Since the hardware checks out, I would boot to the BIOS, write down your important settings, then reset BIOS defaults. Boot and see what happens, then go back into the BIOS and re-enable the previous settings.
I would look very carefully through the various BIOS screens to make sure the settings match your hardware, particularly the drive configuration and memory configuration. If there is a BIOS setting for quick boot, disable that so you can see any POST messages.
BIOS tools don't give the flexibility they once did (ok, I expect this is because its Dell specific, and the more powerful controls removed from the user and pre-configured).
Quick Boot control exists but does not allow the POST screen to appear - no control for turning off Dell's therm-bar boot screen to show us what we need to see.
Very sanitised "memory info" screen, shows overview of what's installed but no technical details and no user changeable settings. Hard disk is very similar, its either detected or its not; no user options or overrides.
Under Advanced setting there are some CPU configuration options, nothing major and all are set correctly.
I have also checked other settings, integrated peripherals; chipset; power management, but again none offer any control that would allow the user to upset the machine if set incorrectly. At least after re-set all settings appear to be set in a logical manor, and I can see no conflicting logic between them.
Therm Bar and beep slowing sounds like CPU throttling. I would see if there are Overheating logs in the bios event log and or in the windows event log.
When the blue DELL™ logo is displayed, watch for the F2 prompt to appear and then press immediately.
NOTE: The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard has initialized. This prompt can appear very quickly, so you must watch for it to display, and then press . If you press before you are prompted, this keystroke will be lost. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Then, shut down your computer (see Turning Off Your Computer) and try again.
System Setup Screens
The system setup screen displays current or changeable configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is divided into three areas: the options list, active options field, and key functions.
Menu — Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a menu to access to the System Setup options. Press <¬ >and<® >keys to navigate. As a Menu option is highlighted, the Options List, lists the options that define the hardware installed on you computer.
Options List — Appears on the left side of the System Setup window. The field lists features that define the configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features. Scroll up and down the list with the up- and down-arrow keys. As an option is highlighted, the Options Field displays the option's current and available settings.
Options Field — Appears on the right side of Options List and contains information about each option listed in the Options List. In this field you can view information about your computer and make changes to your current settings. Press to make changes to your current settings. Press to return to the Options List.
NOTE: Not all settings listed in the Options Field are changeable.
Help — Appears on the right side of the System Setup window and contains help information about the option selected in Options List.
Key Functions — Appears below the Options Field and lists keys and their functions within the active system setup field.
System Setup Options
NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may appear, or may not appear exactly as listed.
Main
System Date
Displays current date settings, in the mm:dd:yy format.
System Time
Displays current time settings, in the in the hh:mm:ss format.
SATA0
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA0.
SATA1
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA1.
SATA2
SATA Port not present.
SATA3
SATA Port not present.
SATA4
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA4.
SATA5
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA5.
System Info
Lists the BIOS version, system name, asset tag, and service tag.
Memory Info
Indicates amount of installed memory, memory speed, channel mode (dual or single), and type of memory installed.
Advanced
CPU type
Indicates the type of CPU installed.
L2 Cache
Indicates the amount of CPU L2 cache.
Advanced Chipset Features
Indicates amount of video memory (32 MB by default).
Integrated Peripherals
Allows you to enable or disable the integrated devices and ports on your system.
CPU Configuration
Allows you to enable or disable the CPU features that enhance the performance of the system.
USB Configuration
Allows you to enable or disable the USB controller.
Power
Power Management Setup
ACPI Suspend Type
Specifies the ACPI suspend type. The default is S3.
Remote Wake Up
This option turns on the computer when a user tries to access the computer through the LAN.
Auto Power On
Enables you to set an alarm to turn on the computer automatically.
Auto Power On Date
Enables you to set the date to turn on the computer automatically (0 by default).
Auto Power On Time
Enables you to set the time to turn on the computer automatically (0:00:00 by default).
AC Recovery
Off; On; Last (Off by default).
Boot
Boot Device Priority
Sets the boot device sequence. Only the bootable devices that are connected to the computer are listed as options.
Removable Device Priority
Sets the boot priority among the attached removable devices.
Hard Disk Boot Priority
Sets the hard drive boot priority. The items displayed are dynamically updated according to the hard drives detected.
CD/DVD Boot Priority
Sets the CD/DVD drive boot priority. The items displayed are dynamically updated according to the hard drives detected.
Boot Settings Configuration
Configure Fast Boot, Numlock and Keyboard errors.
Security
Provides options to enable, disable or change the passwords.
Exit
Exit Options
Provides options to Exit Saving Changes, Exit Discarding Changes, Load Setup Default, and Discard Changes.
BIOS logs are a nice idea, but none available! As hinted at above, BIOS is very basic.
In this case the "therm-bar" is just a graphical progress indicator on Dell's boot-time splash screen - nothing to do with temperatures (old-time term I picked up years ago when I used to code - sorry for any confusion caused).
The closest thing to throttling in the BIOS is SpeedStep, which can be either on or off. Set either way makes no difference to the beep code. As the beep-code occurs at boot-time (including cold boot), is throttling likely to have kicked in to the extent that it causes a POST error?
No evidence of overheating problems in the Windows logs.
Clearing the CMOS was a good idea, unfortunately it didn't help - start-up beeps are still here.
Interesting to know about the space-bar, although I actually found the opposite, pressing the space bar actually slows the therm-bar (very slightly - talking fractions of a second). With Fast Boot, on or off there was very little difference. With Fastboot disabled, maybe a slightly longer delay when spacebar was pressed, but nothing measurable!
osprey4
4 Operator
•
34.2K Posts
0
November 21st, 2011 17:00
Hi Beyongbeige,
Does the system start up?
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 21st, 2011 23:00
Hi,
Yes the system starts, but at each boot (or re-start) there's the beep code.
osprey4
4 Operator
•
34.2K Posts
0
November 22nd, 2011 04:00
Since the hardware checks out, I would boot to the BIOS, write down your important settings, then reset BIOS defaults. Boot and see what happens, then go back into the BIOS and re-enable the previous settings.
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2011 05:00
BIOS re-set has had no effect the start-up beeps.
osprey4
4 Operator
•
34.2K Posts
0
November 22nd, 2011 07:00
I would look very carefully through the various BIOS screens to make sure the settings match your hardware, particularly the drive configuration and memory configuration. If there is a BIOS setting for quick boot, disable that so you can see any POST messages.
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 22nd, 2011 09:00
BIOS tools don't give the flexibility they once did (ok, I expect this is because its Dell specific, and the more powerful controls removed from the user and pre-configured).
Quick Boot control exists but does not allow the POST screen to appear - no control for turning off Dell's therm-bar boot screen to show us what we need to see.
Very sanitised "memory info" screen, shows overview of what's installed but no technical details and no user changeable settings. Hard disk is very similar, its either detected or its not; no user options or overrides.
Under Advanced setting there are some CPU configuration options, nothing major and all are set correctly.
I have also checked other settings, integrated peripherals; chipset; power management, but again none offer any control that would allow the user to upset the machine if set incorrectly. At least after re-set all settings appear to be set in a logical manor, and I can see no conflicting logic between them.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
November 22nd, 2011 11:00
Therm Bar and beep slowing sounds like CPU throttling. I would see if there are Overheating logs in the bios event log and or in the windows event log.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
November 23rd, 2011 07:00
If you hit space bar on the keyboard that "Therm Bar usually bypasses" some tests and goes faster.
Bios is basic but some models have an event log in the bios. I don't own your specific model so I wouldn't know that.
Fast Boot may be another avenue.
Boot Settings Configuration
Configure Fast Boot, Numlock and Keyboard errors.
You could try clearing cmos.
Locate the 3-pin CMOS jumper (CLEAR_CMOS) on the system board (see System Board Components
<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>).
Back to Contents Page
Entering System Setup
System Setup Screens
The system setup screen displays current or changeable configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is divided into three areas: the options list, active options field, and key functions.
Menu — Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a menu to access to the System Setup options. Press <¬ >and<® >keys to navigate. As a Menu option is highlighted, the Options List, lists the options that define the hardware installed on you computer.
Options List — Appears on the left side of the System Setup window. The field lists features that define the configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features.
Scroll up and down the list with the up- and down-arrow keys. As an option is highlighted, the Options Field displays the option's current and available settings.
Options Field — Appears on the right side of Options List and contains information about each option listed in the Options List. In this field you can view information about your computer and make changes to your current settings. Press to make changes to your current settings. Press to return to the Options List.
NOTE: Not all settings listed in the Options Field are changeable.
Help — Appears on the right side of the System Setup window and contains help information about the option selected in Options List.
Key Functions — Appears below the Options Field and lists keys and their functions within the active system setup field.
System Setup Options
Main
System Date
Displays current date settings, in the mm:dd:yy format.
System Time
Displays current time settings, in the in the hh:mm:ss format.
SATA0
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA0.
SATA1
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA1.
SATA2
SATA Port not present.
SATA3
SATA Port not present.
SATA4
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA4.
SATA5
Displays the SATA drive integrated on SATA5.
System Info
Lists the BIOS version, system name, asset tag, and service tag.
Memory Info
Indicates amount of installed memory, memory speed, channel mode (dual or single), and type of memory installed.
Advanced
CPU type
Indicates the type of CPU installed.
L2 Cache
Indicates the amount of CPU L2 cache.
Advanced Chipset Features
Indicates amount of video memory (32 MB by default).
Integrated Peripherals
Allows you to enable or disable the integrated devices and ports on your system.
CPU Configuration
Allows you to enable or disable the CPU features that enhance the performance of the system.
USB Configuration
Allows you to enable or disable the USB controller.
Power
Power Management Setup
ACPI Suspend Type
Specifies the ACPI suspend type. The default is S3.
Remote Wake Up
This option turns on the computer when a user tries to access the computer through the LAN.
Auto Power On
Enables you to set an alarm to turn on the computer automatically.
Auto Power On Date
Enables you to set the date to turn on the computer automatically (0 by default).
Auto Power On Time
Enables you to set the time to turn on the computer automatically (0:00:00 by default).
AC Recovery
Off; On; Last (Off by default).
Boot
Boot Device Priority
Sets the boot device sequence. Only the bootable devices that are connected to the computer are listed as options.
Removable Device Priority
Sets the boot priority among the attached removable devices.
Hard Disk Boot Priority
Sets the hard drive boot priority. The items displayed are dynamically updated according to the hard drives detected.
CD/DVD Boot Priority
Sets the CD/DVD drive boot priority. The items displayed are dynamically updated according to the hard drives detected.
Boot Settings Configuration
Configure Fast Boot, Numlock and Keyboard errors.
Security
Provides options to enable, disable or change the passwords.
Exit
Exit Options
Provides options to Exit Saving Changes, Exit Discarding Changes, Load Setup Default, and Discard Changes.
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 23rd, 2011 07:00
BIOS logs are a nice idea, but none available! As hinted at above, BIOS is very basic.
In this case the "therm-bar" is just a graphical progress indicator on Dell's boot-time splash screen - nothing to do with temperatures (old-time term I picked up years ago when I used to code - sorry for any confusion caused).
The closest thing to throttling in the BIOS is SpeedStep, which can be either on or off. Set either way makes no difference to the beep code. As the beep-code occurs at boot-time (including cold boot), is throttling likely to have kicked in to the extent that it causes a POST error?
No evidence of overheating problems in the Windows logs.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
November 23rd, 2011 09:00
In the old days with computers with Vacuum Tubes Space bar told the CPU to bypass Ram Test and therefore speeded up the boot process.
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 23rd, 2011 09:00
Hi SpeedStep,
Clearing the CMOS was a good idea, unfortunately it didn't help - start-up beeps are still here.
Interesting to know about the space-bar, although I actually found the opposite, pressing the space bar actually slows the therm-bar (very slightly - talking fractions of a second). With Fast Boot, on or off there was very little difference. With Fastboot disabled, maybe a slightly longer delay when spacebar was pressed, but nothing measurable!
BeyondBeige
15 Posts
0
November 23rd, 2011 23:00
Here's a new observation, which may help or could be co-incidence. In my original post there were two tones for the beeps
beepbeep----beep (long pause) BEEP
Where BEEP is louder, deeper (and I think slightly longer) than a “beep”. The BEEP is as I would expect from POST.
New observation is the "beep" tone is the same (or very similar) to when inserting a USB stick while Windows is running.
osprey4
4 Operator
•
34.2K Posts
0
November 24th, 2011 05:00
Here's an idea. Boot to the BIOS and make sure the bootable device list is only CD drive (first) and hard drive.
Dinofa
7 Posts
0
May 15th, 2014 07:00
I believe the beeping sounds you are hearing are the processors loading up.. You have four correct, hints the four beeps.