Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What are the BIOS error and beep codes for the Gateway 9115 and 9210 Servers?

A: The BIOS indicates the current testing phase during POST by writing a hex code to I/O location 80h. If errors are encountered, error messages or codes are either displayed to the video screen, or if an error has occurred prior to video initialization, errors are reported through a series of audio beep codes. POST errors are logged in to the SEL.

BIOS Error Messages

During POST, if an error is detected, the BIOS displays an error code and message on the screen. The following table defines POST error codes and their associated messages. The BIOS prompts the user to press a key in case of serious errors. Some of the error messages are preceded by the string “Error” to highlight the fact that the system may be malfunctioning. All POST errors and warnings are logged in the SEL.

Port 80h POST Codes

During the POST, the BIOS generates diagnostic progress codes (POST codes) to I/O port 80h. If the POST fails, execution stops and the last POST code generated is left at port 80h. This code is useful for determining the point where an error occurred.

Displaying the POST codes requires a PCI bus add-in card, often called a POST card. The POST card can decode the port and display the contents on a medium such as a seven-segment display.

The tables below offer descriptions of the POST codes generated by the BIOS. Some codes are repeated in the tables because that code applies to more than one operation.

BIOS Beep Codes

Whenever a recoverable error occurs during POST, the BIOS displays an error message describing the problem (see Table 67). The BIOS also issues a beep code (one long tone followed by two short tones) during POST if the video configuration fails (a faulty video card or no card installed) or if an external ROM module does not properly checksum to zero.

An external ROM module (for example, a video BIOS) can also issue audible errors, usually consisting of one long tone followed by a series of short tones. For more information on the beep codes issued, check the documentation for that external device.

There are several POST routines that issue a POST terminal error and shut down the system if they fail. Before shutting down the system, the terminal-error handler issues a beep code signifying the test point error, writes the error to I/O port 80h, attempts to initialize the video and writes the error in the upper left corner of the screen (using both monochrome and color adapters).

If POST completes normally, the BIOS issues one short beep before passing control to the operating system.