EKO LELONO'S go-BLOG: Bios Error Codes

Bios Error Codes

AMI-BIOS

1x short : Ram defect or not correctly inserted in socket.
1x long : POST successfully completed.
1x uninterrupted : Defect Power Supply.
1x long, 1x short : Mainboard defect.
1x long, 2x short : Gfx-card error (Gfx-ROM-BIOS) Faulty Checksum, Monitor relay defect or no gfx-card detected.
1x long, 3x short : Gfx Error (Either a faulty Gfx DAC, flawed Monitor recognition process or faulty Gfx-RAM). Could also just mean that the Monitor is not plugged in, or that the monitor cable is defect.
2x short : POST unsucessful (One of the Hardware test procedures is faulty); Check to see that all RAM modules are correctly inserted, if the error is not resolved, have a dealer check your RAM modules.
2x long, 2x short : Gfx-error (Either Checksum error of the gfx-bios-rom, or the installed gfx-adapter has an error in the horizontal refresh.
3x short : 64kb Basis - Memory defect, RAM Error within the first 64kb; check that all RAM modules are correctly inserted, if the error is not resolved, have a dealer check your RAM modules.
3x short, 3x long, 3x short : Memory defect.
4x short : System Timer (Timer 1) Eventually defect in CMOS battery. If not, the mainboard should be replaced.
5x short : Processor defect, gfx-memory: Let a dealer check the processor for errors.
6x short : Keyboard-controller defect (8042-chip/ Gate-A20-Error - Processor can't switch to Protected Mode; Replace. Usually the sign of a faulty keyboard.
7x short : Virtual Mode Exception Error (CPU generated an Interrupt error); Let a dealer check your processor for errors.
8x short : Gfx-memory not detected, Graphics-card defect or not properly in slot.
9x short : ROM-BIOS-Checksum not correct, ROM defect or not correctly updated; Replace or Update BIOS.
10x short : CMOS-Shutdown-Registry CMOS can't be read/written to. Mainboard is faulty and must be replaced.
11x short : Onboard L2-Cache defect - The module is defect and must be replaced. In newer boards, the cache is integrated, which means that the whole mainboard must be replaced. Check the battery first, though.

Award-Bios

1x short : Everything OK.
1x long : RAM error. Modules are not correctly inserted in the socket on the mainboard. Or they could be oxydized.
1x long, 2x short : Graphic-card faulty or defect. Check to see if it's correctly inserted in socket.
1x long, 3x short : Keyboard defect or not connected. (From Bios-Version 4.5 and upwards, this indicates a graphic-card failure.)
2x short : Minor errors that are usually displayed on the monitor. Check components on basis of the listed errors, resolve them, or continue Boot procedure with F1.
Uninterrupted Beep : RAM or Graphic-card not detected.

Phoenix-Bios

1x-1x-3x : CMOS - Error reading or writing to : Execute BIOS setup to correct errors.
1x-1x-4x : BIOS ROM Checksum error : Replace or update Bios.
1x-2x-1x : System Timer Error (Timer 1) : Replace defective Mainboard.
1x-2x-2x : DMA-Controller defect, replace.
1x-2x-3x : DMA-Controller defect (Page Register), replace.
1x-3x-1x : DRAM Refresh error - Wrong timing in BIOS, or mainboard defective. Check RAM modules to see if they are correctly inserted in socket.
1x-3x-3x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Memory Chip/Data Pipeline).
1x-3x-4x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Logic-chip error).
1x-4x-1x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Adress management).
1x-4x-2x : 64kb Base-memory defect(Parity-Logic).
2x-Xx-Xx : 64kb Base-memory defect.
3x-1x-1x : Faultly Master DMA Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
3x-1x-2x : Faultly Slave DMA Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
3x-1x-3x : Faultly Master Interrupt Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
3x-1x-4x : Faultly Slave Interrupt Register -Mainboard faulty, replace.
3x-2x-4x : Keyboard-Controller defect, replace.
3x-3x-4x : GFX-Memory Error -Gfx-card defect or not correctly inserted in slot.
3x-4x-1x : Gfx-Card Initalization error (Missing or defective gfxchip). Replace.
3x-4x-2x : Monitor control error - Monitor not connected or cable defective.
4x-2x-1x : Faulty Timer-Interrupt - Mainboard defective, replace.
4x-2x-2x : Faulty Shut-down fuction.
4x-2x-3x : Gate A20 Error.
4x-2x-4x : Unexpected Interrupt in Protected Mode.
4x-3x-1x : DRAM-Error within the first 64kb RAM. See 1x-3x-1x to 1x-4x-2x.
4x-3x-2x : Timer Defective (Timer 2). Board defective, replace.
4x-3x-4x : Real Time Clock defect.
4x-4x-1x : Serial Port Defective.
4x-4x-2x : Parallel Port Defective.
4x-4x-3x : Co-processor error: Copro defective, replace. Processors that contains the copro, has to be replaced. This applies to Processors higher than 486 DX