28 Quick Reference Guide
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Beep Codes
Your computer might emit a series of beeps during start-up if the monitor cannot display errors or
problems. This series of beeps, called a beep code, identifies a problem. One possible beep code
(code 1-3-1) consists of one beep, a burst of three beeps, and then one beep. This beep code tells
you that the computer encountered a memory problem.
If your computer beeps during start-up:
1
Write down the beep code on the Diagnostic Checklist (see your
User’s Guide
).
2
Run the Dell Diagnostics to identify a more serious cause.
3
Contact Dell for technical assistance.
Code Cause Code Cause
1-1-2 Microprocessor register failure 3-3-4 Video Memory Test failure
1-1-3 NVRAM read/write failure 3-4-1 Screen initialization failure
1-1-4 ROM BIOS checksum failure 3-4-2 Screen retrace failure
1-2-1 Programmable interval timer failure 3-4-3 Search for video ROM failure
1-2-2 DMA initialization failure 4-2-1 No timer tick
1-2-3 DMA page register read/write failure 4-2-2 Shutdown failure
1-3 Video Memory Test failure 4-2-3 Gate A20 failure
1-3-1
through
2-4-4
Memory not being properly identified
or used
4-2-4 Unexpected interrupt in protected
mode
3-1-1 Slave DMA register failure 4-3-1 Memory failure above address
0FFFFh
3-1-2 Master DMA register failure 4-3-3 Timer-chip counter 2 failure
3-1-3 Master interrupt mask register failure 4-3-4 Time-of-day clock stopped
3-1-4 Slave interrupt mask register failure 4-4-1 Serial or parallel port test failure
3-2-2 Interrupt vector loading failure 4-4-2 Failure to decompress code to
shadowed memory
3-2-4 Keyboard Controller Test failure 4-4-3 Math-coprocessor test failure
3-3-1 NVRAM power loss 4-4-4 Cache test failure
3-3-2 Invalid NVRAM configuration 4-3-4 Time-of-day clock stopped