IBM Support

Diagnosting POST beep symptoms - IBM eServer xSeries 370

Troubleshooting


Problem

Diagnosing POST beep symptoms which are short tones or a series of short tones separated by pauses (intervals without sound) at bootup.

Resolving The Problem

Beep symptoms are short tones or a series of short tones separated by pauses (intervals without sound). See the following examples.

Note: One beep after successfully completing POST indicates the system is functioning properly.

Beeps Description
1-2-3
  • One beep
  • A pause (or break)
  • Two beeps
  • A pause (or break)
  • Three Beeps
4 Four continuous beeps

Beep/Symptom FRU/Action
1-1-2
(Processor register test failed)

1. BSP Processor

Note: The BSP Processor is identified on the BM logo screen during boot. If you cannot boot to the IBM logo screen, the BSP is the highest functional processor (highest functioning processor slot number) on the processor daughterboard A.

2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
1-1-3
(CMOS write/read test failed)		 1. Battery
2. I/O function card
3. System Management adapter
4. I/O board
1-1-4
(BIOS EEPROM checksum failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
3. Processor controller board
4. Processor daughterboard
1-2-1
(Programmable Interval Timer failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
1-2-2
(DMA initialization failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
3. Processor controller board
4. Processor daughterboard
1-2-3
(DMA page register write/read failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
3. Processor controller board
4. Processor daughterboard
1-2-4
(RAM refresh verification failed)		 1. Processor controller board
2. Processor daughterboard
3. Memory Card
1-3-1
(1st 1MB RAM test failed)		 1. Remove DIMM in Memory Card A, slot J1, or, if not populated, the slot closest to J1. Attempt to boot the system. If it boots, replace the DIMM. If it does not boot, suspect the following FRUs.
2. Memory Card A
3. Memory Card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
1-3-2
(1st 1MB RAM ECC test failed)		 1. Remove DIMM in Memory Card A, slot J1, or, if not populated, the slot closest to J1. Attempt to boot the system. If it boots, replace the DIMM. If it does not boot, suspect the following FRUs.
2. Memory Card A
3. Memory Card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
2-1-1
(Secondary DMA register failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
3. Processor controller board
4. Processor daughterboard

2-1-2
(Primary DMA register failed)

 1. I/O function card
2. I/O board
3. Processor controller board
4. Processor daughterboard
2-1-3
(Primary interrupt mask register failed)		 1. I/O board
2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
2-1-4
(Secondary interrupt mask register failed)		 1. I/O board
2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
2-2-1
(Interrupt vector loading failed)		 1. I/O board
2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
2-2-2
(Keyboard controller failed)		 1. I/O function card
2. Keyboard
2-2-3
(CMOS power failure and checksum checks failed)		 1. Battery
2. I/O function card
3. I/O board
2-2-4
(CMOS configuration info validation failed)		 1. Battery
2. I/O function card
2-3-1
(Screen initialization failed)		 1. I/O function card
2-3-2
(Screen memory failed)		 1. I/O function card
2-3-3
(Screen retrace failed)		 1. I/O function card
2-3-4
(Search for video ROM failed)		 1. I/O function card
2-4-1
(Video failed, screen believed operable)		 1. I/O function card
3-1-1
(Timer tick interrupt failed)

1. I/O function card
 2. I/O board
3-1-2
(Interval timer channel 2 failed)		 1. I/O function card
 2. I/O board
3-1-3
(RAM test failed above address OFFFFH)		 1. If memory card LED is on, replace DIMM
2. Memory card A
3. Memory card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
5. Processor daughterboard
3-1-4
(Time-of-Day clock failed)		 1. Battery
2. I/O function card
3-2-1
(Serial port failed)		 1. I/O function card
3-2-2
(Parallel port failed)		 1. I/O function card
3-2-3
(Math coprocessor failed)		 1. Processor
2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
3-2-4
(Failure comparing CMOS memory size against actual)		 1. If memory card LED is on, replace DIMM
2. Memory card A
3. Memory card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
5. Processor daughterboard
6. Battery
3-3-1
(Memory size mismatch occurred, see "Memory Settings" on page 30 of the HMM)		 1. If memory card LED is on, replace DIMM
2. Memory card A
3. Memory card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
5. Processor daughterboard
6. Battery
3-3-2
(Critical SMBUS error occurred)

1. See "SM BUS error (3-3-2)" on page 155 of the HMM.

Two short beeps
(No video, no warning LED)

NOTE: Two short beeps after a configuration change, or after AC power has been removed and is restored, is normal.

 1. I/O function card
Three short beeps 1. If memory card LED is on, replace DIMM
2. Memory card A
3. Memory card B, if installed
4. Processor controller board
5. Processor daughterboard
One continuos beep 1. Processor
2. Processor controller board
3. Processor daughterboard
Repeating short beeps 1. Keyboard
2. I/O function card
3. I/O board
One long and one short beep 1. Video adapter (if installed)
2. I/O function card
One long and two short beeps 1. Video adapter (if installed)
2. I/O function card
One long and three short beeps 1. Monitor (display)
2. I/O function card
Two long and two short beeps 1. Video adapter (if installed)
 2. I/O function card

 

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

Older System x:Operating system independent / None

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Document Information

Modified date:
28 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-4XPQKY

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