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PHOENIX BIOS Beep codes

This document gives troubleshooting tips for PHOENIX BIOS Beep codes when you hear beep codes and your desktop board does not boot up successfully.

PHOENIX BIOS Q3.07 OR 4.X

Beep CodeDescriptions / What to Check
1-1-1-3Verify Real Mode.
1-1-2-1Get CPU type.
1-1-2-3Initialize system hardware.
1-1-3-1Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values.
1-1-3-2Set in POST flag.
1-1-3-3Initialize CPU registers.
1-1-4-1Initialize cache to initial POST values.
1-1-4-3Initialize I/O.
1-2-1-1Initialize Power Management.
1-2-1-2Load alternate registers with initial POST values.
1-2-1-3Jump to UserPatch0.
1-2-2-1Initialize keyboard controller.
1-2-2-3BIOS ROM checksum.
1-2-3-18254 timer initialization.
1-2-3-38237 DMA controller initialization.
1-2-4-1Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller.
1-3-1-1Test DRAM refresh.
1-3-1-3Test 8742 Keyboard Controller.
1-3-2-1Set ES segment to register to 4 GB.
1-3-3-128 Autosize DRAM.
1-3-3-3Clear 512K base RAM.
1-3-4-1Test 512 base address lines.
1-3-4-3Test 512K base memory.
1-4-1-3Test CPU bus-clock frequency.
1-4-2-4Reinitialize the chipset.
1-4-3-1Shadow system BIOS ROM.
1-4-3-2Reinitialize the cache.
1-4-3-3Autosize cache.
1-4-4-1Configure advanced chipset registers.
1-4-4-2Load alternate registers with CMOS values.
2-1-1-1Set Initial CPU speed.
2-1-1-3Initialize interrupt vectors.
2-1-2-1Initialize BIOS interrupts.
2-1-2-3Check ROM copyright notice.
2-1-2-4Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs.
2-1-3-1Check video configuration against CMOS.
2-1-3-2Initialize PCI bus and devices.
2-1-3-3Initialize all video adapters in system.
2-1-4-1Shadow video BIOS ROM.
2-1-4-3Display copyright notice.
2-2-1-1Display CPU type and speed.
2-2-1-3Test keyboard.
2-2-2-1Set key click if enabled.
2-2-2-356 Enable keyboard.
2-2-3-1Test for unexpected interrupts.
2-2-3-3Display prompt "Press F2 to enter SETUP".
2-2-4-1Test RAM between 512 and 640k.
2-3-1-1Test expanded memory.
2-3-1-3Test extended memory address lines.
2-3-2-1Jump to UserPatch1.
2-3-2-3Configure advanced cache registers.
2-3-3-1Enable external and CPU caches.
2-3-3-3Display external cache size.
2-3-4-1Display shadow message.
2-3-4-3Display non-disposable segments.
2-4-1-1Display error messages.
2-4-1-3Check for configuration errors.
2-4-2-1Test real-time clock.
2-4-2-3Check for keyboard errors
2-4-4-1Set up hardware interrupts vectors.
2-4-4-3Test coprocessor if present.
3-1-1-1Disable onboard I/O ports.
3-1-1-3Detect and install external RS232 ports.
3-1-2-1Detect and install external parallel ports.
3-1-2-3Re-initialize onboard I/O ports.
3-1-3-1Initialize BIOS Data Area.
3-1-3-3Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area.
3-1-4-1Initialize floppy controller.
3-2-1-1Initialize hard-disk controller.
3-2-1-2Initialize local-bus hard-disk controller.
3-2-1-3Jump to UserPatch2.
3-2-2-1Disable A20 address line.
3-2-2-3Clear huge ES segment register.
3-2-3-1Search for option ROMs.
3-2-3-3Shadow option ROMs.
3-2-4-1Set up Power Management.
3-2-4-3Enable hardware interrupts.
3-3-1-1Set time of day.
3-3-1-3Check key lock.
3-3-3-1Erase F2 prompt.
3-3-3-3Scan for F2 key stroke.
3-3-4-1Enter SETUP.
3-3-4-3Clear in-POST flag.
3-4-1-1Check for errors
3-4-1-3POST done--prepare to boot operating system.
3-4-2-1One beep.
3-4-2-3Check password (optional).
3-4-3-1Clear global descriptor table.
3-4-4-1Clear parity checkers.
3-4-4-3Clear screen (optional).
3-4-4-4Check virus and backup reminders.
4-1-1-1Try to boot with INT 19.
4-2-1-1Interrupt handler error.
4-2-1-3Unknown interrupt error.
4-2-2-1Pending interrupt error.
4-2-2-3Initialize option ROM error.
4-2-3-1Shutdown error.
4-2-3-3Extended Block Move.
4-2-4-1Shutdown 10 error.
4-3-1-3Initialize the chipset.
4-3-1-4Initialize refresh counter.
4-3-2-1Check for Forced Flash.
4-3-2-2Check HW status of ROM.
4-3-2-3BIOS ROM is OK.
4-3-2-4Do a complete RAM test.
4-3-3-1Do OEM initialization.
4-3-3-2Initialize interrupt controller.
4-3-3-3Read in bootstrap code.
4-3-3-4Initialize all vectors.
4-3-4-1Boot the Flash program.
4-3-4-2Initialize the boot device.
4-3-4-3Boot code was read OK.

IBM BIOS Beep codes

This document gives troubleshooting tips for IBM BIOS Beep codes when you hear beep codes and your desktop board does not boot up successfully.

Beep CodeDescriptions
No BeepsNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.
1 Short BeepNormal POST, computer is ok.
2 Short BeepPOST error, review screen for error code.
Continuous BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.
Repeating Short BeepNo Power, Loose Card, or Short.
One Long and one Short BeepMotherboard issue.
One Long and Two short BeepsVideo (Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue.
One Long and Three Short Beeps.Video (EGA) Display Circuitry.
Three Long BeepsKeyboard / Keyboard card error.
One Beep, Blank or Incorrect DisplayVideo Display Circuitry.

AMI BIOS Beep codes

This document gives troubleshooting tips for AMI BIOS Beep codes when you hear beep codes and your desktop board does not boot up successfully.

Beep CodeDescriptions
1 shortDRAM refresh failure
2 shortParity circuit failure
3 shortBase 64K RAM failure
4 shortSystem timer failure
5 shortProcess failure
6 shortKeyboard controller Gate A20 error
7 shortVirtual mode exception error
8 shortDisplay memory Read/Write test failure
9 shortROM BIOS checksum failure
10 shortCMOS shutdown Read/Write error
11 shortCache Memory error
1 long, 3 shortConventional/Extended memory failure
1 long, 8 shortDisplay/Retrace test failed

Customize Windows XP Bootable CD

Enterprise computer system or helpdesk administrators could make life easier by customizing original Windows XP bootable CD to include latest service pack.

Home users too, will be happier as reinstalling time shorten by using an Windows XP bootable CD integrated with latest XP service pack files.

Not a really complicated work to make a new bootable Windows XP CD that integrated with XP SP2 or latest XP service pack files. Here are the steps, which may served as reference to make a new Windows 2000 bootable CD integrated with Windows 2000 SP4 service pack files.

1. Go to My Computer, click on Tools menu, click on Folder Options, click on View tab, go to Advanced Settings, double click on Hidden Files And Folders, select Show Hidden Files And Folders option, deselect Hide Extensions For Known File Types checkbox, deselect Hide Protected Operating System Files checkbox.

This step is to turn on options to show hidden files and shown file extensions.

2. Assuming the D:\ drive has more than 1GB free disk space. Create a folders on D:\ drive, namely D:\NewXPcd folder name.


3. Open CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive where the XP bootable CD is inserted. Press CTRL+A to select all folders and files of XP bootable CD-ROM. Press CTRL+C to copy the selected files and folders. Paste the copied contents to D:\NewXPcd folder created earlier.

4. Download the full Network Installation version of XP SP2 to D:\ drive where the NewXPcd folder exists. After download completed, rename that single executable file (Windowsxp-kb835935-sp2-enu.exe) as XPsp2.exe filename.


5. Click Start button, click Run menu, type

D:\XPsp2.EXE /integrate:D:\NewXPcd


in the Open textbox, click OK button to start. When a message confirms that the action is complete, click OK.

6. Almost done. The D:\NewXPcd folder should contains the Win51ic.SP2 file. If this file exists, XP SP2 service pack files has successfully integrated.

However, simply burn an image of this folder contents would not able to make a bootable CD-ROM, as the original boot code from the original Windows XP bootable CD does not exists in the folder.

Microsoft doesn't provide a tool to extract the boot code, but suggests to use a third party tool called Bart's Boot Image Extractor (BBIE) to do the job.



7. Create a new folder at D:\ drive, namely D:\BBIE folder name. Download a copy of BBIE program and save it into D:\BBIE folder. If it is a zip file, extract the contents to the same folder.

8. While the original Windows XP bootable CD-ROM still inside the drive (assuming it is E:\ drive), go to Start button, Click on Run menu, type cmd in the Open textbox, click OK button to bring up Command Prompt windows.


9. Type cd D:\BBIE and press ENTER. Type bbie E: to get BBIE creates the Image1.bin image file inside D:\BBIE folder. Copy the Image1.bin to D:\NewXPcd folder.

10. Lastly, choose Nero or any others CD burning software to burn an bootable image format of the D:\NewXPcd folder contents to a blank CD, to make a new Windows XP bootable CD-ROM integrated with SP2 or the latest Windows XP service pack. 

BIOS Beep Code Definition

When power turn on, most computer system will first executing Power On Self Test (POST). If POST encounters any errors, it will generate beep tones (via the functioning chassis speaker), known as BIOS beep code, to alert the operator.

Different manufacturers might define different BIOS beep code definition. It is better to consult respective manufacturer for precise BIOS beep code definition.

Most of the BIOS beep code of an IBM compatible PC are related to random access memory (RAM) or central processing unit (CPU).

RAM related problems could be due to faulty RAM chip or improper RAM contact with RAM slot.
  1. Disconnect power cord from power supply.
  2. Unplug the RAM module carefully.
  3. Clean the contact with non-static cloth.
  4. Restore the RAM module carefully to the slot firmly.
  5. Power on to perform POST testing again.
  6. If that doesn't work, replace a known good RAM to eliminate RAM possibility.
CPU related problems could be due to a faulty CPU, overheat, or improper CPU contact with CPU slot.
  1. Disconnect power cord from power supply.
  2. Unplug the CPU with care.
  3. Blow away dust found in the CPU heat sink and slot with a blower. Don't blow by mouth to prevent moisture accumulated within the contacts!
  4. Restore CPU to the slot with care.
  5. Power on the computer system for POST testing again.
 

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