Sometimes your computer starts acting in such a manner that it frustrates you like anything. The last day when you peacefully shut down your PC was the time you were least frustrated regarding your PC. Well lets come to the point, sometimes something goes wrong with your PC and when you try to switch it on as usual, it starts behaving in a unknown manner. You may heard beep sounds coming from your PC and the display halts or doesn’t appears at all. You then get confused and think what to do. The first thing that comes in your mind is pressing the restart button. 
Again the PC restarts and the same problem continues. You then disconnect the PC cables, remove the plug and then connect them again and start all over again but end up with the same problem. Finally you get frustrated and then plan to decide to show your PC to an Engineer.Well I suggest you not to waste the bucks behind an Engineer. You yourself can fix the problem if it is related to the beeps. We will first understand what these beeps mean exactly. As computer is a dumb machine ( understands only 1 and 0 ), it cant speak like an human ( Definitely it cant ) but man has defined some ways through which it can express its problems to us so that we can fix them.
- Understanding the beeps :
Most common beeps are the long ones with periodic pauses which goes on as soon as you switch on your CPU. These beeps occur if and only if your RAM has malfunctioned or the RAM slot has been malfunctioned. So you can assure yourself that this is a problem related to your RAM and can fix it by performing a few experiments on it like changeing the RAM card slot and starting the PC or borrowing your friend’s RAM and checking and many more. Human brain is full of ideas 
Moreover the topic doesn’t close here, there are beeps which are of different types like few short few long, a combination of certain number of short and long beeps and many more.
Here are the combination of beeps and their causes so that you can google your problem and then fix them accordingly.
Beep Codes, AMI & Award BIOS beep codes |
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AMI BIOS beep codes
Normally a computer with an AMI bios won’t beep it will just show a error message across the screen. It’s usually only when the video card’s not working or something very serious happens you’ll get a beep code.
Beep Code | Description |
| 1 Short | DRAMS refresh failure. |
| 2 Short | Parity circuit failure. |
| 3 Short | Base 64k RAM failure. |
| 4 Short | System timer failure. |
| 5 Short | Process failure. |
| 6 Short | Keyboard controller Gate A20 error. |
| 7 Short | Virtual mode exception error. |
| 8 Short | Display memory Read/Write test failure |
| 9 Short | ROM BIOS checksum failure. |
| 10 Short | CMOS shutdown Read/Write error. |
| 11 Short | Cache Memory error. |
| 1 Long, 3 Short | Conventional/Extended memory failure. |
| 1 Long, 8 Short | Display/Retrace test failed. |
Award BIOS beep codes
Award uses the least of any of the BIOS manufactures just two codes, they prefer to display a message on the screen state the error. The only time you will get any beeps is if the video cards fails or a RAM problem.
| Beep Code | Description |
| 1 Long, 2 Short | A video error has occurred and the Bios cannot initialise the video screen to display any additional information. |
| Any other beep(s) | RAM Problem. |
| Beep Codes, IBM & Macintosh BIOS beep codes |
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IBM BIOS beep codes
The IBM beep codes consist of short and long beeps, similar to the Award BIOS codes although the IBM codes are a lot more descriptive.
Beep Code | Description |
| No Beeps | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. |
| 1 Short Beep | Normal POST, Computer is ok. |
| 2 Short Beeps | POST error, review screen for error code. |
| Continuous Beeps | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. |
| Repeating Short Beeps | No Power, Loose Card, or Short. |
| 1 Long & 1 Short Beeps | Motherboard issue. |
| 1 Long & 2 Short Beeps | Video (Mono/CGA) Display circuitry. |
| 1 Long & 3 Short Beeps | Video (EGA) Display circuitry. |
| 3 Long Beeps | Keyboard / Keyboard card error. |
| 1 Beep, Blank or Incorrect Display | Video Display Circuitry. |
Macintosh Start-up tones
Modern Macs beep when they fail there POST, the beeps will depend on the model but here are the standard codes.
| Beep Code | Description |
| Error Tone. (two sets of different tones) | Problem with logic board or SCSI bus. |
| Start-up tone, drive spins, no video. | Problem with video controller. |
| Powers on, no tone. | Logic board problem. |
| High Tone, 4 Higher Tones | Problem with SIMM. |
| Beep Codes, Phoenix BIOS beep codes |
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Phoenix BIOS beep codes
Phoenix beep codes are the most detailed about. They use a system of 4 beeps each separated by a small pause i.e. 1 pause 2 pause 1 pause 1 pause (1-2-1-1), you may need to reboot the pc a few times in order to count all the beeps. To find out more information on Phoenix beep codes you can go here.
| Beep Code | Description / What to Check |
| 1-1-1-3 | Verify Real Mode. |
| 1-1-2-1 | Get CPU type. |
| 1-1-2-3 | Initialize system hardware. |
| 1-1-3-1 | Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values. |
| 1-1-3-2 | Set in POST flag. |
| 1-1-3-3 | Initialize CPU registers. |
| 1-1-4-1 | Initialize cache to initial POST values. |
| 1-1-4-3 | Initialize I/O. |
| 1-2-1-1 | Initialize Power Management. |
| 1-2-1-2 | Load alternate registers with initial POST values. |
| 1-2-1-3 | Jump to UserPatch0. |
| 1-2-2-1 | Initialize keyboard controller. |
| 1-2-2-3 | BIOS ROM checksum. |
| 1-2-3-1 | 8254 timer initialization. |
| 1-2-3-3 | 8237 DMA controller initialization. |
| 1-2-4-1 | Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller. |
| 1-3-1-1 | Test DRAM refresh. |
| 1-3-1-3 | Test 8742 Keyboard Controller. |
| 1-3-2-1 | Set ES segment to register to 4 GB. |
| 1-3-3-1 | 28 Autosize DRAM. |
| 1-3-3-3 | Clear 512K base RAM. |
| 1-3-4-1 | Test 512 base address lines. |
| 1-3-4-3 | Test 512K base memory. |
| 1-4-1-3 | Test CPU bus-clock frequency. |
| 1-4-2-4 | Reinitialize the chipset. |
| 1-4-3-1 | Shadow system BIOS ROM. |
| 1-4-3-2 | Reinitialize the cache. |
| 1-4-3-3 | Autosize cache. |
| 1-4-4-1 | Configure advanced chipset registers. |
| 1-4-4-2 | Load alternate registers with CMOS values. |
| 2-1-1-1 | Set Initial CPU speed. |
| 2-1-1-3 | Initialize interrupt vectors. |
| 2-1-2-1 | Initialize BIOS interrupts. |
| 2-1-2-3 | Check ROM copyright notice. |
| 2-1-2-4 | Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs. |
| 2-1-3-1 | Check video configuration against CMOS. |
| 2-1-3-2 | Initialize PCI bus and devices. |
| 2-1-3-3 | Initialize all video adapters in system. |
| 2-1-4-1 | Shadow video BIOS ROM. |
| 2-1-4-3 | Display copyright notice. |
| 2-2-1-1 | Display CPU type and speed. |
| 2-2-1-3 | Test keyboard. |
| 2-2-2-1 | Set key click if enabled. |
| 2-2-2-3 | 56 Enable keyboard. |
| 2-2-3-1 | Test for unexpected interrupts. |
| 2-2-3-3 | Display prompt “Press F2 to enter SETUP”. |
| 2-2-4-1 | Test RAM between 512 and 640k. |
| 2-3-1-1 | Test expanded memory. |
| 2-3-1-3 | Test extended memory address lines. |
| 2-3-2-1 | Jump to UserPatch1. |
| 2-3-2-3 | Configure advanced cache registers. |
| 2-3-3-1 | Enable external and CPU caches. |
| 2-3-3-3 | Display external cache size. |
| 2-3-4-1 | Display shadow message. |
| 2-3-4-3 | Display non-disposable segments. |
| 2-4-1-1 | Display error messages. |
| 2-4-1-3 | Check for configuration errors. |
| 2-4-2-1 | Test real-time clock. |
| 2-4-2-3 | Check for keyboard errors |
| 2-4-4-1 | Set up hardware interrupts vectors. |
| 2-4-4-3 | Test coprocessor if present. |
| 3-1-1-1 | Disable onboard I/O ports. |
| 3-1-1-3 | Detect and install external RS232 ports. |
| 3-1-2-1 | Detect and install external parallel ports. |
| 3-1-2-3 | Re-initialize onboard I/O ports. |
| 3-1-3-1 | Initialize BIOS Data Area. |
| 3-1-3-3 | Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area. |
| 3-1-4-1 | Initialize floppy controller. |
| 3-2-1-1 | Initialize hard-disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-2 | Initialize local-bus hard-disk controller. |
| 3-2-1-3 | Jump to UserPatch2. |
| 3-2-2-1 | Disable A20 address line. |
| 3-2-2-3 | Clear huge ES segment register. |
| 3-2-3-1 | Search for option ROMs. |
| 3-2-3-3 | Shadow option ROMs. |
| 3-2-4-1 | Set up Power Management. |
| 3-2-4-3 | Enable hardware interrupts. |
| 3-3-1-1 | Set time of day. |
| 3-3-1-3 | Check key lock. |
| 3-3-3-1 | Erase F2 prompt. |
| 3-3-3-3 | Scan for F2 key stroke. |
| 3-3-4-1 | Enter SETUP. |
| 3-3-4-3 | Clear in-POST flag. |
| 3-4-1-1 | Check for errors |
| 3-4-1-3 | POST done–prepare to boot operating system. |
| 3-4-2-1 | One beep. |
| 3-4-2-3 | Check password (optional). |
| 3-4-3-1 | Clear global descriptor table. |
| 3-4-4-1 | Clear parity checkers. |
| 3-4-4-3 | Clear screen (optional). |
| 3-4-4-4 | Check virus and backup reminders. |
| 4-1-1-1 | Try to boot with INT 19. |
| 4-2-1-1 | Interrupt handler error. |
| 4-2-1-3 | Unknown interrupt error. |
| 4-2-2-1 | Pending interrupt error. |
| 4-2-2-3 | Initialize option ROM error. |
| 4-2-3-1 | Shutdown error. |
| 4-2-3-3 | Extended Block Move. |
| 4-2-4-1 | Shutdown 10 error. |
| 4-3-1-3 | Initialize the chipset. |
| 4-3-1-4 | Initialize refresh counter. |
| 4-3-2-1 | Check for Forced Flash. |
| 4-3-2-2 | Check HW status of ROM. |
| 4-3-2-3 | BIOS ROM is OK. |
| 4-3-2-4 | Do a complete RAM test. |
| 4-3-3-1 | Do OEM initialization. |
| 4-3-3-2 | Initialize interrupt controller. |
| 4-3-3-3 | Read in bootstrap code. |
| 4-3-3-4 | Initialize all vectors. |
| 4-3-4-1 | Boot the Flash program. |
| 4-3-4-2 | Initialize the boot device. |
| 4-3-4-3 | Boot code was read OK. |
The computer power-on self-test (POST) tests the computer to make sure it meets the necessary system requirements and that all hardware is workingproperly before starting the remainder of the boot process. If the computer passes the POST the computer will have a single beep (with some computer BIOS manufacturers it may beep twice) as the computer starts and the computer will continue to start normally. However, if the computer fails the POST, the computer will either not beep at all or will generate a beep code, which tells the user the source of the problem. Now here are what each of these Beep codes mean.
Now depending on the type of the BIOS, the pattern of the beeps varies, it is like a S.O.S from your computer asking you to check something out before proceeding.
One important thing you should know that you will need to know the type of BIOS you have, I have mentioned AMI (American Megatrends) below, they are used by majority of the manufacturers.
1-Beep OR 2-Short Beeps OR 3-Short Beeps
Computer RAM (memory) related issue, Remove the RAM and clean it, reinsert it or try another slot.
4- Short Beeps OR 5-Short Beeps OR 7-Short Beeps OR 8-Short Beeps OR 9-Short Beeps OR 11-Short Beeps OR 1 long, 8 short
Try all of the following steps following each step try to start your PC and evaluate the situation
- Bad motherboard, CPU, RAM, or power supply
- Disconnect and reconnect the CPU
- Power cycle the computer
- Remove the RAM
- Disconnect all drives
- Disconnect all expansion cards
- Check all cables
- Check all fans : Make sure all fans are running in the computer. If a fan has failed (especially the heat sink fan for the CPU) your computer could be overheating or detecting the fan failure causing the computer not to boot
- Disconnect external devices
- Remove any disks or USB devices
- Remove new hardware
6-Short Beeps
Issue related to the keyboard or keyboard controller.
10-Short Beeps
- Like any battery the computer CMOS battery can fail or lose its charge.
- Locate your CMOS battery
- Obtain battery information
- Removing the battery
- Insert the new battery
- Enter CMOS values
Once the battery is replaced turn on the computer and resetting the CMOS values to the defaults. After the values have all been entered make sure to save the settings before exiting. Many CMOS setups allow you to press a key (such as F10) to save values and exit all in one action.
CMOS Battery
1 Long and 3 Short Beeps
Computer RAM (memory) related issue.
Technical Messages
1 short – DRAM refresh failure
2 short Parity circuit failure
3 short Base 64K RAM failure
4 short System timer failure
5 short Process failure
6 short Keyboard controller Gate A20 error
7 short Virtual mode exception error
8 short Display memory Read/Write test failure
9 short ROM BIOS checksum failure
10 short CMOS shutdown Read/Write error
11 short Cache Memory error
1 long, 3 short Conventional/Extended memory failure
1 long, 8 short Display/Retrace test failed
I have used Computer Hope as a reference, incase you are looking for other BIOS types please refer their types
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