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    (021 4 AVIDNZ)

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    New Zealand.

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    Making IT Easy

    Bios Error Codes

    AMIBIOS . AWARD BIOS . Phoenix BIOS

    Bios Error Codes Description:

    BIOS is the Basic Input Output System which controls the MainBoard. The Mainboard holds the CPU(Central Processing Unit) and RAM(Random Access Memory), as well as the other input/output devices for the computer, such as the Graphics Card, Harddisk Controllers, and USB ports. This has evolved slowly over the years, but most boards have one of the above BIOS manufacturers. Within the BIOS are error checking routines. If the BIOS finds an error at startup of the computer, then it will follow with these beep codes. (This assumes that a functioning PC Speaker is attached to the mainboard. And although I have never found one that had gone bad, many get disconnected by people poking around in their PC.)

     

    The following list outlines those beep error codes.


    AMI-BIOS

    * 1x short : Ram defect or not correctly inserted in socket.
    * 1x long : POST successfully completed.
    * 1x uninterrupted : Defect Power Supply.
    * 1x long, 1x short : Mainboard defect.
    * 1x long, 2x short : Gfx-card error (Gfx-ROM-BIOS) Faulty Checksum, Monitor relay defect or no gfx-card detected.
    * 1x long, 3x short : Gfx Error (Either a faulty Gfx DAC, flawed Monitor recognition process or faulty Gfx-RAM). Could also just mean that the Monitor is not plugged in, or that the monitor cable is defect.
    * 2x short : POST unsucessful (One of the Hardware test procedures is faulty); Check to see that all RAM modules are correctly inserted, if the error is not resolved, have a dealer check your RAM modules.
    * 2x long, 2x short : Gfx-error (Either Checksum error of the gfx-bios-rom, or the installed gfx-adapter has an error in the horizontal refresh.
    * 3x short : 64kb Basis - Memory defect, RAM Error within the first 64kb; check that all RAM modules are correctly inserted, if the error is not resolved, have a dealer check your RAM modules.
    * 3x short, 3x long, 3x short : Memory defect.
    * 4x short : System Timer (Timer 1) Eventually defect in CMOS battery. If not, the mainboard should be replaced.
    * 5x short : Processor defect, gfx-memory: Let a dealer check the processor for errors.
    * 6x short : Keyboard-controller defect (8042-chip/ Gate-A20-Error - Processor can't switch to Protected Mode; Replace. Usually the sign of a faulty keyboard.
    * 7x short : Virtual Mode Exception Error (CPU generated an Interrupt error); Let a dealer check your processor for errors.
    * 8x short : Gfx-memory not detected, Graphics-card defect or not properly in slot.
    * 9x short : ROM-BIOS-Checksum not correct, ROM defect or not correctly updated; Replace or Update BIOS.
    * 10x short : CMOS-Shutdown-Registry CMOS can't be read/written to. Mainboard is faulty and must be replaced.
    * 11x short : Onboard L2-Cache defect - The module is defect and must be replaced. In newer boards, the cache is integrated, which means that the whole mainboard must be replaced. Check the battery first, though.

    Award-Bios

    * 1x short : Everything OK.
    * 1x long : RAM error. Modules are not correctly inserted in the socket on the mainboard. Or they could be oxydized.
    * 1x long, 2x short : Graphic-card faulty or defect. Check to see if it's correctly inserted in socket.
    * 1x long, 3x short : Keyboard defect or not connected. (From Bios-Version 4.5 and upwards, this indicates a graphic-card failure.)
    * 2x short : Minor errors that are usually displayed on the monitor. Check components on basis of the listed errors, resolve them, or continue Boot procedure with F1.
    * Uninterrupted Beep : RAM or Graphic-card not detected.


    Phoenix-Bios

    * 1x-1x-3x : CMOS - Error reading or writing to : Execute BIOS setup to correct errors.
    * 1x-1x-4x : BIOS ROM Checksum error : Replace or update Bios.
    * 1x-2x-1x : System Timer Error (Timer 1) : Replace defective Mainboard.
    * 1x-2x-2x : DMA-Controller defect, replace.
    * 1x-2x-3x : DMA-Controller defect (Page Register), replace.
    * 1x-3x-1x : DRAM Refresh error - Wrong timing in BIOS, or mainboard defective. Check RAM modules to see if they are correctly inserted in socket.
    * 1x-3x-3x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Memory Chip/Data Pipeline).
    * 1x-3x-4x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Logic-chip error).
    * 1x-4x-1x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Adress management).
    * 1x-4x-2x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Parity-Logic).
    * 2x-Xx-Xx : 64kb Base-memory defect.
    * 3x-1x-1x : Faultly Master DMA Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
    * 3x-1x-2x : Faultly Slave DMA Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
    * 3x-1x-3x : Faultly Master Interrupt Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
    * 3x-1x-4x : Faultly Slave Interrupt Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
    * 3x-2x-4x : Keyboard-Controller defect, replace.
    * 3x-3x-4x : GFX-Memory Error -Gfx-card defect or not correctly inserted in slot.
    * 3x-4x-1x : Gfx-Card Initalization error (Missing or defective gfxchip). Replace.
    * 3x-4x-2x : Monitor control error - Monitor not connected or cable defective.
    * 4x-2x-1x : Faulty Timer-Interrupt - Mainboard defective, replace.
    * 4x-2x-2x : Faulty Shut-down fuction.
    * 4x-2x-3x : Gate A20 Error.
    * 4x-2x-4x : Unexpected Interrupt in Protected Mode.
    * 4x-3x-1x : DRAM-Error within the first 64kb RAM. See 1x-3x-1x to 1x-4x-2x.
    * 4x-3x-2x : Timer Defective (Timer 2). Board defective, replace.
    * 4x-3x-4x : Real Time Clock defect.
    * 4x-4x-1x : Serial Port Defective.
    * 4x-4x-2x : Parallel Port Defective.
    * 4x-4x-3x : Co-processor error: Copro defective, replace. Processors that contains the copro, has to be replaced. This applies to Processors higher than 486 DX

    Phoenix Bios From Version 4.x and onwards.

    * 1x-2x : ROM Checksum error.
    * 1x-2x-2x-3x : BIOS Checksum error. Replace or Update BIOS.
    * 1x-2x-3x-1x : Timer Error, Board is defective, replace.
    * 1x-2x-3x-3x : DMA-Controller Error, replace board.
    * 1x-3x-1x-1x : Test DRAM Refresh; Check if RAM Module is correctly inserted.
    * 1x-3x-1x-3x : Testing 8742 Keyboard-Controller
    * 1x-3x-3x-1x : RAM Error
    * 1x-3x-4x-1x : RAM Error at Adresse xxxx
    * 1x-3x-4x-3x : RAM Error at bit xxxx, Low end of the memorybus
    * 1x-4x-1x-1x : RAM Error at bit xxxx, High end of the memorybus.
    * 1x-4x-2x-1x : CMOS-Error; Run BIOS-Setup to resolve errors.
    * 2x-1x-2x-3x : Faulty ROM Copyright.
    * 2x-2x-3x-1x : Unexpected Interrupt.