admin_hub

sysop@hub:~/tools/beep-code-lookup$

beep-code-lookup

A PC that cannot show a picture still tries to tell you what is wrong: with beeps, with a blinking light, or with small LEDs on the board. Type what you hear or see, such as "dell 4" or "1 long 3 short". The meanings differ between vendors, so start with the name on the machine or the BIOS vendor on its start screen.

before you count

  1. Count twice. Note long and short beeps and the pauses. A phone recording helps.
  2. Know whose code it is. Brand PCs (Dell, HP, Lenovo) use their own patterns. Self-built PCs follow the BIOS vendor: AMI on most current boards.
  3. No speaker is normal. Most boards have none today. Look for four small lights near the memory slots or a two-digit display.
  4. Most codes end in the same three places: memory, graphics, or the board itself. Reseating the memory fixes more of them than anything else.

Beep codes changed between BIOS generations and differ by model. The entries here are the common meanings: the manual or the vendor's support page for the exact model wins when it disagrees. Related: wizard: the PC does not start, desktop PC hardware guide, notebook hardware guide, stop code lookup.