All PC motherboards incorporate either a buzzer (piezoelectric speaker) or a connector to install an external one, which is generally included in the accessories of all PC cases. In any case, this buzzer or speaker emits a beep code that depends entirely on the motherboard and that can help us identify potential problems with the PC . If your PC beeps abnormally and does not work as it should, in this article you will find out what the beeps on your motherboard mean.
It must be borne in mind that the beep code of the motherboards is not standardized, and although it does not usually change between models of the same manufacturer, each manufacturer uses its own code, forcing the user to be consulting the motherboard or databases on the Internet to be able to identify what they mean. What is unified rather than standardized is the way these beeps are emitted: long and short. Thus, with a combination of these in the purest Morse style, we will be able to know what is happening to the team during startup in order to solve the problem.
Why is the motherboard beeping?
Imagine that your PC does not start, does not reach the operating system and / or does not even show an image on the screen. How can you know what is happening so that it does not start or why it gives you problems without being able to have the operating system at your disposal? What if you can’t even get into the BIOS?
Nowadays, most PC motherboards incorporate a small two-digit LCD display that helps us to identify the status of the system, as well as to identify possible problems when starting the PC. However, it was not like that in the past and this motherboard speaker was the only way to know if the computer had problems before it loaded the operating system, and it is something that even today all motherboards continue to incorporate despite to have LCD display. It is, let’s say, a way of giving us a clue as to what is going on.
This speaker can be found in two forms: the usual is the piezoelectric speaker whose image you can see above, and that is generally included among the accessories of the PC cases and that is connected to the motherboard in a dedicated 4-pin connector for this. (although as you can see, it actually only has two connectors). The other way, less common and that in general today we only find on server motherboards, is an integrated buzzer soldered to the board itself.
What do the motherboard beeps mean?
As we have mentioned before, each manufacturer has its own beep code since it is not something that is standardized, and yet within the same manufacturer it is quite rare for the code to change from one motherboard model to another. These beeps are emitted in a “long” and “short” way, and it is the combination of these that we will have to interpret.
As you can see, yes, the beep code is quite simple and always has to do with the hardware; Already on motherboards with a two-digit LCD display we can find codes that will give us much more specific information, but with all the beep code on the motherboard it can give us an idea of what is happening so that the PC does not boot normally. Let’s see it.
Beeps on ASUS motherboards
- One short beep: PC boot is normal.
- There is no beep but the “Power” light is on: Either the CPU or RAM is not installed correctly.
- One long beep followed by two short beep: An abnormality has been detected in the system RAM memory. Either it is not installed properly or it does not work well.
- One long beep followed by three short – A graphics card abnormality has been detected. Check that it is properly installed and that you have connected the power cables.
- One long beep followed by four short – CPU problem detected; It may be that the fan has not been detected, or that the over-temperature or over-voltage protection system in the CPU has tripped.
GIGABYTE / AORUS motherboards
- A single short beep – Indicates that the boot is proceeding normally, with no hardware errors.
- Two short beeps: CMOS error, potentially in the battery built into the motherboard. A CMOS Reset usually fixes the problem, otherwise it changes the battery on the motherboard.
- One long beep followed by a short one: memory error. Check that the RAM is properly installed and that it works properly.
- One long beep followed by two short: graphics card error. Check that it is properly installed and that you have connected the power cables.
- One long beep followed by three short ones: AGP error (only on older boards with AGP sockets).
- One long beep followed by nine short: memory error. In this case, it indicates that one of the installed modules is malfunctioning.
- One long, constant beep: RAM is improperly installed.
- Short constant beeps: power supply failure, check that it is properly connected to the board.
ASRock motherboards
- Short and constant beeps: error with RAM memory refresh.
- Two short beeps: RAM parity error.
- Three short beeps: RAM read / write test failed.
- Four short beeps: system clock error.
- Five short beeps: CPU error.
- Six short beeps: keyboard controller error, or keyboard not detected.
- Seven short beeps – General error, usually due to CPU or RAM.
- Eight short beeps: graphics card error, check that it is installed correctly and that the power cables are connected.
- Nine short beeps: ROM error. A Clear CMOS generally does not solve.
- Ten short beeps: ROM read / write error. A Clear CMOS could fix it.
- Eleven short beeps: CPU cache check failed.
EVGA motherboards
- One long beep: The POST has passed without a problem and the boot is normal.
- One short beep: RAM memory refresh problem, check that it is properly installed.
- Two short beeps: RAM parity circuit problems.
- Three short beeps – General RAM error.
- Four short beeps: system clock error. EVGA says to send the plate to RMA directly if this happens to you.
- Five short beeps: processor problems, check that it is installed correctly.
- Six short beeps – keyboard controller issues.
- Seven short beeps – Virtual mode error, EVGA urges to send the board for repair directly.
- Eight short beeps: graphics card problems, check that it is installed properly and that you have the power cables connected.
- Nine short beeps: ROM failure, a Clear CMOS can fix it normally.
- Ten short beeps – System ROM failure, EVGA urges to send motherboard for repair.
- One long beep followed by two short – graphics card problems.
- One long beep followed by three short beep: No graphics card detected.
MSI motherboards
- One short beep: the system has booted up successfully.
- Two short beeps – CMOS setup problem. Do a Clear CMOS.
- One long beep followed by a short one: DRAM error.
- One long beep followed by two short beep: monitor or graphics card error.
- One long beep followed by three short beep: keyboard error or no keyboard detected.
- One long beep followed by nine short – BIOS ROM error. Do a Clear CMOS.
- Constant short beeps: RAM error.
- Very fast short beeps: feeding problems.
- Continuous and constant long and short beeps: CPU problems (over temperature, over voltage).