When our PC starts up, the first thing it
does is run a Power-on Self Test (POST) to test the computers hardware status.
If it detects an error, you will be notified by either a number of audio beeps
or an error message on the screen. This page helps to explain what the error
message or audio beeps mean.
Standard Original IBM POST Error Codes
Code
Description
1 short beep
System is OK
2 short beeps
POST Error - error code shown on screen
No beep
Power supply or system board problem
Continuous beep
Power supply, system board, or keyboard problem
Repeating short beeps
Power supply or system board problem
1 long, 1 short beep
System board problem
1 long, 2 short beeps
Display adapter problem (MDA, CGA)
1 long, 3 short beeps
Display adapter problem (EGA)
3 long beeps
3270 keyboard card
IBM POST Diagnostic Code Descriptions
Code
Description
100 - 199
System Board
200 - 299
Memory
300 - 399
Keyboard
400 - 499
Monochrome Display
500 - 599
Colour/Graphics Display
600 - 699
Floppy-disk drive and/or Adapter
700 - 799
Math Coprocessor
900 - 999
Parallel Printer Port
1000 - 1099
Alternate Printer Adapter
1100 - 1299
Asynchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1300 - 1399
Game Port
1400 - 1499
Colour/Graphics Printer
1500 - 1599
Synchronous Communication Device, Adapter, or Port
1700 - 1799
Hard Drive and/or Adapter
1800 - 1899
Expansion Unit (XT)
2000 - 2199
Bisynchronous Communication Adapter
2400 - 2599
EGA system-board Video (MCA)
3000 - 3199
LAN Adapter
4800 - 4999
Internal Modem
7000 - 7099
Phoenix BIOS Chips
7300 - 7399
3.5" Disk Drive
8900 - 8999
MIDI Adapter
11200 - 11299
SCSI Adapter
21000 - 21099
SCSI Fixed Disk and Controller
21500 - 21599
SCSI CD-ROM System
AMI BIOS Beep Codes
Code
Description
1 Short Beep
System OK
2 Short Beeps
Parity error in the first 64 KB of memory.
3 Short Beeps
Memory failure in the first 64 KB.
4 Short Beeps
Memory failure in the first 64 KB Operational of
memory, or Timer 1 on the motherboard is not functioning.
5 Short Beeps
The CPU on the motherboard generated an error.
6 Short Beeps
The keyboard controller may be bad. The BIOS cannot
switch to protected mode.
7 Short Beeps
The CPU generated an exception interrupt.
8 Short Beeps
The system video adapter is either missing, or its
memory is faulty.
9 Short Beeps
The ROM checksum value does not match the value
encoded in the BIOS.
10 Short Beeps
The shutdown register for CMOS RAM failed.
11 Short Beeps
The external cache is faulty.
1 Long, 3 Short Beeps
Memory Problems
1 Long, 8 Short Beeps
Video Card Problems
Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes
Note - Phoenix BIOS emits three sets of beeps,
separated by a brief pause.