The "Energy Star" Logo: This distinctive logo is displayed if the BIOS supports the Energy Star standard, which almost all newer ones dob The BIOS Serial Number: This is normally located at the bottom of the screen. Since BIOSes are highly customized to the particular motherboard, this serial number can be used in many cases to determine the specific motherboard and BIOS version you are using. Checkout Wim Bervoets' BIOS site fora huge list of these numbers Troubleshooting BIOS Beep Codes When a problem is identified with the system during the POST, the BIOS will normally produce an error message. However, in some cases the problem is detected so early in the test that the BIOS cannot even access the video card to print the message In this case the BIOS will produce a beeping pattern on the speaker to tell you what the problem is. The exact meaning of the beep codes depends on the type and version of BIOS that you have. The three most popular types of BIOS are those made by Award, American Megatrends (AMI) and Phoenix. The beep codes for these BIOS products are described in this part of the troubleshooter. If you are using a PC made by a company that writes its own BIOS, you will have to consult your owner's manual A single beep during the boot process, usually right before the BIOS startup screen is displayed, is normal and does not indicate a failure as long as the boot continues on. Beep codes can be in several different patterns, depending on the BIOS that you are using. Some BIOSes use very simple beep codes in a pattern of varying numbers of short beeps, while others may mix short and long beeps. The Phoenix BIOS is famous for its
complicated beep patterns that are actually in up to four groups--one or more beeps and then a pause, followed by as many as three more patterns.