3 long beeps 4 short beeps and shuts down

[Shoebox3]

3 long beeps 4 short beeps and shuts down

have changed power cord to a smart pin cord. Could it be the bios battery?

[NonSequitur777]

@Shoebox3,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Thanks for your question. The 3 long beeps followed by 4 short beeps (3 red, 4 white) you’re hearing corresponds to an HP power system failure code, as documented here: HP Support Diagnostic Beep Codes.

Incidentally, this error is not typically related to the BIOS (CMOS) battery.

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What This Code Means:

According to HP, this beep pattern signals a failure in the system's power delivery -which could involve the power supply unit (PSU), motherboard, or CPU.

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Steps to Troubleshoot as per HP:

1. Reduce to minimal configuration:

   • Disconnect all non-essential components (HDD/SSD, GPU, etc.)

   • Leave only:
     ✅ Motherboard
     ✅ CPU
     ✅ One stick of RAM
     ✅ Power supply

2. Test with a known-good PSU:
   Swap in a compatible, working PSU if available. Faulty or underpowered PSUs are a common cause of this error.

3. Test RAM:
   Try booting with one stick of RAM in different DIMM slots, or with a different stick if you have one.

4. Inspect the motherboard:
   Check for visible damage (e.g., swollen capacitors, burn marks, disconnected heatsinks, etc.).

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About the "Smart Pin cord":

If you're using a laptop and recently changed the power cord or AC adapter, it sounds like you've switched to a Smart Pin adapter. HP Smart Pin adapters include a center pin that allows the system to verify:

• Adapter wattage

• Compatibility

• Power delivery status

Using a non-HP or low-wattage adapter -or one with a damaged center pin, may cause the system to misinterpret power signals and potentially fail to boot. Make sure you're using an original HP adapter with the correct wattage for your laptop model.

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If you've tried all the above and the issue persists, the problem may lie with the motherboard or CPU, in which case contacting HP Support or a qualified technician for component-level diagnostics would be the next step.

Let me know your exact PC model number if you'd like help finding compatible parts or further instructions.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777