Article Number: 000132041
Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Notebook PC
Summary: This article is a guide to the various diagnostics Beep Codes used by the various Dell Notebook PCs.
Article Content
Symptoms
Cause
Introduction to Beep Codes
Dell has a long tradition of building diagnostic indicators into our systems. These indicators can be really useful in helping to diagnose and resolve any issues your PC might experience whilst starting up. I've given a guide to the various codes for each family of notebooks below.
If the display cannot show any errors your computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up.
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3 means 3-3-3-3...That is 3 beeps and 3 beeps and ...: Endless looping until the user presses the power button to shut down the system.
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The delay between each beep is 300ms. The delay between each set of beeps is 3 sec, and the beep sound lasts 300ms.
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After each beep and each set of beeps, the BIOS should detect if the user presses the power button, if so, BIOS will jump out from looping and execute the normal shutdown process and power system.
Note: If your system also has diagnostic indicator LEDs, you will want to go to the support site to get the appropriate guide for your model.
Note: If your system is giving a code that isn't listed on this guide, then please contact your local support to investigate this unknown code further.
If your system is giving a listed code then please use the fault descriptions below to narrow your possible No Post troubleshooting. The No Post guide below will be useful in troubleshooting your issue further.
Alternatively troubleshooting a memory issue may resolve - please see our Memory article for support
Resolution
Dell Notebook Systems
Inspiron Notebooks
Beep Codes.
| Power LED Blinking/Beep Code | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Beep Code | Fault Description | Fault(s) | Suggested Action |
| 1 | Motherboard: BIOS ROM Failure | Motherboard, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 2 | Memory | No Memory (RAM) detected | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 3 | Motherboard: Chipset |
|
Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 4 | Memory | Memory (RAM) Failure | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 5 | Real Time Clock Power Failure | CMOS battery failure | Try reseating the CMOS Battery and run the Dell Diagnostics if that does not resolve the issue |
| 6 | Video BIOS | Video card/chip failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 7 | Central Processing Unit (CPU) | Central Processing Unit (CPU) Failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| On older systems that are no longer sold | |||
| Beep Code | Fault Description | Fault(s) | Suggested Action |
| 8 | LCD | LCD Failure | Contact Technical Support |
XPS Notebooks
| Beep Code | Error Description | Suggested Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motherboard, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 2 | No Memory (RAM) detected | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 3 |
|
Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 4 | Memory (RAM) Failure | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 5 | CMOS battery failure | Try reseating the CMOS Battery and run the Dell Diagnostics if that does not resolve the issue |
| 6 | Video card/chip failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 7 | Central Processing Unit (CPU) Failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 8 | LCD Failure | Contact Technical Support |
Vostro Notebooks
Beep Codes.
| Beep Code | Description | Failure Coverage | Suggested Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIOS ROM checksum in progress or failure. BIOS Chip | System board failure, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 2 | No RAM Detected | No memory detected | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 3 |
|
System board Failure (Power LED Blinking Amber) |
Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 4 | RAM Read/Write failure | Memory failure | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 5 | RTC Power Fail | COMS battery failure | Try reseating the CMOS Battery and run the Dell Diagnostics if that does not resolve the issue |
| 6 | Video BIOS Test Failure | Video card failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 7 | CPU Failure | CPU | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 8 | LCD | LCD Failure | Contact Technical Support |
Latitude Notebooks
| Beep Code | Description | Failure Coverage | Suggested Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIOS ROM checksum in progress or failure. BIOS Chip | System board failure, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 2 | No RAM Detected | No memory detected | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 3 |
|
System board Failure (Power LED Blinking Amber) |
Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 4 | RAM Read/Write failure | Memory failure | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 5 | RTC Power Fail | COMS battery failure | Try reseating the CMOS Battery and run the Dell Diagnostics if that does not resolve the issue |
| 6 | Video BIOS Test Failure | Video card failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 7 | CPU Failure | CPU | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 8 | LCD | LCD Failure | Contact Technical Support |
Precision Mobile Workstations
| Beep Code | Description | Failure Coverage | Suggested Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | System board, covers BIOS corruption or ROM error | System board BIOS ROM failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 2 | No Memory/RAM Detected | No memory detected | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 3 | System board, Chipset Error, Clock failure, Gate A20 failure, Super I/O Failure, Keyboard controller failure | System board; Chipset | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 4 | Memory/RAM failure | Memory failure | Troubleshoot the Memory |
| 5 | Real Time Clock power fail | COMS battery failure | Try reseating the CMOS Battery and run the Dell Diagnostics if that does not resolve the issue |
| 6 | Video card/chip Failure | Video BIOS | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 7 | CPU | CPU Failure | Run the Dell Diagnostics |
| 8 | LCD | LCD Failure | Contact Technical Support |
Note: Depending on the hardware configuration of your system, you may need speakers connected to the output connecter in order to hear the beeps. If your system does not emit any beeps in a repeated pattern, please check out the guides below for what the diagnostic LEDs mean on your PC instead.
Additional Information
Diagnostic LED Indicator Guides
- A reference guide to the Precision Mobile Workstation Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Latitude Notebooks and Tablet Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the XPS Notebook Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Vostro Notebook Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Inspiron Notebook Diagnostic Indicators
- Understanding Beep Codes on a Dell Desktop PC
- A reference guide to the Precision Workstation Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Dell OptiPlex Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the XPS Desktop Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Vostro Desktop Diagnostic Indicators
- A reference guide to the Inspiron Desktop Diagnostic Indicators
Out of warranty? No problem. Browse to the Dell.com/support website and enter your Dell Service Tag and view our offers.
NOTE: Offers are only available for US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and China personal computer customers. Server and Storage not applicable.
Article Properties
Affected Product
Inspiron, Latitude, Vostro, XPS
Last Published Date
20 Jul 2021
Version
7
Article Type
Solution