Table 9-2Diagnostic Front Panel LEDs and Audible Codes (continued)

Activity

Beeps

Possible Cause

Recommended Action

 

 

 

 

 

Red Power LED flashes two

2

Processor thermal

1.

Ensure that the computer air vents are not

times, once every second,

 

protection activated:

 

blocked and the processor cooling fan is

followed by a two second

 

A fan may be blocked or

 

running.

pause. Beeps stop after fifth

 

2.

 

iteration but LEDs continue

 

not turning.

Open hood, press power button, and see if

until problem is solved.

 

OR

 

the processor fan spins. If the processor fan

 

 

 

is not spinning, make sure the fan's cable is

 

 

The heat sink/fan

 

plugged onto the system board header.

 

 

 

 

 

 

assembly is not properly

3.

If fan is plugged in, but is not spinning, then

 

 

attached to the processor.

 

replace heat sink/fan assembly.

 

 

 

4.

Contact an authorized reseller or service

 

 

 

 

provider.

 

 

 

 

 

Red Power LED flashes three

3

Processor not installed

1.

Check to see that the processor is present.

times, once every second,

 

(not an indicator of bad

2.

Reseat the processor.

followed by a two second

 

processor).

pause. Beeps stop after fifth

 

 

 

 

iteration but LEDs continue

 

 

 

 

until problem is solved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Power LED flashes four

4

Power failure (power

1.

Open the hood and ensure the 4 or 6-wire

times, once every second,

 

supply is overloaded).

 

power supply cable is seated into the

followed by a two second

 

 

 

connector on the system board.

pause. Beeps stop after fifth

 

 

2.

Check if a device is causing the problem by

iteration but LEDs continue

 

 

until problem is solved.

 

 

 

removing ALL attached devices (such as

 

 

 

 

hard or optical drives and expansion cards).

 

 

 

 

Power on the system. If the system enters

 

 

 

 

the POST, then power off and replace one

 

 

 

 

device at a time and repeat this procedure

 

 

 

 

until failure occurs. Replace the device that

 

 

 

 

is causing the failure. Continue adding

 

 

 

 

devices one at a time to ensure all devices

 

 

 

 

are functioning properly.

 

 

 

3.

Replace the power supply.

 

 

 

4.

Replace the system board.

 

 

 

 

Red Power LED flashes five

5

Pre-video memory error.

CAUTION: To avoid damage to the DIMMs or

times, once every second,

 

 

the system board, you must unplug the computer

followed by a two second

 

 

power cord before attempting to reseat, install, or

pause. Beeps stop after fifth

 

 

remove a DIMM module.

iteration but LEDs continue

 

 

1.

Reseat DIMMs.

until problem is solved.

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Replace DIMMs one at a time to isolate the

 

 

 

 

faulty module.

 

 

 

3.

Replace third-party memory with HP

 

 

 

 

memory.

 

 

 

4.

Replace the system board.

 

 

 

 

 

Interpreting POST Diagnostic Front Panel LEDs and Audible Codes 183