BIOS Beep Codes for Intel® Desktop Boards
If an error occurs during startup, you will:
- Hear an audible beep code, or
- See a blink pattern on the power LED
Click or topics for details:
Audible beep codes
You can hear the beep codes through the onboard piezoelectric speaker. For Intel® Desktop Boards without the onboard speaker, you can hear the beeps through a speaker attached to the line out audio jack on the board.
Beep Code | Sequence/Pattern | Meaning | Troubleshooting Steps |
Single beep | One 0.5 second beep | F2 Setup / F10 Boot Menu prompt | This short beep occurs when the BIOS is ready to accept keyboard input. No action needed. |
2 beeps | On-off (1.0 second each) two times, then 2.5-second pause (off). The pattern repeats once. Then the computer continues to boot. | Video error (no add-in graphics card installed) |
No video and two beeps during boot Intel® Processors and Boards Compatibility Tool |
3 beeps | On-off (1.0 second each) three times, then 2.5-second pause (off). The pattern repeats until the computer is powered off. | Memory error |
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High/low beeps | Alternate high and low beeps (1.0 second each) for 8 beeps. Then the computer shuts down. | CPU thermal trip warning |
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Visible LED blink patterns
Visible blink patterns display via the front panel power LED.
LED Blink Pattern | Sequence/Pattern | Meaning | Troubleshooting Steps |
2 blinks | On-off (1.0 second each) two times, then 2.5-second pause (off). The pattern repeats once. Then the computer continues to boot. | Video error (no add-in graphics card installed) |
|
3 blinks | On-off (1.0 second each) three times, then 2.5-second pause (off). The pattern repeats until the computer is powered off. | Memory error |
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16 on/off blinks | .25 seconds on, .25 seconds off, for a total of 16 blinks. Then the computer shuts down. | CPU thermal trip warning |
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Continual blinks | Off when the update starts, then on for 0.5 seconds, then off for 0.5 seconds. The pattern repeats until the BIOS update is complete. | BIOS update in progress | This blink pattern is normal behavior. No action needed. |
Beep codes for discontinued (legacy) desktop boards
Beep State | Meaning |
1 long beep followed by 2 short beeps | Video configuration failure (a faulty video card or no card installed), or an external ROM module does not properly checksum to zero. |
1 | Refresh failure |
2 | Parity can't be reset |
3 | First 64K memory failure |
4 | Timer not operational |
5 | Processor failure (reserved; not used) |
6 | 8042 GateA20 can't be toggled (memory failure or not present) |
7 | Exception interrupt error |
8 | Display memory R/W error |
9 | (Reserved; not used) |
10 | CMOS Shutdown register test error |
11 | Invalid BIOS (such as, POST module not found) |