BIOS beeps

[aznhiroller]

my computer hasn't been turning on and ive been getting the BIOS beeps. 3 long ones. Ive looked online and it said there was something wrong with the keyboard card. Any idea how to solve this???

 

Thanks

[Sbrideau]

Not sure about your site, but I had 3 long ones in the past and it was my RAM :?

[l0rd]

Well, each computer has a custom beep-error message according to a specific problem. I know on my computer 2-beeps means a memory error. Search beep error messages for your computer and just make sure its the keyboard.

 

 

 

If you have already done that, and are using standard optical keyboard, try plugging in a usb keyboard. Most motherboards won't let you boot-up unless you have a working keyboard attached.

 

 

 

If the usb keyboard doesn't work then sadly it is your motherboard, or your keyboard itself (unlikely). Only way to fix would be to get a new motherboard if that is the case.

[sloter]

Just to help you out when your searching it isn't your BIOS that is beeping it is your mother board. ;)

[thrash-boy]

Just to help you out when your searching it isn't your BIOS that is beeping it is your mother board. ;)

 

but the BIOS is telling the motherboard to beep. just like when you listen to music, its the speakers that are making noise, but the sound card/processor thats making them make noise.

 

 

 

the only result i could find was also a keyboard problem, but this may be useful if you have an intel board. it doesn't say if there long or short beeps though, there probably all the same length for these.

[ClareJonsson]

 

but the BIOS is telling the motherboard to beep. just like when you listen to music, its the speakers that are making noise, but the sound card/processor thats making them make noise.

 

 

 

the only result i could find was also a keyboard problem, but this may be useful if you have an intel board. it doesn't say if there long or short beeps though, there probably all the same length for these.

 

 

 

Er nope, the way a PC works is that it does a Pre Operative System Test (POST) before anything else and then beeps the errors to the speaker (NOT the sound card), so why does it do this? Well this is how a PC POSTs:

 

1: Check BIOS/CPU

 

2: Check BASE 640K RAM

 

3: Check Video

 

 

 

If any of the above fails, the ONLY way to alert the reason for the failure is to send tones to the built in speaker output, if all the above passes then the PC can assume you're getting video output and then any errors are sent to the display.

 

 

 

I have questions:

 

Are the beeps longe or quick, are they high or low tones, plus are they all the same length in time? Can you record them somehow and post the wav/mp3?

[sloter]

Just to help you out when your searching it isn't your BIOS that is beeping it is your mother board. ;)

 

but the BIOS is telling the motherboard to beep. just like when you listen to music, its the speakers that are making noise, but the sound card/processor thats making them make noise.

 

 

 

the only result i could find was also a keyboard problem, but this may be useful if you have an intel board. it doesn't say if there long or short beeps though, there probably all the same length for these.

 

You make absolutely no since at all. It may be telling it but what are you getting at? You must not be familiar with this. Most people don't say my BIOS is beeping because it isn't. Your mother board is what is actually beeping.

[urbestfreind]

You make absolutely no since at all. It may be telling it but what are you getting at? You must not be familiar with this. Most people don't say my BIOS is beeping because it isn't. Your mother board is what is actually beeping.

 

 

 

Technically the motherboard isn't beeping either, the internal speaker is (which is attached to the motherboard yes, but the actual motherboard isn't beeping, just as the BIOS isn't beeping, it's just a hub for the error message). If you want to be a [bleep] about this, we could go all day, how about you just leave it alone?

 

 

 

 

 

When the POST (are you sure it's Pre-Operative? I thought it was Power On Self Test...Same thing eh?) fails for any reason, the BIOS (which handles the POST for the most part) reads this error, and routes an error message (in the form of audible beeps today, before it was a code like the BSOD has) to the internal speaker attached to the motherboard. The motherboard isn't beeping, the speaker is as a result of a request from the BIOS, which is why they are called BIOS beep codes.

 

 

 

Try to think a bit more before you go on bashing people. Go read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-on_self-test before you think about insulting me too. (I could find more articles that verify the wiki too, if you want to argue about it).

[sloter]

You make absolutely no since at all. It may be telling it but what are you getting at? You must not be familiar with this. Most people don't say my BIOS is beeping because it isn't. Your mother board is what is actually beeping.

 

 

 

Technically the motherboard isn't beeping either, the internal speaker is (which is attached to the motherboard yes, but the actual motherboard isn't beeping, just as the BIOS isn't beeping, it's just a hub for the error message). If you want to be a [bleep] about this, we could go all day, how about you just leave it alone?

 

 

 

 

 

When the POST (are you sure it's Pre-Operative? I thought it was Power On Self Test...Same thing eh?) fails for any reason, the BIOS (which handles the POST for the most part) reads this error, and routes an error message (in the form of audible beeps today, before it was a code like the BSOD has) to the internal speaker attached to the motherboard. The motherboard isn't beeping, the speaker is as a result of a request from the BIOS, which is why they are called BIOS beep codes.

 

 

 

Try to think a bit more before you go on bashing people. Go read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-on_self-test before you think about insulting me too. (I could find more articles that verify the wiki too, if you want to argue about it).

 

Your basically saying the same thing I did, it's the hardware (mobo/speaker) that's doing the beeping, not the software (BIOS/POST). So you come and put your self in this? Is that all you have is wiki? And i really don't care go for it if you want to keep getting flamed by me. Why did you copy what clare said? You better think before you go bashing me got it?

[urbestfreind]

[hide=for sloter]Software (like the BIOS), can't beep. It can cause hardware to beep. The motherboard isn't the cause of the beep, which is what thrash and I were attempting to explain (or at least I was). The BIOS is the cause of the beep, the speaker is just the way the beep got heard. The motherboard has no part in the beep code being issued except being a bus for the request from the software to the speaker. That's what a motherboard does, it connects all the parts so that software can interact with hardware. It doesn't spit out errors by itself. It's the Technology in a building (the whole tower being the building and the buses being a phone line). The BIOS (Executive) calls the POST (the IT guys) to check everything (all the important technology) for problems. If IT reports a problem, it phones the Exec, who announces the problem over loudspeaker (the internal speaker) to everyone (in this case you). The Mobo doesn't do anything except hold the different things that needs to be checked and allow for communication between different parts. If you want to believe the motherboard is more than this, be my guest. I'm done.

 

 

 

I only copied the "Pre Operative Self Test" part because I had never heard of the POST referred to as that, only as "Power On Self Test". Last time I checked, this forum was for questions...Did I miss a rule change?[/hide]

 

 

 

The only problem I've found for the OP is the keyboard card, as they mentioned. Try unplugging the keyboard and plugging it back in, checking for any keys being depressed (which happens to me occasionally when I don't pick up my keyboard in time if I leave it on my laptop, it'll depress the space key and the computer will either pop up an error message or beep). Then, if that fails, try using another keyboard (not a USB one, one with the PS/2 (standard) connector. If that succeeds, you have a bad keyboard, buy a new one (they're like $20 for a decent one that will last you awhile). If it fails, try a usb keyboard. If that doesn't work, I fear you need a new motherboard, unless there's something else wrong, like ram that's not properly seated.

 

 

 

Few more questions that may help: How old is the computer, and when was the last time you did an upgrade in relation to when the beep codes started. Ex: you just added a RAM stick and it started to beep the next day. Although all I've found for 3 beeps means something went bad, mostly chips on the mobo, there could be a custom error or something I've missed, which is why the extra questions are warranted.

[sloter]

[hide=for urbestfreind]

Software (like the BIOS), can't beep. It can cause hardware to beep. The motherboard isn't the cause of the beep, which is what thrash and I were attempting to explain (or at least I was). The BIOS is the cause of the beep, the speaker is just the way the beep got heard. The motherboard has no part in the beep code being issued except being a bus for the request from the software to the speaker. That's what a motherboard does, it connects all the parts so that software can interact with hardware. It doesn't spit out errors by itself. It's the Technology in a building (the whole tower being the building and the buses being a phone line). The BIOS (Executive) calls the POST (the IT guys) to check everything (all the important technology) for problems. If IT reports a problem, it phones the Exec, who announces the problem over loudspeaker (the internal speaker) to everyone (in this case you). The Mobo doesn't do anything except hold the different things that needs to be checked and allow for communication between different parts. If you want to believe the motherboard is more than this, be my guest. I'm done.

 

 

 

I only copied the "Pre Operative Self Test" part because I had never heard of the POST referred to as that, only as "Power On Self Test". Last time I checked, this forum was for questions...Did I miss a rule change?

 

Thanks for saying what i was basically saying the entire time ;). Why did you even argue with me? All you do is copy from wiki and state exactly what i did but in much greater detail.

 

 

 

 

Just to help you out when your searching it isn't your BIOS that is beeping it is your mother board. ;)

 

 

 

 

Did you change the rules? You were the one that came at me.[/hide]

[Makoto_the_Phoenix]

Three long beeps? Most likely a memory issue. It may be different, but with all the machines I've worked on, three long beeps usually means bad memory. I've noticed that sometimes the machine will want to boot afterwards, but only if I do the following:

 

 

 

1) Unplug it from power

 

2) Wait about 10-15 minutes for the RAM to completely flush

 

 

 

Afterwards, I run a little utility called memtest86+, to make sure that my memory isn't corrupt. If it is, you'll likely have to buy new sticks (and you'll have to make sure that they're compatible with your board). If you want to give memtest86+ a shot, it can be found here. As a general rule, LOTS of red is a bad thing.

[Mamong]

If it is RAM, and you have more than one stick, take them out and try booting with just one stick so you can pinpoint which RAM is bad.

 

 

 

If you only have one stick, try Memtest like Makoto said.