You start your computer and all you get is a blank ... some beeping noise. You panic because you think youhave some very serious computer ... ... ... is ... The reason
You start your computer and all you get is a blank screenand some beeping noise. You panic because you think youhave some very serious computer problems. Actually, yourconcern is justified. The reason your computer is beepingis because it has a serious problem that prevents it fromcommunicating via its standard output, the screen. Butdon't lose hope, here are some troubleshooting steps youcan take.
The beeps coming from your computer are most likely notcoming from your sound board or on-board sound circuitry.They are coming from a tiny PC speaker mounted inside thecomputer case for the specific purpose of communicatingwith humans when it can't communicate via the screen.
You may have noticed that every time you start yourcomputer the beeps come in the same pattern. They are notrandom beeps. The computer is sending a special beep code.Beep codes are programmed into the computers BIOS (BasicInput Output System). Unfortunately, there is no standardfor beep codes. Each BIOS manufacturer has their ownpatterns. They are not even standard by manufacturer. Theyvary by the BIOS version, the motherboard, and computermanufacturer.
Your first step is to look in the information that camewith your computer for the meaning of beep codes or forthe identity of your BIOS. If you didn't get thatinformation, try to find it at the web site of themanufacturer of your computer. If you can't find it atthere, you'll need to open the case of your computer and read the manufacturer's name and BIOS version off the BIOSchip.
Although there are thousands of different computer andmotherboard manufacturers, fortunately there are only a fewBIOS manufacturers. Below is a list of the major BIOSmanufacturers websites.
AMI (American Megatrends, Inc.) www.megatrends.comPhoenix Technologies www.ptltd.comIBM www.us.pc.ibm.com
If you can't find useful information about your computer'sbeep codes at the computer manufacturer's or BIOSmanufacturer's web site, you'll need to troubleshoot byprocess of elimination.
A single beep when your computer starts is not an error.It's to test the PC speaker. If you don't hear a singlebeep, either your computer's power supply, motherboard,or PC speaker is bad.
It's unlikely that you have a bad keyboard, but a badkeyboard can cause a computer to emit beep codes, andchanging out the keyboard is cheap and easy.
Open your the case of your computer and perform a closeinspection of the motherboard with a magnifying glass. It'sunlikely but possible that something like a staple has beensucked into the case and is causing a short.
A common cause of beep codes is a problem with RAM. Makesure the memory modules are installed correctly by gentlybut firmly pushing down on each module. If that doesn'tfix it, remove all but one memory module. Usually a singlememory module must be installed in the first bank. If thatdoesn't fix it, swap out that module with the next one.You may need to identify the type of memory your computeruses and try a brand new memory module.
The reason your computer is emitting beep codes may bebecause the video circuitry is bad. If your motherboardhas on-board video, try disabling it and installing a videoadapter card. If your computer uses a video adapter card,try replacing it or removing it and enabling on-board video.
If that doesn't fix the problem, try removing any expansioncards (except the video adapter card) and disabling anyI/O circuitry such as USB ports. If that doesn't work, tryreplacing the power supply.
If your computer still has a blank screen and is emittingbeep codes, the only posibility left is a bad component onthe motherboard. It could be a CPU failure, but replacingthe CPU is usually expensive - if the type your motherboarduses is still available.
Replacing a motherboard involves almost totally isassembling the computer and may require reinstallingand/or reactivating the operating system, and replacingsome drivers. Hopefully, you will find information aboutthe meaning of the beep codes, and they will indicate aproblem easier to fix than replacing the motherboard.
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