix BIOS Chips
7300 - 7399 3.5" Disk Drive
8900 - 8999 MIDI Adapter
11200 - 11299 SCSI Adapter
21000 - 21099 SCSI Fixed Disk and Controller
21500 - 21599 SCSI CD-ROM Syste


==>AMI BIOS Beep Codes

## Short Beep One beep is good! Everything is ok, that is if you see things on the screen. If you don't see anything, check your monitor and video card first. Is everything connected? If they seem fine, your motherboard has some bad chips on it. First reset the SIMM's and reboot. If it does the same thing, one of the memory chips on the motherboard are bad, and you most likely need to get another motherboard since these chips are soldered on.

2 Short Beeps Your computer has memory problems. First check video. If video is working, you'll see an error message. If not, you have a parity error in your first 64K of memory. First check your SIMM's. Reseat them and reboot. If this doesn't do it, the memory chips may be bad. You can try switching the first and second banks memory chips. First banks are the memory banks that your CPU finds its first 64K of base memory in. You'll need to consult your manual to see which bank is first. If all your memory tests good, you probably need to buy another motherboard.

## Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above.

## Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above. It could also be a bad timer

## Short Beeps Your motherboard is complaining. Try reseating the memory and rebooting. If that doesn't help, you should consider another motherboard. You could probably get away with just replacing the CPU, but that's not too cost-effective. Its just time to upgrade!

## Short Beeps The chip on your motherboard that controls your keyboard (A20 gate) isn't working. First try another keyboard. If it doesn't help, reseat the chip that controls the keyboard, if it isn't soldered in. If it still beeps, replace the chip if possible. Replace the motherboard if it is soldered in.

## Short Beeps Your CPU broke overnight. Its no good. Either replace the CPU, or buy another motherboard.

## Short Beeps Your video card isn't working. Make sure it is seated well in the bus. If it still beeps, either the whole card is bad or the memory on it is. Best bet is to install another video card.

## Short Beeps Your BIOS is bad. Reseat or Replace the BIOS.

## Short Beeps Your problem lies deep inside the CMOS. All chips associated with the CMOS will likely have to be replaced. Your best bet is to get a new motherboard.

## Short Beeps Your problem is in the Cache Memory chips on the motherboard. Reseat or Replace these chips.

1 Long, 3 Short Beeps You've probably just added memory to the motherboard since this is a conventional or extended memory failure. Generally this is caused by a memory chip that is not seated properly. Reseat the memory chips.

1 Long, 8 Short Beeps Display / retrace test failed. Reseat the video card.

==>Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes

These audio codes are a little more detailed then the AMI codes. This BIOS emits three sets of beeps. For example, 1 -pause- 3 -pause 3 -pause. This is a 1-3-3 combo and each set of beeps is separated by a brief pause. Listen to this sequence of sounds, count them, and reboot and count again if you have to.


1-1-3 Your computer can't read the configuration info stored in the CMOS. Replace the motherboard.

1-1-4 Your BIOS needs to be replaced.

1-2-1 You have a bad timer chip on the motherboard. You need a new motherboard.

1-2-2 The motherboard is bad.

1-2-3 The motherboard is bad.

1-3-1 You'll need to replace the motherboard.

1-3-3 You'll need to replace the motherboard.

1-3-4 The motherboard is bad.

1-4-1 The motherboard is bad.

1-4-2 Some of your memory is bad.

2-_-_ Any combo of beeps after two means that some of your memory is bad, and unless you want to get real technical, you should probably have the guys in the lab coats test the memory for you. Take it to the shop.

3-1-_ One of the chips on your motherboard is broken. You'll likely need to get another board.

3-2-4 One of the chips on your motherboard that checks the keyboard is broken. You'll likely need to get another board.

3-3-4 Your computer can't find the video card. Is it there? If so, try swapping it with another one and see if it works.

3-4-_ Your video card isn't working. You'll need to replace it.

4-2-1 There's a bad chip on the motherboard. You need to buy another board.

4-2-2 First check the keyboard for problems. If nothing, you have a bad motherboard.

4-2-3 Same as 4-2-2.

4-2-4 One of the cards is bad. Try yanking out the cards one by one to isolate the culprit. Replace the bad one. The last possibility is to buy another motherboard.

4-3-1 Replace the motherboard.

4-3-2 See 4-3-1

4-3-3 See 4-3-1

4-3-4 Time of day clock failure. Try running the setup program that comes with the computer. Check the date and time. If that doesn't work, replace the battery. If that doesn't work, replace the power supply. You may have to replace the motherboard, but that is rare.

4-4-1 Your serial ports are acting up. Reseat, or replace, the I/O card. If the I/O is on the motherboard itself, disable them with a jumper (consult your manual to know which one) and then add an I/O card.

4-4-2 See 4-4-1, but this time is your Parallel port that's acting up.

4-4-3 You math coprocessor is having problems. Run a test program to double-check it. If it is indeed bad, disable it, or replace it.

Low 1-1-2 Your motherboard is having problems

==>Award BIOS Beep Code Troubleshooting

1 Short Beep
= A single, short beep from an Award based BIOS is actually an "all systems clear" notification. In other words, this is a beep code you want to hear and that you've probably been hearing each time your computer comes on since the day you purchased it. No troubleshooting necessary!

1 Long Beep, 2 Short Beeps
= One long beep followed by two short beeps indicates that there has been some kind of error with the video card. Replacing the video card is usually the most you'll have to do to fix this one.

1 Long Beep, 3 Short Beeps
= One long beep followed by three short beeps means that either the video card isn't installed or the memory on the video card is bad. Reseating or replacing the video card will typically fix the cause of this Award beep code.

1 High Pitched Beep, 1 Low Pitched Beep (Repeating)
= A repeating high pitched / low pitched beep pattern is an indication of some kind of CPU problem. The CPU could be overheating or malfunctioning in some other way.

1 High Pitched Beep (Repeating)
= A single, repeating, high pitched beeping sound means that the CPU is overheating. You'll need to figure out why the CPU is getting too hot before this Award beep code will go away.
Important: Turn your computer off immediately if you hear this beep code. The longer your CPU is running hot, the higher the chance that you'll permanently damage this expensive part of your system.

All Other Beep Codes
= Any other beep code pattern you hear means that there has been some kind of memory problem. Replacing your RAM is the most you'll need to do to fix this problem.


==>Beep codes on CompTIA A+ Hardware Core exam

Steady, short beeps
= Power supply may be bad

Long continuous beep tone
= Memory failure

Steady, long beeps
= Power supply bad

No beep
= Power supply bad, system not plugged in, or power not turned on

No beep
= If everything seems to be functioning correctly there may be a problem with the 'beeper' itself.

One long, two short beeps
= Video card failure


==>Macintosh beep codes

Apple's Macintosh computers also perform a POST after a cold boot. In the event of a fatal error, the Mac will not make its startup chime.

√ Old World Macs (until 1998)

Macs made prior to 1998, upon failing the POST, will immediately halt with a "death chime," which is a sound that varies by model; it can be a beep, a car crash sound, the sound of shattering glass, a short musical tone, or more. On the screen will be the Sad Mac icon, along with two hexadecimal strings, which can be used to identify the problem.

==> New World Macs (1998-1999)

When Apple introduced the iMac in 1998, it was a radical departure from other Macs of the time. The iMac began the production of New World Macs, as they are called; New World Macs, such as the iMac, Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White), Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics), PowerBook G3 (bronze keyboard), and PowerBook G3 (FireWire), load the Mac OS ROM from the hard drive. In the event of a fatal error, they give these beeps

* 1 beep = No RAM installed/detected
* 2 beeps = Incompatible RAM type installed (for example, EDO)
* 3 beeps = No RAM banks passed memory testing
* 4 beeps = Bad checksum for the remainder of the boot ROM
* 5 beeps = Bad checksum for the ROM boot block

 New World Macs (1999 onward) and Intel-based Macs

The beep codes were revised in October 1999, and have been the same since. In addition, on some models, the power LED would flash in cadence.

* 1 beep = no RAM installed
* 2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
* 3 beeps = no good banks
* 4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)
* 5 beeps = processor is not usable